All good things come to an end, and so, too, has my time at the lake.
During these postcards from the lake this month, we've seen beautiful color.
A charming garden center, getting ready to ease into a new season.
I was surprised to see intrepid water boarders on my last walk.
And kayaks, as a family pulled in after a last paddle.
My favorite walking road turned, almost before my eyes, from green to gold.
Berries burst, filled with sunshine.
Fungi nestled around trees, sometimes looking like something else.
Even the swamp looked pretty.
Skies were a glorious blue (when they weren't cloudy and bringing rain).
You just had to stop and take a deep breath and take it all in.
My cousin's cottage -- what I call our ancestral home, as it was where my mom and her sisters spent their summers, and so did I till we bought our own place -- was nestled in its own haven of color.
Sometimes it was so quiet on my walk, all I could hear were my footsteps, rare birdsong, and the wind rustling through the trees.
Leaves fluttered gracefully to the ground, with some getting stuck in the branches of a tree. Surely a good wind will blow this one away, too.
It was a summer of ducks. I saw a sole merganser on my last day. Since I left, Rick has seen many coming daily to the beach.
There were chores...
...and wonderful dinners.
The early darkness meant that our dinners turned to candlelight occasions.
I will miss these splashes of color, dinners on the porch (with or without candlelight), my Duckles and Quackles and the Mergansers. I will miss walks along my path, watching the lake change color with each and every sunset and that feeling of sublime safety I had as I isolated without feeling isolated.
But it's time to say goodbye.
I'll miss you, Cottage. I'll miss you summer and fall.
Home. It's a good place to be. But it isn't quite the same.
43 comments:
And we will miss your gorgeous photos and commentary! But know it will all come again ~ Mother Nature will provide. Thanks so much for sharing it all with us ~
OHHHHH Jeanie, I knew this day would come- It has been so lovely! I am sad, and I feel lonely, as lonely as your little lake cottage feels when you pack up and leave. Wahhhh! I have loved every photo so much and your art work, thank you so much! I must say the red berry against the stunning gold and the blue blue blue of the sky just about undid me! I am - un did! Travel safely home. Xx
Oh, the paddle boats sure are beautiful, wonderful color. And those berries... we should STOP more often. It is sad, those good-byes of times and beautiful places. But that way we know how precious they are...
Enjoy being back home, you have lots of lovely memories of your time at the lake, and next summer will come soon! Hugs, Valerie
Lovely colors !
I read your virtual walk to say goodbye to the Lake as it's tucked away in the bed of memories for the winter, with real tears on my cheeks. I am going to miss our visits to this, your home away from home, haven almost as much as you will miss it. It's been such a joy and a pleasure to share the isolation and watch the seasons turning, but the time has come again for you to go home to the different world in which we find ourselves.
Such a beautiful collection of images today and I don't think your choice of music could have been better.
Stay safe and well!
Deb in Wales
Hello Jeanie,
Your last days at the lake are lovely. The leaves and colorful trees are beautiful! The walking road with the golden leaves is stunning. Love the Merganser and the heron flying by. Just think, the way time is flying by Spring will be here. Take care and stay safe. Have a happy day!
You will have many fabulous memories to tide you over the winter, Jeanie, and I am quite sure that during the pandemic the cottage has been more of a refuge even than it normally is. I used to own a cottage, and have never regretted selling it when I did, but there were times as I read your reports that I would have liked it back for a weekend or two. We always had a pair of loons breeding there and when you featured "your" loon that really tugged at me a little. In any event, welcome home. I earnestly hope that in about three weeks from now you will be toasting the demise of Donald Trump. Then, despite Covid, it will have been a momentous year.
Looks like a really great, masked, colorful, peaceful, people-less, quackles, summer,
(COVID-19, 2020)
.
It must be so tempting to just stay there...
Seeing all these beautiful photos and reading your thoughts left me close to tears. What wonderful memories you are bringing back home with you!
Absolutely gorgeous photos. I love fall and would love to be up north somewhere for the autumn. I am glad you had such a wonderful time.
I was lucky growing up living on a lake. We weren't a cottage but a house with insulation, heat etc, and we lived there year round. I got to go sledding and ice skating in the winter. I know you will miss your lake home this winter.
Earth's finest regalia ♥So cute your candlelight dinner:)
Jeanie, I can't begin to tell you how much I will miss your postcards. Goodness, I know leaving must be dreadfully hard. But you will have so much to look forward to when the snow is flying. You can think about your piece of paradise and all the beauty you will see again come spring.
Let's all hope and pray for a better and different 2021.
It's the end of another summer at the lake, but you are leaving us with some stunning and incredible photos. Simply gorgeous colors you have captured of the area where you find home during summer months. So glad I was able to join you there virtually this summer, so I'm sure you will miss the lake, as it is a beautiful place to walk and find great memories, hopefully to last until next spring.
Beautiful fall colours!
Wow. Jeanie, that post gave me such a wonderful mini-vacation feeling! :-) Thanks for sharing your gorgeous photos and beautiful words. PS Tell Rick I don't like seeing him standing so close to the edge of the roof like that!
A fond farewell to a lovely place and time.
Jeanie, I've enjoyed you postcards from the lake so very much. This one really pulls at the heartstrings. It must be so hard to say good bye until spring. What a wonderful place you have there, and it clear how much you appreciate your time there.
It has been a pure delight to read about your summer at the lake! Thank you for sharing this wonderful respite from covid-19 and politics.
A gorgeous goodbye. Until next year.
Wonderful photos. I just love autumn colours (although the cold is creeping in now!).
Jeanie, I loved all your wonderful pictures. It sure is pretty there. I know you will miss it. Praying you and Rick will be safe back in your city home. Take care of one another. Blessings, xoxo, Susie
Beautiful views and romantic dinner!
Gorgeous photos Jeanie. I know what you mean about being sad. But one must have hope for next year. But it seems a long way off, doesn't it? Be strong. It is always the first few days that are the hardest. Hugs-Erika
I listened to the music and lovely song for my walk with you. The color is stunning there now! I know it will be hard to say goodby, Mother Nature has provided you with such an amazing summer at the lake. You have beautiful photos to remind you of your summer quarantine. I know this is such a special place for you. You will have this in your heart to keep you warm all winter long. Thanks for the walk............
Breathtaking! I feel your sadness at leaving for the winter.
What a beautiful goodbye to such a lovely home away from home, Jeanie. Your photos make me feel sad that you have to go home. Thank you for sharing your joy, my friend. I'm sure when you are home you will be nesting and enjoying it as well.
I will miss your postcards from the lake. I love cottages, northern Michigan, painting and the laid-back life style your postcard posts do so well.
Your words sound sad but celebratory at the same time. It's wonderful to have a place like this and, even more, to appreciate it the way you do. Sending hugs. xx
What a beautiful tribute to your time well spent at the cottage. I really enjoyed seeing the nature, wildlife and daily activities in your posts. Blessings as you adjust to being home again ~
The music and the walk was welcomed. The scenery is just beautiful, Jeanie and I know you love your time at the cottage. Wishing you a lovely weekend!
Such a beautiful place, I am just so pleased that you shared it with all of your blogland friends :)
My good wishes.
All the best Jan
Glorious photos Jeanie. Love the rich colors of autumn. You Have certainly captured Nature's beauty in this post. Happy weekend.
I'm so glad you had the last few days of beautiful sunshine, walks in the wood, and candlelight dinners, what a wonderful way to say goodbye!
Jenna
Just gorgeous! Janice
These kinds of good byes are so bittersweet, aren't they? I kow that you will have a good time at your home, but this time at the lake is something special. Saying good bye of course also means to say good bye to a more carefree season I guess. We don't really know what is coming now - with the election and the virus etc. I assume that one could forget about that at least for a little bit at the lake.
Hope you are safely back home by now. Now you can turn your thoughts towards "home" and winter nesting and getting all cozy. I loved this post and all the gorgeous pictures. That one of the berries and the one right above it....wow!!--stunning sights. Just love seeing the pretty Fall scenery. Will they be having any activities at Southern Exposure this year?? I always enjoy your pictures and posts about that place.
Wonderful scenes of Nature's delight. Being near a lake with its beauty around is indeed gleeful. All are lovely takes. Bidding adieu is a bit painful, yet maybe for a better time.
This was a lovely and bittersweet farewell, Jeanie. I too have enjoyed your time at the lake through your posts and photos and descriptions of what you have seen and enjoyed. There's no place like home and fortunately you have 2 that you love.
I would be sad to leave there too.
Your pictures are just stunning!
Love picturing your on the walking road, so beautiful. Now I want to walk there too. Candlelight barbecue dinner, so special. And the fungi are amazing! You know I would love them and be so excited to spot them on a walk. Red berries, oh so pretty.
Such beautiful pictures! It’s always sad when the make season ends. They always go too fast! As I type this, it’s snowing... it was 80 less than 10 days ago, now highs are in the 30s this week. Bleh. I’m not ready for this so hopefully we get another warm spell before winter comes for good!!
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