During the last days of November, darkness comes early to the Northland with short days and long nights. By the time another Thanksgiving roles around, Canadian cold fronts have swept the last of the migrating birds south and bears have nodded off for another winters sleep. Lakes slowly freeze over and a silent contentment seems to settle on the landscape.
On this particular evening, I stepped lightly onto the newly formed ice of Caribou Lake, making sure it was strong enough to hold myself, the camera, and our Golden Retriever, Abby. Abby seemed a bit hesitant to try out her new ability to "walk on water", but followed along, not wanting to be left behind. I set up the camera and snapped this picture as the golden light of the setting sun glared across the ice and into my camera lens just before setting into the southwestern sky.
One of the amazing properties of water is that when it freezes, it actually expands and floats, allowing the warmer, more dense water to settle below the ice layer. If it were not for this phenomenon, lakes and oceans would freeze solid, making life on earth impossible. God's hand in creation is evident all around us, its always a pleasure to focus on His gallery.
The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold.
God's breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water. Job 37:9
