Diary of a Mad Art Teacher... and photographer...: ice shacks

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Fears, flaws, challenges, and walking on water

Look, I'm walking on water!

I went for a walk today to try and overcome the sugar coma that was threatening to engulf me. It was stupidly cold out, too, and I just didn't WANT to go. But I did because I was so lethargic and tired that I knew getting out was the thing to do, but it took a LONG time to talk myself into it.

So after dressing myself in multiple layers, I decided to head on down to Smith Lake, one of my favorite thinking places. I think about summer, about canoeing and I don't know why, but it is conducive to just mulling over life.

Self portrait in shadow with moon

As I have implied, Christmas is hard for me in many ways- most of them kind of personal and I really don't think need to be aired out in public. Let's just say, like many of us, Christmas seems to point out our flaws, our unresolved childhood conflicts and issues, our insecurities and our dissatisfactions with parts of our lives. That I think sort of sums it all up. People make it out to be the most ideal part of life, and we all just know that isn't the truth. If you even begin to think about all the songs that are being sung about it being the most wonderful time of the year and all that- well one can't help but think that one is doing something terribly wrong. So, I always have to have a talk with myself on Christmas day to remind me to be grateful for what I have, but still go for what I want.... if that makes sense. Well it did at the time!

So this is where I was going down to the lake in a serious effort to negate the effects of cookies, and candy and all sorts of things I haven't really eaten for a few years and I will not be letting myself get into THAT habit, let me tell you! I had listened to all that depressing Christmas music the past few weeks (lol like Home for the Holidays and Let it Snow!) so I knew that I had to find something else. I just acquired a new "unused" playlist and that was the ticket!

Moon rise

It is interesting how music affects me while walking. A very wise friend mentioned (when I told her that there are a few pieces of music that I simply can not listen to any more while working out, as it makes me too sad) that when you pair up music and the endorphins released by running/walking/activity you get some powerful memory/emotion triggers! That is undoubtedly the truth- there are about 3 songs that can literally bring me to my knees. I try to avoid those songs, even though they are certainly a few of my favorites, or at least used to be..... but if I can't listen to them, can they still be my favorites? idk. At any rate, it was very nice to be walking along with many songs that have no associations at all, it really made achieving my goal of clearing my head and my arteries quite enjoyable. Exercise (along with the music) is an incredibly powerful thing. The worst of moods can be eased by a 2 hour walk (sometimes less! :) ) and all my irritations from a long day of work can be left on the floor of the gym. I have had people tell me I am addicted to exercise- and that is an addiction I can live with. Unlike my apparent addiction to cookies. Not sure I can live with that one anymore..... People who actually "know" will agree with me that exercise is a wonderful thing to be addicted to- the benefits are huge, the drawbacks are few. And the good feeling that I get when I really lift some heavy weights or push myself to walk faster or if my knee can take it, to run longer- is almost unbeatable. Almost!!

The dock at Smith Lake

So scroll forward to Smith Lake and there I am at approaching the edge of the boat landing. If you remember back to last winter, I was afraid to walk on the ice. Well, no one is going to be surprised to know that I still am afraid to walk out there, but I did. I didn't even stop, I started my pep talk to the scared Debi about 1/2 mile before I even got there, and I walked right out onto the ice! I wasn't happy about it, but I did it. Of course the little narrative that went on in my mind was quite an adventure!

"So you can walk out there, no problem! Just go!"

"what if I get out there and I hear the ice start to crackle?"

"There are vehicle tracks out onto the ice. A 4 wheeler weighs more than you do, girl"

"But their weight is spread out over 4 wheels, mine is all concentrated on my two feet. Even if I didn't go through the ice, all the way and drown, my foot could still go through!"

"We can call someone on the phone"

"Who am I going to call???? The MA has no cell phone, who knows where Mike is and it is Christmas for heavens sakes. Who is even HOME?? It is so cold out, I'd have frost bite so fast and that would suck. AGH - I am so going to be in trouble....... I think if I got myself to shore, covered up my wet feet with my coat and call EVERYONE on my contact list I might be able to save my feet. I could yell for the ice fishermen to help me......."

"You are now out on the ice, so relax! For heaven's sakes."

There are obviously several people who inhabit my brain. It all gets a bit cluttered sometimes.

So I was walking on water again today, and it was ok. I will always be afraid of the ice cracking under me, but I can do it if I want.

Think they could have heard me? Are there even people out there???

And there is the dock- WAAAAY back there

I am a sucker for a challenge! And I usually am the one who does the challenging- which usually turns into a bit of a joy for me. Because if challenged, I will not be easily defeated! Especially by myself!

My next challenge is to go out even FURTHER on the ice- oy. I am sure I will be fine if I stay on the path, but you KNOW that I will veer off for a few good pictures. Maybe I should wear a life jacket! ;) And always try to be a joy-giver!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Walkin' on Water- Yikes!

Now I am sure that a bunch of Northwoods natives will get the urge to make fun of me for saying this, but I am REALLY pretty afraid to walk on frozen lakes. I am from Southern WI, and I never in my life walked on a frozen lake until I was about 20- when I went cross-country skiing with the Mad-Accountant-to-be and some of his friends. We were somewhere over in the Eau Claire area, and I was a newbie skier. I had already biffed out on a big (probably tiny) hill and was working HARD to keep up with the rest of them. And somewhere along the line it was brought to my attention that we were skiing on a lake.

WHAT????? Are you people freaking nuts??? But, as you know we do stupid things when we are young and trying to impress the nice young man who happened to buy me cross-country skis for Christmas the first year I knew him! (That is probably the most thought he EVER put into a Christmas present for me, but I digress).

Anyway, I kind of try to avoid actually walking on frozen lakes. It is sort of unnatural. Unreasonable. Unimaginable even. And as far as driving onto a frozen body of water-- now that is kind of insane. And did you know that people actually build FIRES on the ICE??? But when in the frozen north and you are looking for new subjects to photograph, combined with a need to get a good workout in, you do what you gotta do! As I said in my earlier post today, it was gorgeously sunny this morning and I needed to be OUT in it. I just crave the sun during the winter, and when it is shining it calls my name. Yeah, I know, pretty cool that the sun knows my name!! So I made a plan to walk down to the boat landing, otherwise known as Smith Creek County Park.

Now, I've lived in this house for 32 years and I have never walked there before. It is only 1.5 miles from my house to the end of the road- however a year ago I had a different outlook on the distance and time it takes to get there. 1.5 miles in NOTHING for me anymore, after all, yesterday I did go on a 5.5 mile jaunt and did it with little trouble. So I was babbling away in a similar manner to the Mad-Accountant about my plans, picturing slogging through the snow to get some alternate view points around the area, thinking about how different everything will look now at this time of the year. Maybe get some shots of ice shacks if I can see them- you know- see what I can find. And he says to me: "Well you know you have to go out onto the ice and get some reverse shots of the landing!" Uh yeah, I was thinking the same thing..... GULP. NOOOOOO!!!!! RATS!!! Of course I have to do that, especially since that gauntlet has (unwittingly on his part) been thrown.

On my way down to the end of the road, I sent a quick text to Middle-Son Greg and asked him if there is any place I should AVOID (read where might I accidentally fall in) when walking out on the sketchily frozen lake. I want you to know, as I already knew, that there is in the neighborhood of 14 inches of ice down on that flowage- and apparently ice can hold 100 pounds per inch..... Like that makes me feel any better. So while I was really enjoying my walk, and snapping some pictures, I was thinking about the stupid ice. That is until I saw the wolf tracks.....

Yes, wolf tracks. I generally do not go into remote areas alone as there are wolves around and the occasional cougar, but seriously I do not get too worked up about them. And when I saw the tracks, I figured there was plenty of traffic around, so the animals probably won't be around. Of course I only saw one truck go by me on the way down. Thanks a lot, people!! Regardless, I had other, colder things on my mind. I was wanting to do a little running, but the road was really snowy and yesterday I had slid a lot on the road. Don't need to fall and break something!

Meanwhile, why in the heck is #2 son NOT texting me back?? So I get to the boat landing and it is so beautiful! What a gorgeous, gorgeous day..... the clouds are big and poofy, the sun is so bright, the snow has barely been disturbed by ugly, nasty deer or large carnivores of any sort! Lovely. I get right down to the shore and there I stop. It is actually plowed! There is an honest-to-God road on the lake, it shows me right where I can go and avoid any gaping holes that are undoubtedly hidden (really, if you avoid the river channel, apparently there are no gaping holes) beneath the snow. Okfine. So I walked out onto that ice and while I was having mini panic attacks and started shivering a bit, I managed to walk a little way out and then turn around. My fears were distracted by seeing some of the gorgeous trees in reverse. The massive white pine that guards the landing, the unique white birches that have a gnarled appearance from being perched at the edge of the lake, the trees that are drooping out over the water, seen from a new angle. This is why I pushed myself out onto the frozen lake- I knew it held some magic that I needed to see. I went out quite a way- maybe a quarter of a mile or a little more, as every time I looked I saw new things or familiar things in a new way. There was also a little mini village of fishing huts and an occasional lone shack dotting the ice. Great photo material!

Whew, well that was fun, time to head BACK to good old terra firma!! I then walked over to the park area and shot the pavilion and the beach area. By them time I finished my hands were frozen little ice cubes as those gloves had come off for picture taking somewhere on the ice. As I was striding back along the driveway towards Omaha Road, all of a sudden there was a car with a dog (that looked like a wolf )next to it! It was a local woman, who has an adorable husky, and she runs her dog next to the car for exercise. She has a hard time maneuvering in the winter I think, and so this helps get the dog some much needed time outdoors. Anyway, I laughed to myself thinking that this whole time it was the Husky tracks I saw and not a wolf!! A little while later, when she turned her car around and was heading back (Smith Lake is at the end of a dead-end road) she stopped to chat for a moment. She, of course, then tells me that one of my neighbors had an encounter with a wolf a few weeks before. The neighbor had a dog with her and the wolf did not back down. She ended up going to a house down the road to get a ride home! This is about a quarter mile down the hill from my house..... sigh.

I got home with out incident, I was aware of my surroundings, but NOT scared of the wolf. I did however, do a little running on the way home, the gravel portion of Omaha Rd is not slippery right now! Who knew? The wind was nasty on the way home- I checked the temp. and it was 8 degrees! That would explain the frozen fingers. AND the # 2 son texted me AFTER I got home. Encouraged me to avoid the river channel and maybe the very edges of the lake.... like I would have a clue where the river channel was, but that's ok- the lake was plowed! Ha!!

So here are the results of today's adventure... most of the adventure actually took place only in my own imagination! It was right next to the spot that was full of joy!