Winter On Seneca Lake In The Finger Lakes of NY

Here I am on January 3, 2014, along with many others across the country, trying to get through a winter storm that is brutally cold with blowing wind and bringing large quantities of falling snow. Currently the outside temperture is 3 or -3 depending on who you get reports from and the wind chill is bringing things down to about -20. I'm contemplating firing up the snow blower at about 5a.m. to go out and clear my driveway. The contemplation is much more comfortable then the actual preparation and execution. Huge bib type snow pants, a face and head hood that makes me look like a terrorist or bank robber, and layers of shirts and coats await me. In the end, a great deal of the snow ends up on the back of my head and neck. In addition, I've been battleing a chest cold since Christmas. All of this does make one wonder sometimes - why do I remain here during the winter?

It's a legitimate question of course and usually comes from people who don't live here, friends and family who tend to live in a similar climate just a different geographical area. I ask it myself every once in awhile. If I could figure out how to delete these next two months from the calendar I'd at least think about it. But in reality, life on Seneca Lake, in the Finger Lakes, trumps all of these issues.

The Snow Geese have arrived and produce great white rafts up and down the lake. They fly in to land in the late afternoon, spend the night and wait for the light of day before they wander again to fields in the area. Their communal honks, conversations and songs are enjoyable, and when a flock takes off close to shore, the wush of wing power sometimes sounds like an actual plane taking off.

In this brutally cold weather I also enjoy seeing the steam, haze, fog icy mist or whatever it really is, rising just off the surface of the lake. It sits, lingers and moves slowly with the air across the water. The lake rarely freezes. It's a huge body of water that is extremely deep - over 600 feet in front of my house. One result is that there is almost constant movement on the lake. Large waves one day and smaller ones the day after, sometimes moving to the north and later to the south, east or west. The other day during the arrival of a front I actually saw waves, some very large, going in two different directions as the wind shifted and fought to change the direction of the water. A few water spouts appeared that day.

Eagles also make their home in my area, both Golden and Bald eagles. If you're lucky you can see them hovering and circling over the lake. The cayotes have been quiet and perhaps missing this year but I can hear the foxes laughing in the evening along with the owls calling out to each other.

Bottom line is that I really love this area and even enjoy some of what winter brings. Look at that, it's well past 5a.m. and the snow blower waits. I can hear her calling. I'm off to get snow on my head and neck.