Ididnotplastertillitwasfreezingweather。Ibroughtoversomewhiterandcleanersandforthispurposefromtheoppositeshoreofthepondinaboat，asortofconveyancewhichwouldhavetemptedmetogomuchfartherifnecessary。Myhousehadinthemeanwhilebeenshingleddowntothegroundoneveryside。InlathingIwaspleasedtobeabletosendhomeeachnailwithasingleblowofthehammer，anditwasmyambitiontotransfertheplasterfromtheboardtothewallneatlyandrapidly。Irememberedthestoryofaconceitedfellow，who，infineclothes，waswonttoloungeaboutthevillageonce，givingadvicetoworkmen。Venturingonedaytosubstitutedeedsforwords，heturneduphiscuffs，seizedaplasterer’sboard，andhavingloadedhistrowelwithoutmishap，withacomplacentlooktowardthelathingoverhead，madeaboldgesturethitherward；andstraightway，tohiscompletediscomfiture，receivedthewholecontentsinhisruffledbosom。I
　　admiredanewtheeconomyandconvenienceofplastering，whichsoeffectuallyshutsoutthecoldandtakesahandsomefinish，andI
　　learnedthevariouscasualtiestowhichtheplastererisliable。I
　　wassurprisedtoseehowthirstythebrickswerewhichdrankupallthemoistureinmyplasterbeforeIhadsmoothedit，andhowmanypailfulsofwaterittakestochristenanewhearth。IhadthepreviouswintermadeasmallquantityoflimebyburningtheshellsoftheUniofluviatilis，whichourriveraffords，forthesakeoftheexperiment；sothatIknewwheremymaterialscamefrom。I
　　mighthavegotgoodlimestonewithinamileortwoandburneditmyself，ifIhadcaredtodoso。
　　Thepondhadinthemeanwhileskimmedoverintheshadiestandshallowestcoves，somedaysorevenweeksbeforethegeneralfreezing。Thefirsticeisespeciallyinterestingandperfect，beinghard，dark，andtransparent，andaffordsthebestopportunitythateveroffersforexaminingthebottomwhereitisshallow；foryoucanlieatyourlengthoniceonlyaninchthick，likeaskaterinsectonthesurfaceofthewater，andstudythebottomatyourleisure，onlytwoorthreeinchesdistant，likeapicturebehindaglass，andthewaterisnecessarilyalwayssmooththen。Therearemanyfurrowsinthesandwheresomecreaturehastravelledaboutanddoubledonitstracks；and，forwrecks，itisstrewnwiththecasesofcaddis-wormsmadeofminutegrainsofwhitequartz。Perhapsthesehavecreasedit，foryoufindsomeoftheircasesinthefurrows，thoughtheyaredeepandbroadforthemtomake。Buttheiceitselfistheobjectofmostinterest，thoughyoumustimprovetheearliestopportunitytostudyit。Ifyouexamineitcloselythemorningafteritfreezes，youfindthatthegreaterpartofthebubbles，whichatfirstappearedtobewithinit，areagainstitsundersurface，andthatmorearecontinuallyrisingfromthebottom；
　　whiletheiceisasyetcomparativelysolidanddark，thatis，youseethewaterthroughit。Thesebubblesarefromaneightiethtoaneighthofaninchindiameter，veryclearandbeautiful，andyouseeyourfacereflectedinthemthroughtheice。Theremaybethirtyorfortyofthemtoasquareinch。Therearealsoalreadywithintheicenarrowoblongperpendicularbubblesabouthalfaninchlong，sharpconeswiththeapexupward；oroftener，iftheiceisquitefresh，minutesphericalbubblesonedirectlyaboveanother，likeastringofbeads。Butthesewithintheicearenotsonumerousnorobviousasthosebeneath。Isometimesusedtocastonstonestotrythestrengthoftheice，andthosewhichbrokethroughcarriedinairwiththem，whichformedverylargeandconspicuouswhitebubblesbeneath。OnedaywhenIcametothesameplaceforty-eighthoursafterward，Ifoundthatthoselargebubbleswerestillperfect，thoughaninchmoreoficehadformed，asIcouldseedistinctlybytheseamintheedgeofacake。Butasthelasttwodayshadbeenverywarm，likeanIndiansummer，theicewasnotnowtransparent，showingthedarkgreencolorofthewater，andthebottom，butopaqueandwhitishorgray，andthoughtwiceasthickwashardlystrongerthanbefore，fortheairbubbleshadgreatlyexpandedunderthisheatandruntogether，andlosttheirregularity；theywerenolongeronedirectlyoveranother，butoftenlikesilverycoinspouredfromabag，oneoverlappinganother，orinthinflakes，asifoccupyingslightcleavages。Thebeautyoftheicewasgone，anditwastoolatetostudythebottom。Beingcurioustoknowwhatpositionmygreatbubblesoccupiedwithregardtothenewice，I
　　brokeoutacakecontainingamiddlingsizedone，andturneditbottomupward。Thenewicehadformedaroundandunderthebubble，sothatitwasincludedbetweenthetwoices。Itwaswhollyinthelowerice，butcloseagainsttheupper，andwasflattish，orperhapsslightlylenticular，witharoundededge，aquarterofaninchdeepbyfourinchesindiameter；andIwassurprisedtofindthatdirectlyunderthebubbletheicewasmeltedwithgreatregularityintheformofasaucerreversed，totheheightoffiveeighthsofaninchinthemiddle，leavingathinpartitiontherebetweenthewaterandthebubble，hardlyaneighthofaninchthick；andinmanyplacesthesmallbubblesinthispartitionhadburstoutdownward，andprobablytherewasnoiceatallunderthelargestbubbles，whichwereafootindiameter。IinferredthattheinfinitenumberofminutebubbleswhichIhadfirstseenagainsttheundersurfaceoftheicewerenowfrozeninlikewise，andthateach，initsdegree，hadoperatedlikeaburning-glassontheicebeneathtomeltandrotit。Thesearethelittleair-gunswhichcontributetomaketheicecrackandwhoop。
　　Atlengththewintersetingoodearnest，justasIhadfinishedplastering，andthewindbegantohowlaroundthehouseasifithadnothadpermissiontodosotillthen。Nightafternightthegeesecamelumberinginthedarkwithaclangorandawhistlingofwings，evenafterthegroundwascoveredwithsnow，sometoalightinWalden，andsomeflyinglowoverthewoodstowardFairHaven，boundforMexico。Severaltimes，whenreturningfromthevillageattenoreleveno’clockatnight，Iheardthetreadofaflockofgeese，orelseducks，onthedryleavesinthewoodsbyapond-holebehindmydwelling，wheretheyhadcomeuptofeed，andthefainthonkorquackoftheirleaderastheyhurriedoff。In1845Waldenfrozeentirelyoverforthefirsttimeonthenightofthe22dofDecember，Flint’sandothershallowerpondsandtheriverhavingbeenfrozentendaysormore；in’46，the16th；in’49，aboutthe31st；andin’50，aboutthe27thofDecember；in’52，the5thofJanuary；in’53，the31stofDecember。Thesnowhadalreadycoveredthegroundsincethe25thofNovember，andsurroundedmesuddenlywiththesceneryofwinter。Iwithdrewyetfartherintomyshell，andendeavoredtokeepabrightfirebothwithinmyhouseandwithinmybreast。Myemploymentoutofdoorsnowwastocollectthedeadwoodintheforest，bringingitinmyhandsoronmyshoulders，orsometimestrailingadeadpinetreeundereacharmtomyshed。Anoldforestfencewhichhadseenitsbestdayswasagreathaulforme。IsacrificedittoVulcan，foritwaspastservingthegodTerminus。Howmuchmoreinterestinganeventisthatman’ssupperwhohasjustbeenforthinthesnowtohunt，nay，youmightsay，steal，thefueltocookitwith！Hisbreadandmeataresweet。
　　Thereareenoughfagotsandwastewoodofallkindsintheforestsofmostofourtownstosupportmanyfires，butwhichatpresentwarmnone，and，somethink，hinderthegrowthoftheyoungwood。
　　Therewasalsothedriftwoodofthepond。InthecourseofthesummerIhaddiscoveredaraftofpitchpinelogswiththebarkon，pinnedtogetherbytheIrishwhentherailroadwasbuilt。ThisI
　　hauleduppartlyontheshore。Aftersoakingtwoyearsandthenlyinghighsixmonthsitwasperfectlysound，thoughwaterloggedpastdrying。Iamusedmyselfonewinterdaywithslidingthispiecemealacrossthepond，nearlyhalfamile，skatingbehindwithoneendofalogfifteenfeetlongonmyshoulder，andtheotherontheice；orItiedseverallogstogetherwithabirchwithe，andthen，withalongerbirchoralderwhichhadabookattheend，draggedthemacross。Thoughcompletelywaterloggedandalmostasheavyaslead，theynotonlyburnedlong，butmadeaveryhotfire；
　　nay，Ithoughtthattheyburnedbetterforthesoaking，asifthepitch，beingconfinedbythewater，burnedlonger，asinalamp。
　　Gilpin，inhisaccountoftheforestborderersofEngland，saysthat“theencroachmentsoftrespassers，andthehousesandfencesthusraisedonthebordersoftheforest，“were“consideredasgreatnuisancesbytheoldforestlaw，andwereseverelypunishedunderthenameofpurprestures，astendingadterroremferarum——adnocumentumforestae，etc。，“tothefrighteningofthegameandthedetrimentoftheforest。ButIwasinterestedinthepreservationofthevenisonandthevertmorethanthehuntersorwoodchoppers，andasmuchasthoughIhadbeentheLordWardenhimself；andifanypartwasburned，thoughIburneditmyselfbyaccident，Igrievedwithagriefthatlastedlongerandwasmoreinconsolablethanthatoftheproprietors；nay，Igrievedwhenitwascutdownbytheproprietorsthemselves。IwouldthatourfarmerswhentheycutdownaforestfeltsomeofthatawewhichtheoldRomansdidwhentheycametothin，orletinthelightto，aconsecratedgrovelucumconlucare，thatis，wouldbelievethatitissacredtosomegod。
　　TheRomanmadeanexpiatoryoffering，andprayed，Whatevergodorgoddessthouarttowhomthisgroveissacred，bepropitioustome，myfamily，andchildren，etc。
　　Itisremarkablewhatavalueisstillputuponwoodeveninthisageandinthisnewcountry，avaluemorepermanentanduniversalthanthatofgold。Afterallourdiscoveriesandinventionsnomanwillgobyapileofwood。ItisasprecioustousasitwastoourSaxonandNormanancestors。Iftheymadetheirbowsofit，wemakeourgun-stocksofit。Michaux，morethanthirtyyearsago，saysthatthepriceofwoodforfuelinNewYorkandPhiladelphia“nearlyequals，andsometimesexceeds，thatofthebestwoodinParis，thoughthisimmensecapitalannuallyrequiresmorethanthreehundredthousandcords，andissurroundedtothedistanceofthreehundredmilesbycultivatedplains。“Inthistownthepriceofwoodrisesalmoststeadily，andtheonlyquestionis，howmuchhigheritistobethisyearthanitwasthelast。Mechanicsandtradesmenwhocomeinpersontotheforestonnoothererrand，aresuretoattendthewoodauction，andevenpayahighpricefortheprivilegeofgleaningafterthewoodchopper。Itisnowmanyyearsthatmenhaveresortedtotheforestforfuelandthematerialsofthearts:theNewEnglanderandtheNewHollander，theParisianandtheCelt，thefarmerandRobinHood，GoodyBlakeandHarryGill；inmostpartsoftheworldtheprinceandthepeasant，thescholarandthesavage，equallyrequirestillafewsticksfromtheforesttowarmthemandcooktheirfood。NeithercouldIdowithoutthem。
　　Everymanlooksathiswood-pilewithakindofaffection。I
　　lovetohaveminebeforemywindow，andthemorechipsthebettertoremindmeofmypleasingwork。Ihadanoldaxewhichnobodyclaimed，withwhichbyspellsinwinterdays，onthesunnysideofthehouse，IplayedaboutthestumpswhichIhadgotoutofmybean-field。AsmydriverprophesiedwhenIwasplowing，theywarmedmetwice——oncewhileIwassplittingthem，andagainwhentheywereonthefire，sothatnofuelcouldgiveoutmoreheat。Asfortheaxe，Iwasadvisedtogetthevillageblacksmithto“jump“it；
　　butIjumpedhim，and，puttingahickoryhelvefromthewoodsintoit，madeitdo。Ifitwasdull，itwasatleasthungtrue。
　　Afewpiecesoffatpinewereagreattreasure。Itisinterestingtorememberhowmuchofthisfoodforfireisstillconcealedinthebowelsoftheearth。InpreviousyearsIhadoftengoneprospectingoversomebarehillside，whereapitchpinewoodhadformerlystood，andgotoutthefatpineroots。Theyarealmostindestructible。Stumpsthirtyorfortyyearsold，atleast，willstillbesoundatthecore，thoughthesapwoodhasallbecomevegetablemould，asappearsbythescalesofthethickbarkformingaringlevelwiththeearthfourorfiveinchesdistantfromtheheart。Withaxeandshovelyouexplorethismine，andfollowthemarrowystore，yellowasbeeftallow，orasifyouhadstruckonaveinofgold，deepintotheearth。ButcommonlyIkindledmyfirewiththedryleavesoftheforest，whichIhadstoredupinmyshedbeforethesnowcame。Greenhickoryfinelysplitmakesthewoodchopper’skindlings，whenhehasacampinthewoods。OnceinawhileIgotalittleofthis。Whenthevillagerswerelightingtheirfiresbeyondthehorizon，ItoogavenoticetothevariouswildinhabitantsofWaldenvale，byasmokystreamerfrommychimney，thatIwasawake——
　　Light-wingedSmoke，Icarianbird，Meltingthypinionsinthyupwardflight，Larkwithoutsong，andmessengerofdawn，Circlingabovethehamletsasthynest；