There is nothing quite like the peaceful seclusion of a special place to bring refreshment to mind, body and spirit. Our lakeside retreat is remote. There is no public access and the nearest electricity is twenty kilometers away. Only one other home on the lake is occupied.
The only sounds we hear are from nature – most often it’s the loons. Their haunting call echoes over the lake at random times day and night. It’s a nostalgic sound for me, reminding me of childhood vacations, family gatherings and annual hunting trips. Starting with my parents, our family has owned property on this lake for more than sixty years and I can’t recall a time when the loons weren’t there.
No matter what the weather, in fog, sunshine or pre-storm moodiness, the lake view is memorable. I have taken hundreds of photos and no two ever seem exactly the same.
It is a place of quiet beauty, accessorized with the peeling bark of birch trees, fluttering poplar leaves, brooding evergreens and an abundance of wildflowers — scarlet Indian Paintbrush, Brown-eyed Susans, lacy white Yarrow, the occasional nodding Tiger Lily, pale pink Wild Rose bushes growing between patches of glossy Oregon Grape and scatterings of Oxeye Daisy. Their splashes of colour stand out against a rusty backdrop of soil created by ancient disintegrating trees and deep layers of discarded evergreen needles. It is a natural kind of beauty… the kind that can’t be duplicated in my home garden… the kind only the Master Gardener can create.
The world is His, and all that is within. I am ever so thankful for His generosity in sharing it with me during these past two weeks of vacation in the wilderness!
MUSINGS 
Beautiful post, Mom, pointing with love and gratitude to the Creator.
btw, I LOVE the lake-in-the-fog picture! Gorgeous!
Thanks, Shari. The fog was unusual. We often get a swirling of mist on the lake in the mornings but not the dense obliterate-almost-everything kind of fog.
It all sounds very beautiful and I too enjoy the sound of loons. We were always told when we were young that when the loons trill it is a sign of rain on the way.
Laura, the loons here don’t seem to be very good weather forecasters. They call and warble frequently throughout the days and nights with nary a drop of rain in sight.
I share your wonder, Carol. I am blessed and grateful for the luxury of living in BC. Your picture is beautiful and reminiscent of our resort.
I’ve lived briefly in other provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario) but am convinced BC has the most diversity and beauty to offer. I may be biased because I was born here but I love it. Your location looks to be a gem, too.
I wanna go back…..
Me, too!! No matter how long we spend there it never seems long enough.
Wow, Carol! What an incredibly beautiful place! You are very talented at photography!! I can imagine what a peaceful couple of weeks you had! But no electricity? How did you survive that? 🙂
It’s a little like camping, but with a roof over our heads, Jody. My DH calls it “bucket and path” living because there’s no running water or indoor facilities either. We take a portable generator to operate power tools when there’s building or renovations to do but otherwise we pretty much “rough it”. The cabin is comfy but simple, equipped with a small propane fridge and stovetop, a wood-burning heater, and kerosene lamps to light the evenings. We haul water from the creek that runs alongside the cabin. It’s the antithesis of city living — not what everyone would consider the perfect vacation destination — but we love it.
Welcome back – to the real world – the one that’s filled with the other kind of “loons” I’m afraid. Looks like a great place – sounds like a great time. Glad you had a nice safe trip. DE
Thanks, Dave. The real world’s not too bad a place to be. I always like coming home.
What a beautiful place. I’d love to visit it, though I’d prefer the comforts of a resort hotel, if there is such a thing in the wilderness.
We live in the country, so my family has always preferred to take vacations to cities. Once I suggested renting a cabin in the mountains, and the kids all said it was too much like staying home–though we don’t have any mountains, so I think it was the isolation that they didn’t like.
Carol
Ours is definitely isolated and I can appreciate that it’s not everyone’s choice of a vacation location. We’ve always lived either in or near a big city so “getting away from it all” suits us. We warn our visitors that there are no sophisticated activities and they should bring their own books and non-electronic games, etc., and they usually seem content with the kayaking, hiking, berry picking, swimming and inevitable survival tasks (wood chopping, getting water, etc.) that fill our days there.
Welcome back. I missed your posts.
Those pics made me ache for a vacation. Oh, well. Someday.
Thanks, Tricia. It’s nice to be home. We’re very blessed to have such a getaway, but I like mini-vacations at home, too. A good book, a glass of iced tea and an afternoon on the back deck is my idea of good short term refreshment.
It’s so serene. The way a retreat should be! We get to enjoy the sound of loons, too, on my mom’s lakeside home in Maine.
Gotta love those loons! That haunting call is wilderness personified. 🙂