Hazy shade of winter

Last week ice was forming on Sugar Creek. Being a spring-fed creek, it's slow to happen. Some local history texts talk about a large spring on this farm, and tell that it was a stop for travelers to refresh themselves. I don't know the spring's location. It's no longer here, perhaps tiled away in the modern way of things.

Other texts suggest travelers not only stopped, but stayed. Our attached garage was once the summer kitchen, and there was a staircase that led up to the second story. That upper room was once divided into 3 tiny rooms - perhaps for boarders?

This week there's no sign of ice, with daytime temperatures pushing 50. The ducks are enjoying the open water, swimming, splashing and bathing despite the certain frigidity of the water. It's a blessing to be able to do chores wearing fewer layers this time of year. And yet the accompanying mud is maybe worse than the cold. At least we've not had any snow to speak of, to be melting and making matters worse.

I'm hoping we don't have a green Christmas.