458 
RURAL HOURS. 
Such severe weather as this the turkeys can hardly be coaxed 
down from then* roost, even to feed ; tliey sometimes sit thirty- 
six hours perched in a tree, or in the fowl-house, without touch- 
ing the ground. They are silly birds, for food would warm 
them. 
Saturday, 18th. — Quite mild; bright sky; soft air from the 
southwest. Pleasant walk on the lake ; just enough snow on 
the ice first formed, for a mile or so, to make the footino- sure. 
Beyond this the ice is clear, but unusually rough, from having 
frozen of a windy night when the water was disturbed. 
The clear, icy field, seen in the distance, might almost cheat 
one into believing the lake open ; it is quite blue this afternoon 
with reflections of the sky. But we miss the charming play of 
the water. 
Monday/, 15th. — Yesterday was a delightful day; soft and 
clear. To-day it rains. We always have a decided thaw this 
month ; " the January thaw," which is quite a matter of course. 
The lake is watery from the rain of Saturday night, which has 
collected on the ice, lake above lake, as it were. The hills and 
sky are clearly reflected on this watery surface, but we feel ratlier 
than see, that the picture is shallow, having no depth. 
Tuesday, 16 th. — The days are growing, as the country people 
say, very perceptibly. It is surprising how soon one observes a 
diff"erence in this respect. According to the almanac, we have 
only gained a few minutes morning and evening — scarcely enough, 
one would think, to make any impression — but one marks the 
lengthening afternoons at once. We seem to have gained half 
an hour of daylight at least. This is always the first pleasant 
change in the new }ear. 
