MUSING AT THE END OF THE SUMMER

ONE OF THE GLORIOUS SIGHTS OF SUMMER

MONDAY:  Today is LABOUR DAY MONDAY and for most Canadians it signifies the end of the summer.  It’s a time when thoughts turn to starting a new term at school, starting uiversity or even getting back to an old or possibly a new job.  A time of beginning a new and different year of learning, growing and in the process moving forward with one’s life.

After spending more than 60 summers at one of Ontario’s most beautiful lakes I recall many Labour Day Mondays that I could hardly function because I was so sad to be leaving the cottage and the lake.  My young years were all spent at a family cottage and I learned to swim, water ski, canoe, sail and just generally BE a kid during the hot months of July and August.  As I grew into my teens there were late nights of Monopoly and mornings that didn’t start until I arose at Noon!  I had many friends at the lake and our schedules were busy and full of summer activities that were all fun.  While in my late teens and early twenties there were summers that I couldn’t spend the entire summer at the lake because of various jobs that I had…but I was always happy to spend my one or two weeks of vacation time at the lake. 

OUR SON PLAYING ON THE BEACH

Later, after I married, my husband and I bought an island property of our own at the lake and over the course of many, many years we built a wonderful cottage where we raised our son and enjoyed summers away from the city clamour.  We built the cottage ourselves out of necessity…lack of money.   My husband was very capable with whatever tool, manual or electrical, that he picked up and I was good at hauling wood, holding things in place and drawing up details of how things should look.  Our son was great at keeping me company while I went back and forth to the mainland with whatever supplies, food or wood, that we required to make ‘the cottage’ happen.  We kept that cottage for more than 30 years then we sold it to some wonderful people that appreciated what we’d built and bought another piece of island property.  By then our son, as much as he loved the cottage, the lake and Ontario, had determined that British Columbia was where he wanted to plant his feet, so my husband and i renovated the derelict cabin that was on the property and turned it into a ‘luxury one-bedroom’ cottage for just the two of us.

A COUSIN and HIS DOG

My summers at the lake allowed me to not only enjoy the cottage life but they also gave me inspiration for my artwork.  I carved stone and painted to my heart’s content.  Many of the pieces I produced during those years reflected my love of the lake, the elements, the animals and birds and the children that enjoyed being part of that. 

Scattered throughout this blog I have included some photos of past works that I may never have done had it not for being in a lake environment.  

MORE COUSINS

Many of the pieces I created during those summers have either been sold at art shows or given to family or friends as gifts.  But I have tried to keep some sort of record over the years so that I can look back on what I’ve been able to accomplish as an artist.

I hope you find these entries interesting but even more than that I hope they inspire you to possibly go down a creative road that you’ve never thought of before.
  

A WONDERFUL COMPANION

Unfortunately, two years ago, due to unforeseen circumstances we had to sell our wonderful little cottage.  In spite of it being a sad decision for us to make it turned out to be a good one because we, again, found people that appreciated the property for what it was and what we’d built into it and we were happy to sell it to them so that they can now enjoy the lake the way we did.

After many wonderful years our cottaging days are over but for me the glass is never half empty…it’s always half full.  We always seem to have something else to enjoy...so life is very good.

THE SWIMMING POINT

Now that we no longer have our cottage we are able to enjoy the city property we own in a way we never had time for before because we were always rushing off to the cottage!  We can turn our energies into making and keeping this property a lovely place to enjoy twelve months of the year.  We consider ourselves fortunate enough to have a place where we can swim and kayak in the summer and enjoy the beauty of a frozen river during the long river months…and know the amenities (shops, bicycle paths, parks, medical facilities, the Y, etc.) are within a few blocks away!

LEAVES and LOONS

But none of this stops me from remembering the wistfulness with which we closed up the cottage each and every LABOUR DAY MONDAY as we said our final goodbyes to the lake that had nurtured us through the hot months.  Memories of those marvelous and eventful summers and of those sad last days of the season will be with me forever.

Families have always had good times in summer and the lazy, hazy, crazy days give way to happy times; especially for the young.  As you can see by this entry, several of my paintings have come to mind when I think of summer,  kids  and beautiful watery scenery.  

As I write this I can hear our next door neighbours, who have just returned from their cottage,  unpacking their car…the Labour Day departure having been accepted at some point early this morning.  I can only imagine the traffic on the highways today…

BY THE TIME THIS BLOG ENTRY GETS READ I HOPE THAT EVERYONE HAS ARRIVED HOME SAFELY.

WEDNESDAY OF THE NEXT WEEK:  It's been over a week since I wrote the above...Can hardly believe it!!!!  Below are pieces of art I have done over the years...picked totally at random and in a few weeks AFTER I RETURN FROM MY SON'S WEDDING IN TOFINO on VANCOUVER ISLAND I will write another blog and add more photos.

YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE DANCING

ALL THE BEST TO EVERYONE THAT MAY READ THIS.

FOXY

                                                                      

          

MORNING BATHER

SUN TWINS - TURTLES SUNBATHING

BLUESKY DRAGONFLIES

UNBELIEVABLE SUNSET