Sunday, August 28, 2011

Last hurrah

It's our last hurrah at the cottage. We're here for a few days and then closing for the season. It's lovely to be back here again after a gloriously long stint in July but it's bittersweet because after this visit we won't be back until May.

I've labelled this summer "the summer of swimming". We were in the lake two or three times a day everyday we've been here. The girls have really advanced with their swimming skills (I also had them in two sessions of swim lessons in Ottawa while we were back there which also helped reinforce all their cottage practice). Emily has almost mastered front crawl and Hope is already starting to learn the stroke too. Hope is our fish; swimming comes easily to her and she's very buoyant. Emily loves the water but has to work a bit harder to master certain strokes although her kick is incredibly strong so she can really propel herself through the water. Even John and I have been swimming more for enjoyment than we have in the past few summers. John routinely swims to "Judgement Rock" across our bay and I squeeze in a swim straight out into deeper water when I can.

I can see each summer becoming easier and easier here: the kids need less entertainment, can spend more time in the water and will start to want to go canoeing and kayaking with me more often. (Emily, Hope and I just came in from our first and last canoe ride of the season. It took us this long to do it because the attempts from previous summers were not fun. Today was definitely fun.)

This morning the lake sent me a parting message. I was having my morning cuppa when I heard a loon on the lake. I came out to the front porch and watched the loon search for it's breakfast between its lonely calls across the lake. Saying goodbye to summer before he too heads away.

Goodbye for this year, Mary Lake.






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Location:N Mary Lake Rd,Huntsville,Canada

1 comment:

Marnie said...

Ah...memories of Mary Lake. We too, have just come back from the Fast "cottage", which is still such a magical place for our kids. THey will canoe, swim, kayak, dig, and play on the beach for hours. And I can watch them do it while enjoying my coffee. Bliss. The last sunset at the point is our symbolic good-bye to summer. It's been a good one.