Winter Moon of the Winter Solstice
On the way back from buying groceries I encountered the TLF again. The TLF long time readers of this blog might recall is the Turkey Liberation Front. I gave this rafter or gang (look it up) their name when I encountered their predecessor several years ago returning from the same store with additional butter for the Thanksgiving dinner then underway. That first rafter was smaller, less than 10, but this one had perhaps 18-20, mostly adults, but a few young adults. Their feathers were a rich dark brown, lustrous.
Round Lake gathers enthusiasts of various sorts, some with more common sense than others. The ice fishermen are staid, quiet types. Ice houses or small tents covering their holes, they sit still, waiting for something to happen.
The snowmobiles you would expect though there’s been fewer of them than normal this year.
This year has drawn several ATV drivers and, to my surprise, one dirt biker. The first I’ve seen though I know it’s done. I heard the noise, the steady drone of a small engine, looked 
out over the lake expecting to see a snowmobile when what to my wondering eyes should appear but some kid on a motor bike riding in circles, defying the friction defeating ice with the occasional part sideways skid. Nobody’s out there with their truck or car this year. Wise.
(I picked this up from a national weather website. But they’re using our DNR’s illustrations.)
Last week I read in the newspaper the following advice for the cold weather over New Years. Keep your gas tank half full. Pack winter boots and warm coats. Call ahead and let people know when you plan to arrive. That sort of thing. We’ve also had the illustration showing what thickness of ice can bear what kind of weight.
Minnesotans take this kind of thing for granted, part of the season. But imagine you were a visitor here. Reading this stuff. With a rental car. No wonder people don’t move here in droves in spite of the great cultural and political life.