Of Ice, Geese, and Carrots

We’ve been officially “ice in” at our small north Iowa lake for two weeks, but there is still a significant ‘donut hole” of open water right in the middle. When I looked out Saturday morning there were four pair of very large birds in that water and up on the edges of the ice. The males were all white and what I took to be females were smaller with more brown on their feathers. They spent about three hours swimming and diving for food before flying off.

What were they? I couldn’t immediately identify them even with binoculars and bird book in hand. They were just too far away. We’ve had pelicans. It’s too late in the season for them, as most of the migratory birds have passed through. Besides, the necks and beaks were totally wrong. There are populations of swans on small lakes around here, could they be coming by? Maybe. On the fourth day the flock was larger. I went out to take the picture and heard unmistakable honking. Of course, they’re snow geese and what a treat to see them.

Snow geese weren’t the only ones jumping in the lake this week. Saturday our community’s winter cultural season got off to a great start with Holiday at the Lake festivities. The lake was cold enough to make for impressively dramatic polar plunges. About fifty brave folks donated $50 to the food pantry for the opportunity to jump in and slosh through waist-deep water 100 feet or so to waiting Lake firefighters dressed in cold-water diving suits under official yellow protective gear. Warming tents and bags of swag awaited the intrepid plungers back on shore.

Every year the arts center and merchants bring the best of holiday-spirit cheer to the lakeside main square and surrounding streets. The tourism trolley runs up and down Main Street. A horse-drawn carriage circuits City Park where happy children hop on ponies for short rides and visit Santa’s cottage. Bob Cratchit and Ebenezer Scrooge wander the streets in costume from Dickens’ classic tale. The more curmudgeonly types can have their picture taken with the Grinch.

We joined the hundreds who came to town for cocoa, carolers, and shopping. This perfectly delightful Saturday celebration ended with soaring fireworks and a sinking car.

About the car. Around 11 Saturday night a 1987 Chevy sedan made a wrong turn, or the driver made the very wrong judgment that the lake was frozen enough to support a car. Fortunately it only sank up to its rims. No one was hurt. And it was a lesson to all about risks of lake driving.

Last winter’s nighttime rescue was much more dramatic. I could see the lights from police cars and fire trucks from my kitchen clear across the lake. Firefighters put their winter diving gear to good use as they launched the flat-bottomed rescue boat to pull a snowmobile driver from the lake. He had ventured too close to the season-long open water at the foot of Main Street and his vehicle quickly sank. He managed to crawl up onto the ice and was rescued then taken to the hospital for observation.

The city installs aerators at that area of the lake to gently churn oxygen into the water not far off city beach providing a continuing air supply for the thousands of fish. Years ago, before the city and the state Department of Natural Resources began the practice, residents and visitors would welcome spring with a shore littered with dead, smelly fish who died from lack of oxygen under the 14 to 20 inches of ice. The aerators prevent that. Some folks complain that open water just off Main Street and city beach limits wintertime ice boating and ice fishing. Others who were here all those years ago recognize moving those activities to other parts of the lake in exchange for not having to cope with large dead fish is a very good compromise.

The open water is well marked with “Danger Thin Ice” signs. For some reason this driver didn’t see them. Maybe he needed to eat more carrots

So here’s a tasty recipe that’s great winter and summer to encourage eating more of the mythic eyesight-helping vegetable.

Pickled Carrots

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut in ¼-inch round slices

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup vinegar

½ teaspoon ground cumin, more to taste

½ teaspoon dried dill, more to taste

Cook the carrots in boiling water until just tender. Drain and set aside. Bring the sugar and vinegar to a boil; stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the cumin and dill then pour the boiling hot mixture over the still warm carrots. Stir to mix. Set aside to cool to room temperature for at least two hours before serving. Pickled Carrots will keep in the refrigerator for a week.