Awaiting snow

There is no snow in southern Finland at this moment, which is quite unusual for this time of year, both according to the statistics as well as to my own experience.

We might sadly enough be having another black Xmas this year again, the second in a row and Xmas never seems to be the same with snow absent as decoration to give a festive spirit.

Yesterday there was only 25 cms of snow to my great disappointment, and that was way furthest up in north according to the weather forecast, which means the skiing season here in southern Finland will also have to wait to be opened much to the disappointment of the offspring. There would of course be the option of making some snow artificially of course, but with the temperatures being on and off around zero degrees Celsius it would only be a waste of time as it keeps melting away and it is no better in the European Alps either by the looks on TV from various World cup skiing venues. There the surrounding countryside was also almost bare of snow and the skiing slopes must have been laid with artificial snow.

Anyway, this season’s first ice fishing apparently went well last weekend, no casualties such as taking a dip in the icy cold water of a lake, despite my lack of trust on the ice being strong enough. No catch of fish though, much to the disappointment of our cats, but what they are not aware of they do not complain about.

Fortunately I still have some perch from earlier catches this autumn to serve them, even thought it seems our gentleman prefers winter fished perch and I can not tell the difference myself, or might it be that the perch from some lake are better than the other? At least there I can tell a difference in colour but have not personally found any difference in taste, but then I do not eat that tiny little fish as often as the cats do as there size has no what so ever matter. Just the way you make use of it, the fish I mean.