Up early and restless, I decided to venture out for a walk on the frozen Lake Monona.  Each step I took cracked the ice-crusted snow cover and made a satisfying crunching sound.  They echoed off the banks of the lake, making me feel 100 times more powerful than I am.  Which was good, considering I am still pretty terrified of walking on frozen lakes. Plenty of cracks and fault lines splitting the ice today, reminding me that I was only a few inches of frozen water above hypothermia.  When I got brave enough to stop and peer down into them, I swore I could see water.

Having left my camera at home, I returned to the lake this afternoon.  It was bright and sunny outside, but still cold enough to freeze water.  As I stood on the lake, about 20 yards from shore, the tranquility of afternoon’s silence was broken by the sound of an enormous rubber band being stretched to its limit. When I realized this is also the sound of huge plates of ice cracking, I sprinted to the shore and decided I’d be happy with pictures taken of the lake, rather than on the lake.

And yet, I made it back to shore alive.  I am grateful for that.