Saturday, June 20, 2009

CONVERGENCE OF DAYS


After several weeks of becalmed water, Lake Erie is stirring. Thursday a wild wind came roaring through, stripping the fern-like leaves off the honey locust tree, so it looks like someone shook out a big bag salad all over my front lawn and parking area. The wind itself came at an angle I hadn’t seen before, making whitecaps that rolled over perpendicular to the shore, with very little splashing onto the breakwall! It all seemed rather strange. Then last night, band after band of heavy thundershowers moved through the area, and I lay in bed in the dark with that Joni Mitchell song, Carey, going through my head: The wind is in from Africa, last night I couldn’t sleep. This morning, the fields behind the houses across the road are all flooded, but as I’m writing this, the sun is out, and a perfect amount of wind is blowing off the lake, refreshing everything—at least for now.

Tomorrow (in addition to being Fathers Day) is also the Summer Solstice. It’s an anniversary of sorts for me. It was June 21, 2005 (the solstice that day, too) that I got on the plane in Calgary with two large suitcases and two medium pet carriers (with two cats in each) bound for Windsor, Ontario, and my new little lake house. I’ve been very fortunate to live in some beautiful places, and while I still miss the West and the mountains, life with one of the Great Lakes at my backyard has a romance all its own. I’ve been delighted to share some of that with you out there in Blogland. The Cloud Messenger is nearly a year old, too (July 1st). So here I a few photos of my home in Alberta’s High Country, and my new one in Ontario—low country from the looks of all that standing water.

Gallery top to bottom: 1) flooded fields 2) Lake Erie afternoon storm 3) honey locust leaves 4) My acreage in High Country, view from the deck 5) view from the hill (click to enlarge)

12 comments:

Rose said...

Oh my goodness--what a beautiful world you live in. Or did live. I love those last two photos best of all, but that storm over Erie is fabulous as well.

Shelley said...

You live in a beautiful place and I'm glad we get to see your photos and read your poems, words and descriptions!

Great Grandma Lin said...

absolutely gorgeous, thanks for sharing your lovely photos...

Betsy Banks Adams said...

You are so lucky to have lived in both places, Deb. They are both incredible. People always ask me whether I want to live in the mountains or near the ocean/beach... My answer is YES. I love both... Guess I would choose the mountains for about 9 months and the ocean for about 3. How would that be????

Have a great weekend and send some rain down here. We're hotter than hot.
Hugs,
Betsy

Sylvia K said...

You do live in a beautiful world! I love your blog and didn't realize it until I read here today that your first anniversary is in July -- so is mine! What fun! I'm just so glad I found yours early on and always appreciate your comments on mine. I love your photos, your words and the interesting things you bring into my life each day. Have a lovely weekend, Deborah!

bobbie said...

Thank you for sharing your world with us, Deborah. It is a lovely one, and I always enjoy your posts so much. A whole year! Doesn't it go quickly? I hope you continue to write for us long into the future.

Quiet Paths said...

Ah.... the lake is really very pretty; both places are actually. The high country I know much better of course. So glad you are still enjoying your place. As far as the yard goes - when you get salad blown in on the special lake Erie carrier, then go buy really good salad dressing!

xxx said...

beautiful!

best wishes
Ribbon

sgreerpitt said...

How wonderful to have lived in two such different, but spectacularly beautiful places!

Dianne said...

incredible shots!

Squirrel said...

I see that for you a view is a must have! I'm the same way--the view is the first thing I look at in a home. Alberts looks Spectacular. Have you ever read Sharon Butala's "The perfection of the morning?"

Having a fabulous view is what makes bad weather bearable, staying in beautiful, and going out into the view...a must. The first thing I've always done in the morning is go to the window ...

you could do a series of paintings ...from my window... they could be abstracts --Lake Erie sometimes looks surreal and serene.

Anonymous said...

I can see why you miss the mountains. But then, you picked another beautiful place to live.

How did you decide where you wanted to be? We are still working on that part.