GOMH+ Today (3/11/26)

 I was pleasantly surprised by how much open water was gained after yesterday's snow. We got about 4 inches. Luca and Belle sang the song of their people. I saw a muskrat.

3/20 GOMH, Sully Inlet, and Doggo's

  

6:30-7:10pm GOMH SW NE & Sully Inlet

37℉, PC, 10-15mph SSE

Sunny Day but Cool and windy out of the South. Ice in Platte is a bit past the first dock. I didn't wear bibs, so the wind went right through me, making the conditions suck to fish in. Not as many birds around tonight. I went down to the inlet on the south end of Sully. Water is flowing and is getting close to being open on the marsh side. I was hungry, so I skipped doing laps and headed home early. Luca and Belle were in the field when I dropped by the lake place.

Skunked 

December Dreams of Soren

Update 12/18/24
 I had another dream with Soren. It's one that I have had or one similar to it in the past.  It was summer, and we were in the cabin at Lake Sylvia; I let Soren out. He bounded down the driveway, chasing after squirrels and birds. Then he came running back up toward me before veering off down toward the lake on a dirt path that a neighbor labor lady was coming up with her dog. Maybe a Springer Spaniel. The dogs met. Soren tried to get it to play. I called Soren, and he did listen. He came right back to me in the cabin like a good pup, and I gave him a treat.

Update 12/21/24
So this morning, I was dreaming about hanging out with Soren in the backyard of the house in Bloomington, and I decided to go fishing for bass because I had a pile of my fishing rods sitting there. I grabbed a Bass Pro Crackin' Stick, which, upon closer inspection, turned into a Shimano Crucial with a handless reel that disintegrated and came apart as I was looking at it.  I set that mess down, grabbed my bunch of rods, and went to the back of the house, where I laid the rods down against the house. I picked a rod that had a Strike King Skippin' Jig on it. I noticed dogs roaming around in a couple of yards to the north Soren didn't seem interested in them or they in Soren. I cast to the fence line to the North, where I had recently had some success. The line on the reel wasn't sitting right, so I let out the line and walked toward the South fence line. I got the line straightened out and reeled that cast back in. I walked within pitching distance of the North fence line and the neighbor's garage. Soren was snooping around and got on the other side of the fence, then went and lay down next to the driveway. There was water and rocks between the garage and the fence, which I worked diligently but didn't get any bites.

In my dreams sometimes I catch fish in yards, sometimes not. This time I got skunked..  

GOMH March 13th

Frozen back up thanks to the snow and cold this weekend. It didn't get to 30℉ today.
 

One guy fishing on Sully.

Kaylee along for the ride

Looks like one more weekend of winter, then hopefully Spring, but not too fast. There is a lot of snow to melt. Will start when will I see my driveway next week, most likely.

2022 I Can See It! Plus GOMH, No Open Water(3/20/22)

I can drive the entire driveway without touching snow and ice, so today is the day I can see my driveway. With the way water was flowing in the ditches this morning, I thought I would see some open water at the GOMH when I dropped by, but nope. With the forecasted rain Monday through Wednesday, I guess there will be open water there by Friday. I suspect I may have done my last fishing at The Dog unless I go tomorrow evening. The snowmelt peak combined with rain may bring an abrupt end to my ice fishing this year. I thought I would be ice fishing into April this year, but I'm not sure. I noticed a year ago tomorrow was my last ice fishing trip. 

 It wouldn't surprise me if lakes in far Southern MN open up starting late this week.

 

 

2022 When Will I See My Driveway? #3

 Got sunny in the afternoon. Should be able to drive the driveway ice-free in a couple of days.

2022, When Will I See My Driveway? #1

20-inches (Extra 4 from the bottom of the stick) 

Since 2010 I've documented the process of when the snow/ice leaves my driveway. In 2010 I started on March 5th. Last year I started on March 2nd. I think the earliest I have ever started was February 26th, 2016. The latest start was March 26th, 2013. Last year I saw the driveway today. Guessing it will be sometime mid-next week this year.

In other Spring news, I got the water line from the sump pump dug out today and will attempt to snowblow the backyard tomorrow; the snow depth may prevent that. Decided not to fish today. Hopefully, the temps stay close to this forecast, maybe a bit lower on Sun and Monday.

 

"When Will I See the Driveway?" #4

 Almost there, probably tomorrow when it's supposed to get to 50-degrees plus.

"When Will I See My Driveway?" #3

 

It slushed up this afternoon

Earlier in the day

Will the snow/ice be able to survive to Wed?

2021 When Will I See My Driveway #1

Not today obviously. Other than where the cars sit there is no bear dry ground. I think we have about a 4-inch base layer over most of the driveway right now. I don't think it will get quite warm enough to turn it to slush until Thursday. A lot of melting this week. Pretty sure it will be ice-free by next Wednesday.

Tribute Lilah Loo

I don't remember my reaction when Mom called to tell me that she would be bringing my brother Steve's recently adopted dog back home with them from Florida.  We still lived at the lake place in 2005, and she bolted several times over the first few years both at the lake place and here where we live now.  She and Patti Lou made fast friends.  She was often my bed buddy sleeping up by my head or under the covers.  She got along OK with the cat.  She and Kaylee do not so much, mainly because Kaylee doesn't play nice with other animals much of the time.  The little yipper won me over with her personality, and I'm sure going to miss her. 

12 Years Ago Today ...(Lilah)

...Lilah arrived in Minnesocold a little tired from her journey here from Puerto Rico via my brother in Florida who's family didn't want to keep the little yipper.  She's still going strong and maybe a little less yippie unless she hears a dog across the street.  Then she's as big and ferocious as she ever was.

I wasn't real big on the little dog to start, but I've grown to love my little bed buddie.

2015 When Will I See My Driveway? #2, Plus Bonus GOMH

I thought there would be more progress by now.  It was in the low 40's yesterday and 50 degrees today.

Kaylee and Lilah survey the scene.

I suspect I will be able to see it all on Wednesday.

I was surprised, there was no open water.  That is water on top of ice.

My ice fishing season may very well be over.

2015 When Will I See My Driveway? #1

This will be the 5th year of me doing the "When Will I See My Driveway?" blogs.  Last year I started doing them on March 21st.  After six updates I saw my whole driveway on  April 6th.

Here are pictures I took 2 days ago.  It looked about the same this morning.

From the garage.  The big patch of driveway is from where our Expedition normally sits.

From the turn

  I predict we will be totally ice and snow free by Tuesday, 3 days from now.