SNO....ooooooh NO!

Okay so 21 days ago the water was 75 degrees, the air was 84 degrees and I was swimming! This is not funny! Oct 10th is way too early for snow on the ground. With the warm September the leaves haven't even fully changed and fallen. It looks a little weird with the snow and so many bright fall colors. Last night it was 21 degrees and the night before 25..... winter here we come.... Take care and stay warm.

Oh I guess I better get the dock out soon :)

Jon

More rain

Okay ever since I mentioned the baby Loon taking off I have seen it tons! So I guess he/she is still here enjoying Gilmore. It was almost like "hey you mister, I am still here". It has been fishing in front of our house almost all day the last two days..... sheeesh I am sorry little Loon buddy, you stay here as long as you like, besides we love watching you, just remember you need to take off before the lake freezes.....

It has been raining off and on since Friday morning, and much cooler. Highs in the 40's lows in the 30's. It feels colder with the rain and clouds. Oh well it is October! Still hoping we see some more warm days before winter.

Hopefully I can get some pics of the fall colors before the wind blows all the leaves off the trees.

Take care.

Jon

Rain

Today we are getting much needed rain. It has been cold windy and raining off and on all day. I know we need the rain but it sure makes it feel colder out. I finally broke down and turned on the heat this morning, it was 59 degrees in the house. I hope to fire up the wood boiler tonight. The heating season begins! Hopefully the wood pile will last until spring.

Jon

First Frost!

Tuesday September 29th was the first frost of the Fall Season. It also frosted pretty good this morning. The leaves are 50% changed and with the high winds of Sunday and Monday a lot of them have blown off already. You can start to see into the woods a little bit better now.

The lake is now under 70 degrees. After our COOL summer we have had an awesome fall so far with a bunch of upper 70 and lower 80 degree days in September. I did more swimming in September than the whole summer combined, the lake was at its warmest point of the summer the second week of September about 76 degrees. It was awesome snorkeling in September and the lake is so clear right now, I could easily see the bottom at 20 feet. September 20th was the last time I was in the lake, I wont be venturing in now until sometime next summer.

For those of you that are not Lake Gilmore residents or cabin owners I will give a brief summer recap. (I have decided this will be a mostly Fall, Winter, Spring blog)After ice out in late April we had a cold May and June, July was a little bit better but still way colder than normal. August was also colder than normal. Brrr is all I have to say for the summer.

The nesting pair of Loons hatched two chicks and one made it all summer and I haven't seen it for a couple of days so I assume it has taken off for its flight south. I have herd reports of Loons gathering in good size groups on the bigger lakes, I read that they gather and socialize like this for a couple of weeks on the bigger lakes before heading south. Loons typically make there migrations alone or in pairs. I will miss the Loon songs all winter and already I am looking forward to that first tremolo in the spring...... Take care and enjoy this fall season.

Jon

Ice Free Baby!

Gilmore iced out last night about 7:00 PM! Winters grip on Lake Gilmore is lifted. Thursday November 20th to Thursday April 23rd was the 08/09 Lake Gilmore ice covered season... let see how many days was that.... getting out Julian Calendar...... 154 ice covered days.

The kids have already started asking when I will get the water trampline set up. (We found a used one for $50 at a garage sale last year, it needs some pathing but those things retail for $1500 so it was a steal.) I think the water trampoline season isnt going to start until at least after Memorial weekend. Sheesh kids were wading in the water the last two nights. I am going to have to have genetic testings on them because I wonder if they might be part frog or some other cold blooded beings....

Take Care

Jon

Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers and Gilmore Loons.

Last night a pair of Loons finally landed on the lake, they have about 100 feet of open water all around the North, Northeast and Northwest shores. What a sound performance they put on last night, yodels, wails and tremolos! It was almost like they wanted everyone to know "We are back to our Gilmore summer home!" I didn't get much sleep because I didn't want to miss the welcome home loon song party.

It took a while before the Loons swam by the house and I took the pictures above. I did get to see a pair of Hooded Mergansers, a pair of Wood Ducks, and a pair of Mallard Ducks. A pair of Swans flew over just as I am writing this and a couple Purple Martins are circling above the cattails looking for a meal......... ugh that means the bugs cant be too far behind!

Jon

Ice Ducks and Hungry Deer

This morning this duck was swimming in the open water in front of the house then decided to hang out on the ice. The yard is finally drying up and turning greener. This also means that the ditches are greening up and boy have the deer been in the ditches eating the fresh grass the last few days. Last night while I was hauling manure for the garden I counted over 20 deer in a 10 mile round trip..... they are starting to look a little healthier, not so many ribs showing.

Dead Horse Lake opened up yesterday and the Loons are sure making a ruckus. Two trumpeter swans have been on the lake since it opened up. A couple Loons keep flying over Gilmore and calling out.... I often wonder each year if the pair of Loons we always have on the lake is the same pair or one born from the pair the year before.

Jon