The Big Thaw

Some of you readers may have heard that Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has declared a state of emergency as a consequence of widespread flooding across the state. 

click on images for a closer look

 

Same here.  Silver Creek has become Silver Lake.

I strapped-on the snowshoes Saturday and the girls and I hiked down to the creek to check on what I suspected was the situation.  Namely that the creek had topped its banks and flooded the surrounding terrain.  There was no safe passage to cross and there was no way I was going to allow the dogs to venture into the freezing, ice-jammed and swiftly-flowing waters.  Yikes!

Stopping to check a couple of trail cameras on the walk home it was noteworthy that there was water actually flowing beneath the icy-crust in the trail.

Looks like the thaw has arrived.  And I heard the call of the redwing blackbirds for the first time this year.....