Kukagami Environment Watch Area News
http://www.kewatch.blogspot.com/ Winter 2009-10

It’s the beauty that fills me with wonder/It’s the stillness that fills me with Peace. Robert Service

Kukagami Ice!
It didn’t take long for the ice to cover Kukagami Lake this winter. The last boat was seen crossing the lake on December 11th, and the last of the open water disappeared 6 days later. This ‘fast freeze’ bodes well for excellent ice conditions this winter. Skating over the holidays will be grand!

Go to the Kukagami Environment Watch website to see lots of photos of the new ice.

Kukagami Snow!
Snow also has a good start on the season. Some folks have been skiing already, with old skis of course as there are rocks hiding under this early blanket of snow. More snow predicted for Christmas Day will make a lot of winter lovers happy.

Making Snowflakes
The intricacies of snowflakes fascinate us. The infinite variations of patterns captivate our imagination. The perfection of their symmetry inspires awe. To recreate this beauty with paper and scissors is a challenge. You can’t simply take a sheet of white paper and fold it over three times before cutting out a lacy shape. When you do that, you get an eight-sided doily – not a snowflake. Snowflakes are hexagons, always.
It is easiest to begin with a square sheet of paper. Fold two of the corners together to make a triangle. Measure and mark the exact centre of the long side. Now you have to be careful with the next fold. This triangle has to be folded into three equal sections. If you want to be precise, use a protractor to measure the angles at 60 degrees. At this point, you will have a cone-shaped paper with the original corners of the paper sticking out. Trim these off to make a rounded top.
It is easiest to do the cutting now, while there are only six layers of paper at each edge. It is important to make a design that is symmetrical along both of the long edges of the paper. Cut the design, and unfold your creation!
The whole process only takes a couple of minutes. Take a good look at your first flake, then make several more. Learn from each flake. Does it seem to have 12 points instead of 6? Fix this by making a deep cut from the top of the cone. Are the spokes too wide? Cut closer to the long folded edges. Does it have a hole in the middle? Don’t cut off the narrow tip of the cone. Do the six points end up with different widths or shapes? Be more careful to fold the paper evenly into the 60-degree angles, and crease the folds sharply.
Making snowflakes from paper is a simple task. Making them well can be a challenge.
Learn all about snowflakes in “A Guide to Nature in Winter”, by Donald Stokes.

Kukagami on the Internet:

Winter Camping
Here’s a link to a neat website describing a winter camping expedition to Kukagami last New Year’s. Some folks from Sudbury enjoyed a wonderful few days on our quiet shores.

Ice fishing?
No, the folks in this clip weren’t really ice fishing on Kukagami. But it sure makes for a good laugh! See if you can figure out where this story was captured.

Blog from the (frozen) Bog

Yup - winter's here and the skating in the main lake is great! I was out 3 times today and can hardly wait for tomorrow. If you don't have skates check the second hand store.
Safety first of course -if you haven't been skating for decades, as was our case -do consider a helmet (bike or snowmobile). We pensioners don't have the same finesse we used to. The old program of pushing a chair for balance still works or use a ski pole or two just for extra support. The 3" of snow is light and does not affect the skating -you can skate as if it is not there.
I have a pair of canal blades - they were invented in Ottawa and consist of cross-country ski bindings on a specially made set of skate blades. That way you get to wear your ski boots, which I find are usually far more comfortable than skates. The blades are longer than on regular skates, which means of course you can go faster and they are easy to handle.
This kind of skating does not happen too often - so take advantage of it quickly before we get more snow!

Once the snow comes we should be able to ski on the lake. Hopefully our own groomer will get the "401" groomed and we can meet on the trails.

Well - there's not a lot to complain about on the road - no dust, no washboard - always a nice break from the summer conditions. Does anyone know what the light is that you see to the north just at the top of the hill by the Awrey dump ?
Thanks to those who stopped to help / enquire about my shredded tire by the railway tracks the other day . maybe I should have checked my tires before I left the driveway !!??
Hope everyone has a great Christmas and look forward to seeing you out on the trails, the lake etc.

Website and Newsletter
The KEW newsletter is published quarterly, and sent by email to any interested person. Paper copies can be provided to residents upon request. Drop a note to Kukagami Environment Watch, 432 Fox Road, Wahnapitae, ON, P0M 3C0. The Website is updated randomly through the year – so check for new information and photos! Submit photos and news items to our email – listed below.

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