On Jan 2, 12:58*pm, Family-Outdoors wrote:
On Jan 2, 10:21*am, Frank Reid © 2008 wrote:

BTW, its minus 6 with snow heading in.
Frank Reid

3 this morning in Missouri. *Son woke up wanting to go ice
fishing...held him off until it got up to 10. *BTW...our version of
ice fishing is off a dock after we cut thru ice...a little leery of
ice here as it rarely stays cold long enough to be truly stable.
Caught 3 rainbows in about 30 minutes and that was enough (stocked
lake).
Paul

Thanks to all who responded. We already knew it, of course, but it's
good to see confirmation that not everyone opts for the "traditional"
hearty party on the eve of the new year.

For myself, I was surprised to discover that I was wrong. Turns out I
did have another wakeful hour left in me, even if barely.....made it
to 12:05. Got to leafing through the USDA's 1949 Yearbook of
Agricultu Trees, and got interested enough to keep me more or less
vertical (horizontal is instant sleep mode) for another hour or so.

Becky and Tim and Bear arrived late the next morning, after I had once
again spent several hours in hauling wood (STILL an unrelieved joy
after all these years) and just started a fresh pot of coffee. Larry
and Gisela and Angel arrived about an hour later. The rest of January
oneth was spent is dissipation, ala overindulgence in food, drink,
conversation, photographic digitalization, weather lore, silvicutural
ruminations, dish-washing after yet another bout of random ingestion,
and keeping Becky ever so busy in her new role as reference librarian,
e.g., googlemeister.

Yesterday dawned a sparkling -10 (F.) and it was determined by tacit
acclamation that no work would be done in the woods......well, sort
of. In fact, we completely rehabed the woodpile and worked on
reassembling Friday night's bonfire, which had languished early due to
lack of interest (presumably sparked by falling temperatures). The
day was spent mostly indoors, reprising Thursday's performace.

Today, a first look at the thermomter around 6:30 a.m. revealed a very
interesing -16. Smirks emanating from the plains states
notwithstanding, that's approaching pretty damned cold. Cars and
trucks were test fired in anticipation of the homeward trip scheduled
for later in the day. All passed the test. Alas, the John Deere did
not. Many large blocks of wood destined for the bonfire and strewn
about in the general vicinity in anticipation had to be restacked by
hand to await a more clement season. No one was actually frostbitten
in the process, to the best of my knowledge, but it was a near thing.

Altogether, a most gratifying way to begin yet another year.

giles.
but, DAMN!, it was cold.