A Little Bit of Paradise

I've been intrigued by Ice Shanties since I was a little girl, and my father would take me out Ice Fishing. It wasn't a regular occasion, but one that when I had worn him down sufficiently, he would finally agree to bring me along. Looking back, I'm sure that was a sure sign of a short day out on the ice, as kids generally have pretty short attention spans and I doubt I was an exception in that department.

Today being Ground Hog Day seemed like a perfect day to go out to capture images of this year's crop of shanties (click on the image for an enlarged view). If you take a look you'll see all manner of variety. There are some that were quickly put together, others that might double as a camper for a truck, and then the deluxe version that appears to be a duplex of sorts. There are ones that have curtains and those without, some are brightly colored and others that could use a good coat of paint.

But the real question is what do they do in those shanties that calls them back, day after day in the coldest of days, with Mother Nature showing who's in charge? I'll tell you what I think; there are no chores to do at the Ice Shanty. No nagging or stress happens at the Ice Shanty. I think it's safe to say that there is a fair amount of "anti-freeze" or adult beverages consumed by many out in their Ice Shanty. So, is it any wonder that grown men (for the most part it's predominately men) spend all their spare time out on the ice; visiting, fishing, day dreaming, just getting away from it all? It's clear to me, it really is a little bit of paradise. Let's go Ice Fishing . . .