One of the “joys” home ownership is getting the property ready for winter.

That’s what I was doing today and a good bit of the rest of this week.

More leaf raking, buttoning up the tree house where we had removed a dead limb, putting away the grill, cutting down the mums, getting rid of the chip monk chewed hold in the corner of the garage door. Stuff like that.

As I was going to pick up my son from school, I drove past a very calm Crystal Lake. Part was calm because it had frozen over. The rest was calm because of the lack of wind.

As you can see above and below, the reflections were wonderful.

This home is on the North Shore of Crystal Lake near the Main Beach House.

Another North Shore home.

Two homes between Gates 11 nd 13 on South Shore Drive in Lakewood.

Will the lake be completely frozen tomorrow morning or will open water eat the snow that falls on it?