I pack along my sketching "tools" whenever I head up north. But I don't always use them. Sometimes the materials at hand . . . inspire a different kind of sketching.
I hope your week is full of inspiration.
(I may post tomorrow, but I may not. It depends on whether - or when - I need to report for jury duty.) (Send good juju.)
I haven't been up to our lake cottage "up north" yet this season. Between crappy weather and a busy schedule, I've opted to stay at home so far -- while Tom has traveled up for frequent fishing trips.
But I'm here now!
It's such a treat to work from my office-in-the-woods -- outside on the back deck, surrounded by trees and bird song and a gentle breeze. (And, thankfully, no mosquitoes at the moment.)
I love being up here! Life is slower. There isn't anywhere for me to go or anthing I need to rush off to take care of. No appointments. No gym. No garden to weed. (But still plenty of chores. Always with the chores.) I'm looking forward to a few days of quiet re-freshing. (Until the Fourth of July crowd arrives. Then we'll head home again.) Reading. Thinking. Knitting. Sitting around the campfire with Tom. And enjoying the lake in the morning!
When I wake up, I always take my coffee out on the deck. That sunrise over the lake usually beckons -- and before long, I'm heading down the steps to the lake, where I can just sit on the dock and enjoy the peace of the lake in the morning.
Most mornings, it's still and quiet, the water like glass. Usually there's mist, rising from the surface of the water. Some mornings there are a few folks fishing, but not today. (Plenty of fish rising, though!)
This morning, when I turned around to head back up to the cottage, I noticed how very l-o-n-g my shadow was!
See my legs on the dock? And my head . . . way over on the shore? (And in between, the lake -- perfectly reflecting the trees overhead).
Mornings at the lake. . . a pretty great way to start the day!
Yesterday, I piled the dogs in the car and headed up to our little cabin . . . where we met Tom (already up there) to finish up a few shutting-down-for-the-season tasks.
Same lake. Same view. But different.
Same deck rail. Same trees. But different.
Here are three things that are REALLY different about being up north in the fall:
1 - The docks and boats are out of the water for the winter.
2 - I'm wearing the hand knits both outside and inside.
3 - And . . . I'm wearing socks and shoes! (Truth be told, I had my flip flops on when I was getting in the car. And then I thought about all the sh*% Tom would give me if I showed up at the cabin - where it wasn't even 40 degrees F - in my flip flops . . . and opted for shoes.) (It was the right choice.)
It's lovely to be up here in the fall. But very different!
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Be sure to head over to Carole's today for more Three on Thursday posts.
It has been really rainy this summer up north -- and especially in the last month or so. The lake level is higher now that it was earlier this summer (which never happens). The mosquitoes are out of control. And there are mushrooms growing everywhere in the woods.
Here are three mushrooms that I found particularly impressive this week . . .
I love the colors and shapes and textures of the mushrooms. (The mosquitoes? Not so much.)
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Be sure to pop over to Carole's today . . . for more Three on Thursday fun.
We're back up north for a few days. While it's always nice to get away, this trip is bittersweet.
Sure . . . it's still plenty warm. The leaves haven't started to turn. The lake is the perfect temperature for swimming. It's quiet now that the kids are back at school. Things are very peaceful.
But change is coming. The days are shorter. Acorns are raining from the trees. It's time . . . to bring the dock in. And move the pontoon to dry land for the season. Because the distance between "plenty of time" and "we waited too long" is really short up here.
We enjoyed our last pontoon ride of the season yesterday. Later today, we'll bring in the dock. It's time to bid the lake adieu for the summer (although we won't totally close down the cabin for another 6 weeks or so).
I'm a little sad. Because I like summer -- and I especially like summer on the lake. But it's time for me to . . . give in. Let go. Because fall? It's nice, too!
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How about YOU? What signifies the true end of summer for you?
Not your typical Unraveled post . . . but unraveled all the same!
Early in the evening last night, a severe thunderstorm moved through . . . wreaking havoc in our up north neighborhood. It is so scary to be in the woods during strong winds and storms -- to see the wind whipping those trees around, to hear all the branches falling onto your roof and against your windows, and especially to hear the THUD of a giant tree hitting the ground.*
We lost power. We tried to make the best of it by playing Scrabble by candlelight. (And taking selfies while wearing our headlamps. Because what else are you going to do?)
But after continuing thunderstorms through the night - and the sound of more trees falling - we knew power restoration wouldn't be simple or quick. (When we lose power up north, it's not just electricity that we lose. It's also water-- because the pump on our well is electric.)
So our lovely end-of-summer week up north unraveled a few days early. We packed up . . . and headed home.
(But that's okay.) (Our toilets flush at home!)
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Be sure to visit Kat today, for Unraveled posts that are likely MUCH more relevant to the world of knitting, stitching, and reading than this one!
I usually check the weather forecast for the next day before I go to bed at night. You know - just to plan my day. (Can I kayak in the morning? Are my car windows open? Should I bring in the towels tonight? )
Last night, I checked.
Cloudy, it said.
Chance of rain, it said.
(I'll sleep in, I said.)
(But the towels will wait, I said.)
So I was kind of surprised to wake up and see this . . .
Sunshine.
Come to the lake, it said.
(Let me get my coffee, I said.)
And it was a glorious morning, to be sure.
Peaceful. Quiet. Serene.
And hardly a cloud in the sky! Just those few . . . out there on the horizon.
(Take THAT, weather forecast! I said.)
(I WILL be able to fit in one more paddle this morning, I said.)
But, alas. The weather forecast gets the last word.
HA! It said.
Because it's raining now. Just an hour later.
Talk about a morning surprise.
(And too bad about those towels.)
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Enjoy the weekend!
Everyone knows that s'mores are made from:
Marshmallows
Graham crackers
Chocolate
But I would argue that there are three more ingredients that must be present for perfect, gooey, marshmallow-dripping-off-your-chin s'mores:
Ideal coals
Excellent timing
Plenty of patience
YUMMMMMM!
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Be sure to stop over at Carole's today for more Three on Thursday fun.
The past couple of mornings have been perfect for long kayak paddles on the lake. (So perfect, in fact, that I have blisters on top of blisters.) I thought you might like to join me . . . for a paddle around the lake!
Such a great way to relax, hang out on the water, and get a little exercise, too!
(Hope you didn't get any blisters. . .)
I love to wake up with the morning sun streaming through my bedroom window at our cottage.
So inviting.
It calls me . . .
Come to the lake.
Join me?
Ahhhhhhh!