Ramble with Storm: Meatheads, Bears, Packers & booming ice

Mulling things on my morning ramble with Storm, our family’s mixed Lab.

He might be a meathead, but he is a damm handsome meathead especially with his tall, dark and handsome hide against the dusting of snow that came some time in the night.

And he is our meathead.

Just like Bears meatheads are our meatheads. And they will be out today. I already saw a bunch ripping Jay Culter. I can’t believe it. Cutler was watching on the sideline when the defense allowed three fourth down conversions in the final minutes.

Something about football draws the meathead out. Just like football fandom seems to draw its greater than usual share of meatheads, only hockey is worse. But meatheads are not unique to any one football team. That is across the board.

I saw some Packer fans in the stands yesterday that made me glad they were Packer fans and not Bears fans. But then I also saw a big-bellied Bears fan wandering the stands shirtless.

I don’t think I can listen to sports talk radio today.

Flat calm, for which I was glad, when we set out. Because it was cold enough to notice, even with no wind and layers on layers.

Didn’t expect much in wildlife in this type of morning, but had some.

The racket of Canada geese on the lake to the west meant they have kept a small hole open so far. I have a feeling winter may win out this week and then they might even be gone.

The sloppy top to the ice firmed up enough that we rambled around on the south shoreline of the north old clay pit. And I got the photo below as a train approached on the main line to the east well before dawn.

Once again, for about the third time in the past two weeks, a robin hopped around on the east side of the south pit. It allowed the meathead and me to get within a few feet of it.

But it did not sit still enough for me to get a photo.

The ice on both pits made booming noises of making ice. It seemed perfectly symbolic the day after that game. Yes, I have a little meathead in me, too.

Back in town, the bank thermometer read 11. I had 3 on my thermomter behind the garage.

Winter has formally begun in all ways.