Frozen lake? No, just a stubblefield covered with snow, whipped up by the wind, and hardened into waves.

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The snow is melting though. The middle of the grid road is muddy, and there is hard slush along the sides.

I took a long walk yesterday afternoon and was tickled to see the dog stand straight up on her hind legs, then dive straight down, head first into the snow banked in the ditch, so that all I could see of her was her ass end. She came up with one unlucky mouse. I doubt she meant to kill it, as her tail was wagging the whole time. She probably meant to play with it.

Later, she heard something under the snow and, staring fixedly at it, bounced her front legs off the ground about four times. Boing boing boing.

Dogs. Hours of entertainment.

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Good news: that our hostages in Iraq have been freed and will be coming home safely. It is only too bad this rescue didn't take place a few weeks ago, before the murderers ended Mr. Fox's life.