Lake Living
It is the start of Labor Day Weekend and we have no guests. No, I am not complaining, merely stating a fact. Visitors have been a part of our every day life this summer and the chance to take a deep breath and enjoy "lake living" is good.
Ah, but before I get into that, I need to tell you that Brian and his family came for a short visit last weekend. I have used my old schoolboard many times this summer and every time I write names, memories are made. Our 24 hours with this crew was no different.
Although Saturday was a dreary windy kind of fall like day, we decided to take and boat ride. Ledge was not at all sure he liked his first boat ride.
He didn't like the wind and just really wanted to take a nap, but that darn orange thing did not make it very easy to get comfortable.
Cuddling with mom helped.
Back at the house, Ledge was his normal smiley self.
He got to know his Opa.
And he read the sports section of the Sunday paper.
On Sunday, he was ready to go,
but Grandpa was content,
and mom was snoozing.
What's a boy to do!
Guess, he could play with Opa's feet...
and pose for a picture with the family.
OK, now are you ready to go???
NO, no more pictures and don't be keeping my plug away from me, Grandpa.
I don't have pictures but I do need to make note that playing cards on Saturday night with Tammy and Brian was great fun. Ok, so the ladies lost, we had fun doing it! After all, I haven't played pfeffer for many years... probably not since the last time the four of us were together . It was a short visit but great fun! Thanks, guys, for making the long drive.
Ok, so now on to those quiet days of lake living. We set no alarm and we only do what we really want to do. We did manage to get the last couple of sections of fence in and today, we had a load of gravel delivered. Oh yah, the lawn got mowed and we put some mulch around the ferns and grasses in the Prayer Garden. It looks better every day. I seem to spend more time there each day. It is a wonderfully relaxing place to enjoy a cup of coffee and remember our many family members and friends who are in need of prayer. And it is a very easy place in which to say "Thanks God!"
I found one of these great old canning devices and made some spicy tomato jam with tomatoes from my garden. I used it again when I experimented with crabapple jelly. The jelly has too mulch pulp but tastes "really really good" according to Mike. Next time, I will strain the apples and see if I can get more pure jelly. Many of the trees down by the Prayer Garden are crabapple trees so I have lots of raw material with which to experiment.
Suz and I went to a wine making class on Saturday morning and next spring I will be using some of those crabapples (if Suz will keep some in her freezer for me) to make some wine. Since I don't have time to do wine, I decided to do a liqueur with Chokeberries. Seems these little berries are the new super fruit (Aronia is the real name) so why not combine it with Brandy and ... well, we are both sipping some right now and I gotta tell you - I LIKE IT! I think I will be making another trip over to The Pickle Factory to get another jar of that very fine juice. Buying the juice is much easier than processing those little berries myself.
One day this past week, we went fishing - just the two of us on "our" lake. It was a cloudy day - a dramatic sky.
We enjoyed the morning of fishing and even caught a few.
But the best fun was "playing" with this loony tunes.
He was by himself and loved hanging around the boat.
Went after Mike's chub a couple of times.
He just posed for me inbetween his dives.
First time I have ever been able to photograph a loon under the water.
His coloring was different and it wasn't until we got home and looked it up that we realized this is winter plumage for the loon. Tud and Diane told us that this guy was probably from Canada and would only be spending a short period of time on our lake before flying south.
The love the fact that the water is so clear, we could easily see him several feet under water.
I even managed to get him drying himself off.
Short term visitor or not, this mamma loon showed up and chased him away from our boat - I can only imagine the talking to he received... We only saw him from a distance after that.
After a short break, we went back out on the lake and didn't get back to the dock till almost 8. Mike had a big big northern latch on to a small bass he had on his line but wasn't able to land the big fellow - made for a few minutes of excitement. During this part of the day, Mr. Eagle kept his eye on us.
First from one tree, and then another.
It was a great day spend enjoying lake life with my husband.
There was a rainbow early one evening.
And, of course, the hummingbirds always entertain us.
This is the Ruby Throated Bully - at least that is what we call him. He hangs around and scares other hummingbirds away. Rarely do we see him eating... just likes to play bully!
The ponds down the road behind us are serene places in the evening.
I had to look closely to see this dragonfly amidst the tall grasses.
Even the geese that have plagued Mike all summer long are at peace in the evening (and away from our dock!).
Yes, Lake Living on West Little McDonald Drive is pretty darn good.
Ah, but before I get into that, I need to tell you that Brian and his family came for a short visit last weekend. I have used my old schoolboard many times this summer and every time I write names, memories are made. Our 24 hours with this crew was no different.
Although Saturday was a dreary windy kind of fall like day, we decided to take and boat ride. Ledge was not at all sure he liked his first boat ride.
He didn't like the wind and just really wanted to take a nap, but that darn orange thing did not make it very easy to get comfortable.
Cuddling with mom helped.
Back at the house, Ledge was his normal smiley self.
He got to know his Opa.
And he read the sports section of the Sunday paper.
On Sunday, he was ready to go,
but Grandpa was content,
and mom was snoozing.
What's a boy to do!
Guess, he could play with Opa's feet...
and pose for a picture with the family.
OK, now are you ready to go???
NO, no more pictures and don't be keeping my plug away from me, Grandpa.
I don't have pictures but I do need to make note that playing cards on Saturday night with Tammy and Brian was great fun. Ok, so the ladies lost, we had fun doing it! After all, I haven't played pfeffer for many years... probably not since the last time the four of us were together . It was a short visit but great fun! Thanks, guys, for making the long drive.
Ok, so now on to those quiet days of lake living. We set no alarm and we only do what we really want to do. We did manage to get the last couple of sections of fence in and today, we had a load of gravel delivered. Oh yah, the lawn got mowed and we put some mulch around the ferns and grasses in the Prayer Garden. It looks better every day. I seem to spend more time there each day. It is a wonderfully relaxing place to enjoy a cup of coffee and remember our many family members and friends who are in need of prayer. And it is a very easy place in which to say "Thanks God!"
I found one of these great old canning devices and made some spicy tomato jam with tomatoes from my garden. I used it again when I experimented with crabapple jelly. The jelly has too mulch pulp but tastes "really really good" according to Mike. Next time, I will strain the apples and see if I can get more pure jelly. Many of the trees down by the Prayer Garden are crabapple trees so I have lots of raw material with which to experiment.
Suz and I went to a wine making class on Saturday morning and next spring I will be using some of those crabapples (if Suz will keep some in her freezer for me) to make some wine. Since I don't have time to do wine, I decided to do a liqueur with Chokeberries. Seems these little berries are the new super fruit (Aronia is the real name) so why not combine it with Brandy and ... well, we are both sipping some right now and I gotta tell you - I LIKE IT! I think I will be making another trip over to The Pickle Factory to get another jar of that very fine juice. Buying the juice is much easier than processing those little berries myself.
One day this past week, we went fishing - just the two of us on "our" lake. It was a cloudy day - a dramatic sky.
We enjoyed the morning of fishing and even caught a few.
But the best fun was "playing" with this loony tunes.
He was by himself and loved hanging around the boat.
Went after Mike's chub a couple of times.
He just posed for me inbetween his dives.
First time I have ever been able to photograph a loon under the water.
His coloring was different and it wasn't until we got home and looked it up that we realized this is winter plumage for the loon. Tud and Diane told us that this guy was probably from Canada and would only be spending a short period of time on our lake before flying south.
The love the fact that the water is so clear, we could easily see him several feet under water.
I even managed to get him drying himself off.
Short term visitor or not, this mamma loon showed up and chased him away from our boat - I can only imagine the talking to he received... We only saw him from a distance after that.
After a short break, we went back out on the lake and didn't get back to the dock till almost 8. Mike had a big big northern latch on to a small bass he had on his line but wasn't able to land the big fellow - made for a few minutes of excitement. During this part of the day, Mr. Eagle kept his eye on us.
First from one tree, and then another.
It was a great day spend enjoying lake life with my husband.
There was a rainbow early one evening.
And, of course, the hummingbirds always entertain us.
This is the Ruby Throated Bully - at least that is what we call him. He hangs around and scares other hummingbirds away. Rarely do we see him eating... just likes to play bully!
The ponds down the road behind us are serene places in the evening.
I had to look closely to see this dragonfly amidst the tall grasses.
Even the geese that have plagued Mike all summer long are at peace in the evening (and away from our dock!).
Yes, Lake Living on West Little McDonald Drive is pretty darn good.
posted by jf and me | 9:37 PM
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