It was just last month

It seems only yesterday I was diving off the dock to cool off in the lake.

It was just last month.

Now I’m digging through my drawers looking for long underwear, regretting not putting the snowblower on the tractor, and trying to find the water hoses under the snow.

Winter arrived abruptly last week.

It wasn’t the usual fall equinox storm. That one usually hits in September and gives us a preview of what’s to come. This year, however, September was warm and dry from beginning to end.

October provided little change. It was 84 degrees up here for the pheasant opener on Oct. 11.

Temperatures plum...