Ice Out/Springtime Rituals?

[JK47]

Now that the ice has begun to melt, I was interested to know if anyone has a specific ice out/springtime ritual that they follow. Special boat ride? Even a spring cleaning ritual, or an opening of the house/cabin for the spring? Only a few months and we'll all be on the Broads....

[Island Girl]

A must for this time of year... Some of us will be watching next Friday night when we gather the night before PepperFest.

IG

[ghfromaltonbay]

At the end of the season in October, all the beds get stripped and the linens, towels,afghans & throws, bath mats and rugs get loaded into wash baskets for the trip back to NJ for laundering. In February the reverse happens: The wash baskets are loaded into the car and dropped off at the cottage for opening in early May. Since the temp. inside the cottage this year was 20 degrees (no insulation in a 3 season camp), we didn't stay too long. At least this year we didn't have to shovel snow off the porch to get in the door. Dropping off the wash baskets in Feb. leaves more room in the car to bring the annual supplies and clothes in early May. When you stay for 5 - 6 months, and the trip home is 5-6 hours, forgetting to bring something is a pain.

[Rinkerfam]

Definitely a viewing of "On Golden Pond" as well as sitting down and reading my tattered copy of "Mystery On The Mount".:D

[upthesaukee]

Got to be getting the clubs out, cleaning them up (yeah, forgot to clean them once again last year at the end), set up the driving net in the yard, get out the artificial turf hitting mat, grab the shag bag with about 50 golf balls, swing the Momentus training club for about 15 minutes to get the swing down pat, dump out the golf balls, put one on the mat, grab the 7 iron, take a couple of practice swings with it, put the club down behind the ball, take my stance properly, concentrate on the back side of the ball, take the club away smoothly on the backswing, have a nice pause at the top of the backswing, start the downswing with good acceleration through the ball, and end up topping the $%$^%$^ BALL!!!!!!!:emb:

Thank God things get better eventually!!!!!!!

[Quilt Lady]

One advantage of living full time at the lake is seeing the daily changes in the ice prior to "ice-out". The ice changes in color and texture. As the sun and wind work their magic, you can see the breakdown in the integrity of the ice. We watch the ice break up and drift by in large pieces, hoping that a sudden wind shift doesn't bring it all into our dock (again).

Soon, we begin to hear that special sound - like the tinkling of a glass windchime - and we know it's "Playtime". We go down to the dock with sticks and poke at the ice as it drifts by. It is now extremely honeycombed and shatters into a thousand little pieces. The pieces look like foot long icicles. We introduced Island Girl to this treat last year.

[Island Girl]

The sound of the ice tubes clinking against each other is magical! I could listen to it for hours... sort of like a soft wind chime made out of crystal.

I hope to hear it again this year!! (hint hint)

[RLW]

The sound of the ice tubes clinking against each other is magical! I could listen to it for hours... sort of like a soft wind chime made out of crystal.

I hope to hear it again this year!! (hint hint)
I think you will in your glass tomorrow and they may be colored green too.:liplick:
Whoops, that's cubes not tubes!

[KBoater]

AHH the sounds of ice combs melting. It’s a sure sound of spring in NH.
One of the few things I miss.
I seem to remember that mud season follows

[Airwaves]

Rinkerfam wrote:
as well as sitting down and reading my tattered copy of "Mystery On The Mount".

I can'tbelieve anyone else bought a copy of that book! :emb:
I've read it a dozen times and it's still terrible, but I keep looking for those new 'bays' on the lake and whenever I'm on the Mount I wonder if this is the stairway to the deck....never mind, if you haven read it I won't spoil it! :emb:

Pepper, you don't know me, but my Dad ate at your place nearly every day for several years "George".:look:

He can't be with you for your "forum" opening but I know he'd want to be there and I'll let him know you're back!

[GWC...]

Definitely a viewing of "On Golden Pond" as well as sitting down and reading my tattered copy of "Mystery On The Mount".:D

Here's your chance to acquire a less tattered copy...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mystery-Mount-Washington-Winnipesaukee-New-Hampshire-NH_W0QQitemZ8395827887QQcategoryZ377QQssPageNameZW DVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Merrymeeting]

Soon, we begin to hear that special sound - like the tinkling of a glass windchime - and we know it's "Playtime". We go down to the dock with sticks and poke at the ice as it drifts by. It is now extremely honeycombed and shatters into a thousand little pieces. The pieces look like foot long icicles.

QL, thanks for the wonderful, vivid description. Despite many decades spent at the lakes, last year was the first time I had the opportunity and timing to experience that special sound and see the way the ice breaks up. What I remember is a gentle breeze that pushed the ice pack just enough to cause the little pieces to push up against the rocks on the shoreline. All around there was this subtle sound as if a thousand glass tubes were being broken under a blanket. It took me awhile to figure out what was causing it.

I took a few crude videos with my digital camera. If you listen VERY closely, you can hear the sound. But as always, the photographic capture doesn't approach the experience of the real thing.

Thanks for reminding me.

[Pepper]

...Pepper, you don't know me, but my Dad ate at your place nearly every day for several years "George".:look:

He can't be with you for your "forum" opening but I know he'd want to be there and I'll let him know you're back!

Airwaves - do you mean George F? WWII veteran, drives a White Park Ave? Wife's name is Terry? Has fond memories of Biloxi Mississippi, a few FAST cars, and life in general? :D We love George, and consider him family! We miss him terribly, and are very much looking forward to seeing him again. I hope he is in good health, and if for some reason he cannot get to us, please tell him we will happily come to him!

Thanks Airwaves - nice to meet you here, and hope to make your acquaintance in person someday soon. :)

[Weirs guy]

I can'tbelieve anyone else bought a copy of that book!

So I'm not the only one! Its been A LONG time since I've read mine, but now I guess I have too!