Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Field Duty


Back to field visits with our mobile library teams. 

After being laid up over the New Years three day weekend with more fever and chest pain, I was at last feeling good again, so I scheduled a visit with the Carbon County bookmobile team.


The 300+ mile round trip journey down to the county was a breeze: the weather just couldn't have been better for a long drive all by myself.

I got to the designated meet up site a bit early so I had a chance to take a few pictures of the Scofield area.


(After I got back home Bernie reminded me that we had actually visited this area before.  I *thought* the name sounded familiar!)

It did look quite different with the blue lake frozen solid though.


Not sure how it is that so many men can afford to pass the day away ice fishing on a Wednesday... 


I confess to an having an extremely wary attitude towards frozen lakes.
Doesn't it look rather unfrozen here?
How can one tell where it is safe to wander on the ice and where is it really unsafe? 
 
I could see where people had dared to drive right up to where the ice must have been the thinnest. Were these folks silly teenagers or ????

Also: How are ice fishing grouping determined? 
Is there an understood space between rule? 





As I stood near the edge of the lake I kept hearing a low note sound, like someone blowing softly and irregularly on an empty Coke bottle.  There wasn't any wind; was the sound I was hearing the sound of the slight motion of the frozen water?


The lake's edge had up righted frozen sheets; I think that that is called frost heave, something I have seen in soil before but never with frozen water.


The "heave" created a fence like edge to the lake.










Couldn't resist thinking about what it would be like to own a cabin on this lake.
It would be  so pretty there in summer and the aspens on the hills would be gorgeous in fall.
Truth is...I get bored with lakes.
I like to stay by an ocean shore or a streambank instead.
Maybe I just need to rent a cabin here some weekend instead to get the idea out of my system.
 



The bookmobile arrived....

Just beyond the parking lot where we met up: a few decaying buildings.
The "stop" was at the "Snack and Pack", a cabin community general store that was closed for the winter season.
(Bernie  later reminded me that we had stopped for a hamburger there during our summer visit after he saw the pictures).

Anyway, it was a good first meeting with the driver/librarian, who on this day was doing her stops in a bookmobile that had a broken heater, so she was doing her job in a space that was well below freezing.

She told me she absolutely loves her job.
Even with inconveniences like that, she loves her job.

I have to admit...I envy her.
It is pretty sweet to work in a library that moves around the back country all day long.

She asked me if I had had a chance to see much of the county and did I think it was gorgeous.

I had...and told her I imagined it was incredible in autumn.

Sure beats the view from my office window.
A view I no longer have as of yesterday; the office staff has had to make room for another division within the state, so some of us got moved around.

Just call me a cube farmer now.
No office door...no office window...oh well.
Just glad that once a week or so I will still be able to roam about the rural back country and fill my eyes with beauty that way.

10 comments:

Lovella ♥ said...

Oh no... a cube farmer. That is so sad. I loved your first temporary office.
Those ice lake photos are gorgeous. I didn't know a fence was formed on a frozen lake. How would I know that? I live in Canada :)

It will be fun to compare photos of the different areas you visit from one season to the next. Maybe you could label them accordingly?

Kathy said...

Rejoicing that you feel better Jill. I loved the photo tour today. What an amazing ice fence.

Vicki said...

I am so glad you're feeling well enough now to get out and go! I've missed your posts and your photos. I've had to admit, I'm pretty nervous about frozen-over water, too. I don't know if I'd have the nerve to venture out very far on the ice, although I've have to admit that, as a child, I once played around on the frozen-solid Ohio River!

Vee said...

Oh it is beautiful. I especially enjoyed the swirl pattern on the ice that wasn't as safe looking as I would like to have it if I were out ice fishing. I wonder how many of the Wednesday fishermen were unemployed...hard times these days. Our state has a lot of unemployment and men would be wise to ice fish to feed their families. It isn't pretty.

Sorry that you lost your office. I hope that it wasn't a temporary ploy to get you hired. Hope that there are many more great aspects to the job.

Hope that you continue to feel better and stronger every day. I imagine that you'd like to leave those fevers behind once and for all.

Judy said...

And roaming the rural back country is a great bonus! Love your pic's. Glad you are back to work...and hopefully feeling pretty good.

ellen b. said...

Ahh, yes, the cube. Boy that country is beautiful for sure. No! You won't find me on a frozen lake. I really hope you stay all better for a really long time!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Hooray for roaming days! I'm very familiar with cubes..

You certainly captured the amazing and endless fascinating views of ice, snow, brown hills, nestling towns and blue skies. Personally, no matter how frozen a lake might be, I don't think I'd venture out on it!

Anonymous said...

Good to see you are feeling better and able to be working again and taking great pictures. Walking on thin ice would not be something I would have the courage to attempt. Sorry you were moved at work, but glad you will be able to get out of the work place and breath some of that lovely fresh air. Love, mom S.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your beautiful photos...I am learning so much about Utah. Thank you, thank you. I am so glad you are feeling better and can go to work, take photos, and write your blog. Ice fishing is foreign stuff to Virginia residents!!!!

RoeH said...

I love that book. Especially the pictures. I just may have to get that.