Island Adventure

This past weekend, my nephew visited me.  I haven't seen him since the summer, so it was really nice to have him around.  Even though he's a tween, his presence always makes me feel as if I need to be his caretaker (e.g. make breakfast, ensure that he's warm, brushes his teeth, etc.,).  So this past weekend, I wanted to do something with him, other than sit at home.  I suggested that we walk on the frozen lake and he readily agreed.

So on Saturday, after bundling up, we headed out onto the frozen lake.  There was some snow on top of the lake and we walked for a little bit.  My intent was to walk around the lake but after a couple of minutes of walking, he got bored, so I suggested that we head to the little island that was near the other side of the lake (directly opposite of my home).  He complained about the distance but continued on.  

Once we got to the island, we climbed on and explored for a little bit.  There were a lot of fallen trees, lots of little saplings sprouting all over the place, and even rose bushes.  I'd love to come back during the spring and explore, but I can also imagine the little island being covered with insects of all kind and even ticks (yuck!).  Despite the cold, I actually may prefer to visit the little island during the winter time.  As for my nephew, he picked up branches, took out some of his energy on the dead trees, and actually climbed a tree.  He said he had a lot of fun.  I'm just glad that I spent some time with him outdoors and didn't leave him all cooped up in my home.

How is your winter coming along so far?