Postcards From the Lake, 2015 Edition

I'm a little late to the summer catch-up party between the blog events for Paris In July and Vanessa's Tea Party posts. Plus pulling together Rick's birthday party which was last night. But nonetheless, a postcard from the lake.

Rick rode his bike up -- camping halfway and was here for a week. I stayed on after he headed home, enjoying mostly glorious weather apart from one storm.

This was the first two weeks of July and the weather was drop-dead gorgeous for two weeks, apart from a rain/wind storm that took down two (and a half) of the screens that Rick and I labored to put up on our porch a few days before. Actually, he did most of the labor. I was more like the screen sous chef, holding things in place and untangling the spline. That said, I re-did much of it solo, as he left for back home and work. I've been doing homeowner repair. I do pretty well till I get to the tall part. Too short and too much vertigo to stand too high!



The fireworks were lovely, of course. We have a ringside seat, as they shoot them off straight across the lake from the cottage. Personally, I think last year's were a little better, but they beat most displays I see and no arguments or complaints.

Big arguments or complaints about the neighbors. They are on the other side of a wooded lot and starting at 8 p.m. on Fireworks Night (which was July 3 for us) they ramped up music so loud I swear they could hear it a half mile away. It wasn't bad for awhile (well, it was, but you could cope) but when we went to bed around midnight it was just as loud and lots of bass, even with the windows closed. Our neighbors on the other side were having a pleasant bonfire. Chatting and all but nothing obnoxious. They said they were up till 1:30 and it was still going strong. I feel for the people directly on the other side of them.

 

The fourth was a lovely day. We did our traditional picnic -- Rick rides 50 miles. I bring food in the car and we meet for what I call the Lake Woebegon parade, have lunch and take our own ways back. A very long parade, with flags, candy-tossers, kids, queens and Moses.



A nice visit from Kevin and Molly added to the fun of that first week, after which they managed to squeeze Rick, his guitar, computer and bike into this somehow and took him home.

 

I've been enjoying the Ducksters -- mom and eight babies who float by and hang out for awhile. They float in formation and when mom marshals the troops, off they go.



Then there was the magical day when 40 Canadian Geese gracefully moved across the lake -- a peleton of geese, I think, all in formation. It was magical. (There was also a brief moment of panic, the one we all have when they decide to come up on your beach and it turns into the ultimate litter box!)

I've had meet-ups with two Lansing friends who have moved north, Maura and Gretchen. Maura and I had a good long catch-up and lunch and it was hard to say goodbye! Gretchen surprised me with a second visit and the surprise offer of a boat ride. It was the first time I'd seen the lake from the lake in ages and it couldn't have been a more glorious experience.



I touched base with mom's best friend who lives here and finished my fifth seventh book.

And yes, a little bit of art, too. Well, a lot of that, but I'll save that for another time. (This is actually better now that I've gone back and played with it, adding a bit more Lizzie touches to it. Might repost it later!)

I leave you as we began, with a sunset.

 

I hope you're having a great summer. I'm taking part in the Paris in July posts (so lots of looks at all things Parisian) and Vanessa's Mad Hatter tea party, so if you're interested in those things, scroll down the posts a bit!