Photography: Arriz HassamI am a total water person and am at my happiest spending as much time as possible swimming in or gazing at the lake. Water is rejuvenating, inspiring, meditative and life affirming. This is why having a cottage was really important for me.
Photography: Arriz Hassam
I am an avid swimmer and between the months of June and October you will find me either swimming along the shoreline, across the lake or paddling around in the shallows by the beach. It’s difficult to get me to come out of the water!
Sometimes the fog rolls in and the lake is transformed into a study in shades of grey. And when a storm rolls in there are white caps.
My best friends – Melanie and my dog Wilco – love to suntan for hours on the docks. The rocking of the floating dock stays with you long after you’ve left the dock, sometimes even as you fall asleep — like being rocked in a cradle.
Sometimes the water looks silver in the light of dusk.
In some parts of the lake you can find fallen tree trunks that have aged and weathered over time and they are strikingly sculptural and wonderful to photograph. At the very far end of the other side of the lake where the water shallows a lot there is a section of lily pads and reeds that are fun to paddle through very slowly. You can see so much flora and fauna in those shallow marshy areas.
There is nothing more beautiful than when the lake is still and the forest and sky are mirrored on the surface.
Photography: Arriz HassamBoating slowly around the lake is a lovely way to enjoy the sunset. And of course it is always fun to look at other cottages!
Photography: Mike CartyDuring construction, we often fished for our supper.
Photograohy: Jenny FrancisThe small guest bunkie is set right on the water’s edge so there is this incredible connection to the lake that I sometimes miss now that we are living in the cottage up the hill. You could lie on the bed in there and watch the lake as you fall asleep, listen to the waves at night and take in a swim as soon as you wake up or just before you went to bed.
Photogrpaphy: Arriz HassamWe would also have nightly campfires on the beach. We often listened to audio books in the dark with the sound of lapping water as background noise.
At the end of the summer in early fall, when there are no bugs at all, it’s wonderful to climb to the top of the cliff and take in this long view of the lake from above.