Relative Something

Sunday, I had few priorities pressuring me beyond making decisions, like where I would lounge next. Ah, the middle day of a three-day weekend. There is always tomorrow to face the things I can put off today. I made my laptop endure some intense spring sunshine and a passing shower of pine tree pollen. Check out the picture at the end of this post to see the image I captured of the pattern made by pollen bombs.

It was an interesting mix of temperatures today, based on where you were. The inside of the cabin –oops… that should be “cabin” in quotes to differentiate it from what most people conjure up for that noun– felt a lot cooler than outside, and I found myself shivering in just a t-shirt. Outside was about perfect, but the breeze coming off the lake was still on the cool side. Then, late in the afternoon, I heard a radio report say 83° that I found hard to reconcile, except when I consider the number of kids who were actually playing in the lake water down at the beach. The speed boat was out today with happy screaming coming from the tube being pulled behind it.

I took advantage of time to work on memorizing song lyrics and building stronger calluses on my fingers. I played for long blocks of time, the last of which turned out to be a fun sing-along around the fire at the lodge as the dusk of evening morphed into chilly, dark night. I accomplished a nap in the hammock in the afternoon that was probably the most sound sleep I’ve ever had amidst the daylight bustle of speedboats and shouting people having fun.

I am blessed with riches beyond anything I’ve earned and the most precious richness is in the people I know and with whom I share activities. The people of Wildwood Lodge Club are more valuable than the place itself, and the place is my paradise. This year, the wildlife appears to have changed a bit and instead of the family of foxes that we saw so much of last summer, it is bears that are making the most visits. The woodpeckers have grown so bold that they go about their activities as if we didn’t exist, granting us incredible views from surprisingly short distance. In the evening, two loons floated by pretty close to our shoreline and when somebody pointed them out, an argument occurred over whether it was a loon or a beaver/turtle/small dog because it looked HUGE. When the one that had drawn all the attention finally turned to reveal the classic profile, the argument abruptly ended as the answer was obvious. Biggest appearing loon any of us had ever witnessed.

For a change of pace this year, the first generation owners chose to go out to a restaurant and the second generation families brought their own food to grill at the lodge and appetizers to share for the group dinner of the holiday weekend. It seemed a more leisurely pace. The kids mixed as they always do and appear well on their way to making connections that mirror the sort of relationships all of their parents share with each other. It is an impressive thing to witness, especially as one who has married into the opportunity. This community is something I wouldn’t have believed existed in real life, before I had the chance to witness it myself. It helps me to keep a perspective of the many different ways do define “rich”.

Pine pollen "bombs" leaving trails on Cyndie's once shiny black Mustang.