Holding pond

I think this is called a "holding pond". It sits above the pond at III. During the summer, the trees hide the little puddle of water so many folks wouldn't even know it was there. Some years it has been full of noisy frogs! It's purpose is to "hold" some of the spring runoff and prevent some erosion.

This last trip down, Himself and I hiked a bit and walked right through here. We weren't sure the ice would hold. It did . . . but the water isn't deep so had we gone through, only our prides would have been hurt.

And our feet very wet.

It is a rather pretty sight in the winter.

Quick Trip

We ran off to Missouri; a quick trip. Himself has had to burn vacation so he's worked a mere three days in the last two weeks, what with the Holidays and all. With all that vacation (while I worked) he's ready to get out of the house. He' ready to GO and we ran to Mo Saturday.

It was foggy, then cloudy and dreary but the temps got up in the 40s on Saturday so if you dressed for the outdoors, and we did, then it was comfortable being outside. We rode the 4-wheeler then we took off on foot with a compass and the little GPS and we hiked for a good hour. We went looking for a way across the Southern Ravine. We gave up though. After traipsing one way then the other, we have concluded that the climb up the other side of the ravine is just too steep for a 4-wheeler.

We had thought that maybe a bridge or even the future swinging bridge might be the ticket. But it is still too steep. We will have to find a way in from the west and then just swing the trail around and back out the same way. Or we could create a walking trail and forget about making it big enough for the 4-wheeler. Well, we'll figure it out come Spring.

Meanwhile, I was in a bit of shock when I discovered our leader, our Kahuna, you know, Himself, went armed on the hike. I never did find out what thing or deed might cause him to draw that pistol --
because he didn't. He didn't draw his fire arm. Whew . . .








It was a dreary, dreary day but at supper time, while I was in working on my end of supper and Himself was out, grilling that big honking steak I was keeping a fire stoked both in the cabin stove and one in the fire ring.

This was a cozy view, out my kitchen window.







Then, overnight the temperature plummented!

Oh my gosh! Ten degrees at 5 o'clock .
Himself felt the cold creeping into the cabin and he rolled out 'bout 5 am and cranked up the heat.
Made the coffee.
And let me sleep.
He is a good man, let me tell you.

















Saturday, I wanted to walk on the pond but with the warmer temperatures, I was a little leery.
Sunday, I didn't hesitate . . . and found this little oak leaf, locked in the pond.