Where's the Bobber?

I sat on the dock, catching a gentle breeze, while my son was fishing. We laughed recalling a sign which read, "Fishing: if it was easy, it'd be called catching". He cast his line towards the cove opening, set it on the dock & began the climb up to the house for his net. Without journal or sketch pad, my eyes wandered amidst the forest sounds. I glanced over & wondered, "Where's the bobber?" I picked up the ultralight & clicked the reel. A white flash revealed the quickest glimpse of the float, before it disappeared once more. A large-mouth bass had taken it out into open waters & blessedly, my son had not set the bail. I called to my son who yelled back, "Do I have to come back down?!" "Yes ! I can't reel any slower". I was able to bring it in & keep it on the hook, enabling my son to land it. What a funny treat ! On that day, "WE" caught a fish as a team & it was "easy"!

Caramel Currents

In recent weeks we have gone from a frozen, blue lake to raging, caramel waters. We have seen spring days & torrential rains, followed by an ice storm, spring again, a "wintry mix", & a return to spring rains & flooding. We anticipate the lake's activity by the weather in the mountains, as well as our own precipitation.


Twice, the lake waters flowed over with such force that the dam itself was not visible. The raging currents beneath were ferocious, as they thrashed the rocks on shore, hurricane-style. I once read, "do something scary every day". This was on my mind as the wind whipped my cape around me & I peered through my lens high atop the raging waters. The bridge trembled & shook under me as traffic flew by. The whole experience was incredibly invigorating!... so much so that I did it in the second flood, too !


The trees barely discernible in the shadows of the above pictures are normally on shore. Though not one of my favorites, I post this last image because my brother gasped in amazement & simply stared at it in wonder.

Frozen Current

This is my 10th winter watching the lake & I have never before seen it freeze solid. It was remarkable! We had a number of frights as lab puppy, Buddy would chase something skittering across the surface. Blessedly, the ice always held.


This full-size tree had been in & around the cove for months. It would wash up to the dock & the boys would delight in having the power to move the mammoth with a mere heave-ho. We would watch it floating about for days or weeks, before returning once again to dock's edge. One morning, I peered out to see it's very path frozen in place. It looks like some is liquid, but I assure you otherwise!!! The path of the current was completely stilled in ice. I wondered anew for many, many days as it held fast.

Seasonal Forms

On rainy summer days, I would stand under the trees, beside the lake, shielding my camera as best I could. I became lost in the circular patterns the rain created on the surface. There were also the "pinwheels" I have come to believe are made by fishtails.



Said to be, "the coldest winter in 34 years", I find myself mesmerized by water as a solid. In this harsher of seasons, God has chosen to adorn the water with geometric shapes. I spy them in large bodies, such as the lake & small ones, like buckets. These were taken on the surface of our pool. I love the metallic look to this last image.

I Didn't Know They Did That Here !

This is an old image. I had been under a tree, watching the morning alight. I happened to see something like a stick fall from a tree & swim away. After watching the liquid pattern it made, I took this shot to verify that it was a snake. I don't sit under that tree as much anymore.

Rising Waters

The remnants of hurricane Ida passed through our town. I actually checked the news to see her effects...a few trees down, creeks swelled beyond their banks, limbs all over streets. There was but a minute of coverage one morning. Our little niche of the world has been transformed for days. The fixed docks are covered & the falls roar. Even the protective shields on the duck houses are under water. Water on both sides of Beaver Point is now visible from the upper path behind us.


The nearby shoreline generally has a drop off to the lake. The waters, now cover the grasses & scrub brush above the shoreline. I made my way over to the landing to capture some images from my usual vantage point....Silly me, the landing was under water. I typically watch the beavers well below the line of the log in this image, next to those 3 smallish trees.

Treasures Revealed

It has been 2 or 3 years since the "annual", autumnal dropping of the lake. This is done so in order for people to tend to their seawalls. Rushing down with great enthusiasm, for us it is a magical time of exploration & discovery. The docks are grounded & I am able to walk out to gaze upon my places of peace & meditation. I shot some images to enable you to get a better sense of my little cove. Looking across this once floating dock, my house is way up on a ridge to the right.(see first image in July). The beavers live in the far banks, beyond the crumbling boat house. I watch the sun set from the dock, then make my way across the cove to the landing, which is to the right just out of view.


I took this image to mirror the one I posted Sept. 29th to show you the magical world that is revealed. Our floating dock is around the corner to the left. I now walk from one end to the other along the shores in search of treasure. It is always such a magical time to look back on our view from a different perspective !!! We find paw prints from beavers, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks & muskrats...There are even "tracks" of clams, as they made their way back into the water. We find a variety of clam & snail shells of different types, sizes & colors. Below our dock, I found London's long-lost, toy machine gun & he found our "missing" hot dog roasting fork. In my next post, I shall share images of the beavers' burrowing & the proximity to it from which I "watch."

Bubbles in the Mist

I awoke convinced that I had slept in & dawn's first light was already aglow. It was however, the harvest moon shrouded in fog. Do you remember "Moment of Glory" on March 20th? The sun's first rays lit up every droplet of water in the forest air. Early this morning, before the world of man was awake, the harvest moon shone brightly, amplified in it's radiance by the moisture in the air. I sat listening to the sounds of the forest. The insects had not yet begun their song & all was quiet. An owl hooted now & again, from various place. From the forest floor & aloft in the trees, I heard the occasional rustle of leaves & snapping of twigs. I wondered who was working or hunting. Beaver or fox? Raccoon or opossum? Perhaps the coyote had made his way down, or the deer were back. I heard a small tree or branch crack & fall from far off near the beaver's burrow.
When the moon was fully engulfed by the cloud, I brought out a ceramic tray of candles & wrote in my journal. The night was so silent that I could hear the sounds of an animal scratching himself. I heard nibbles upon ripened walnuts & periodic thuds as the nuts crashed to the ground. From far across the lake, I heard the rooster's call. Coming from the same place, it is a new voice this year, though I always hear one during the colder months of the year. The insect chorus began their predawn praise & when dawn's light finally began to turn the sky a faint blue, I headed to the lake.


Once on the dock, I sat patiently, watching as leaves & all manner of things slowly drifted past me into the cove. The mallards flew through piercing the silence with their chatter & rush of wings. A slight breeze caught water droplets releasing them from the foliage. The water tensions was such that the droplets momentarily held as large bubbles before bursting into widening ripples. I stalked the bubbles for ages, peering through the lens & praying to get some balanced shots of them poised atop the water. As I waited, I listened to the calls of the heron, the kingfisher & various woodpeckers. The mallards passed through again, before heading upstream. Upon later investigation, I found evidence that the beaver had, in fact been hard at work, shoring up his home for his winter rest.

Sitting Together

London and I were sitting out one evening, on the banks of the lake. Along came a friend....
London, naturally scooped him up. While he gently played with the little creature,along came another friend...

London has to have Uncle Wesley's approval before he can handle any snake and was oh, so sad to simply watch this one (possibly a baby, yellow rat). Strangely, toad and snake didn't seem to take note of each other in the least...not even when the snake slid right over the toad...more validation that, "If you sit quietly and still long enough, the wildlife will come out".

A Curious Eye

These images are from the dock out back. I like them. Tom does, too and he said that most folks just wouldn't think to capture images of things like this. He said that's what makes my eye and gift so special. I love how supportive he is. Enjoy a closer look at everyday things.

Sitting on the Dock...

The other night, London had his first, public school performance. His 2nd grade class voted to sing, "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay". That song always reminds me of my father-in-law, Jr. He was of the "Greatest Generation" and snuck into the Merchant Marines to serve in WWII. Characteristic of that generation of men, he was never one to outright express his feelings. He found more practical ways to show his affection. We often used to stop by to see Tom's folks after church and have breakfast together. Once Jr. found out that I love cheese, every week he would say, "Go in the kitchen and get you some cheese...Juanita! Get Jeannine some cheese!"
He would so adore his little grandson! Even though "Tommy" wasn't much one for fishing, London would be out there with him every day!!

It's Really True !!!!

Growing up, my family always told me, "If you sit still and quiet long enough, the wildlife will come out." I never found that to be true...UNTIL, I started going quiet inside...then, it happened !!! Last weekend, as I sat on the docks mid-cove, I heard a rustling in the leaves on the far bank.....

We watched each other for ages and ages until the groundhog decided that lunch was more imprtant than I was.....
















The episode finally ended when our loving huntress/herder, Juliette, awoke and decided I needed protecting......

Daily Strength

It is so powerful to start the day amidst God's creations !!! I feel so much closer to my Lord in prayer, when I am surrounded by his artistry !!As the day continues and my middle-schoolers show that post-spring break, Friday energy, I can recall the tranquility of these moments: the kingfisher hunting on the large lake, the mallards on the lesser one. I spied a new vine of yellow blossoms growing up an oak....these images and many more will give me calm throughout the day.

Weekend Watching

Here are just a few of the things going on around our home: Silver Dollars, Geraniums, and Columbine:




I spent much of the weekend at The Glade next to the lake, watching the ferns and wild azaleas unfurl....

Evening Watch

I am getting comfortable with the beaver's schedule, once again. I went down to where they come out each evening and was right on time...His wake is so cool. We have a small collection of beaver sticks..the old and used ones they have discarded.... washed up on the landing.

Growing up, we used to pass a creek that beavers' would dam up. Later on, a friend in Virginia showed Tom and I a beaver lodge that was maintained on his property. These are images I always held of beavers...until we moved here, adjacent to "Beaver Point". Beavers will burrow in the banks of a water body rather than go to all the trouble to build a lodge. Soon, they will have sticks covering their entryway, but right now, they have the doors flung open for a nice spring airing out......

Images from Spring Break