Summer is not Over Yet

When we wake up on the lake, either Massawippi or Temagami, we are often greeted by morning fog rising from the water.  The obvious reason is that the water is warmer than the air.  The fog disappears as the air warms up during the day and we peel off layers of sweaters and jackets and often end up in bathing suits by late morning.  These are magical mornings for us lake dwellers even though these mornings signal that the summer is waning and autumn is just around the corner.  In some part of the country school has already started.  For those of you who live in those parts of the world, my personal opinion is that school should not start until after Labour Day.  It’s just not civilized.  The freedom and unstructured world of summer on the lake just needs to last a bit longer.

The grands paddled in with their sections on Monday to the cheers and hugs of over 200 parents, grandparents, staff, friends, fellow campers and camp neighbors.  There is nothing quite like seeing those red canoes come around the corner with the littlest ones coming in first and the Bay trips, girls and boys paddling in together to the burst of the canon.  It is a sight that never gets old.

I find it difficult to explain to friends who have not experienced a Wabun closing just what it means to me and to the members of my family.  Thanks to our daughter Margot, we have been associated with the camp since 1994 and we have been going up to camp for the end of camp for over 20 years with a few years off.  First as parents of a staff member and then back again as grandparents of a camper and now two campers.  The changes we have seen in our grandchildren are nothng short of a miracle.  They become so strong and self-reliant and self-confident.  Spending six weeks in the wilderness, using canoes for transportation, sleeping in tents, cooking over an open fire, and working as a team to get from one spot to the next, everyone being integral and important to the success of the whole, is truly a gift.  The gift we receive back is to see those faces at the end of camp and to give out the hugs and then open our ears and hearts and just listen to the stories.  Thank you Wabun and thank you to our children and grandchildren for bringing this part of the world into our lives.

Walking the Temagami Trails 

 

After the grands came in they didn’t quite know what to do with themselves so after we said good-bye to the aunts (Margot and Hadley) and Brewer (their dog) we headed off for a hike together, and I say that loosely, on the Temagami Trail followed by a Loon Burger and Fries.  The Loon Burger is definitely not on any diet that anyone would recommend but the owners of Loon Lodge created it and there are 364 other days to eat healthy!  It is so difficult to eat healthy when traveling and though we try we don’t always get where we thought we might go.  That 80/20 rule is in play.  Since coming home I think I have eaten every vegetable within a couple of miles of the house.  Carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, beets, corn, beans, you name it at the market we have been eating it.  Back to the walk though, we started the walk together but it became very clear at the beginning that grandmother and grandfather did not walk fast enough.  The two of them took off in front of us, talking a mile a minute about their individual experiences in the woods and left us in the dust.  The best part, they were talking and hiking together.  For at least a couple of more hours, they left the technology behind and were out in nature.  Once again, I am so happy to have discovered these trails.

Heading Back to Civilization

We departed Temagami early in the morning on Wednesday and were back on our lake ten hours later.  Tired but happy.  We found the kittens in fine shape after being taken care of very well by my brother.  I worried about Immy but she seems to be doing well and very content and happy.  At this point in time there is no sign of illness.  She acts just like a normal cat.  She continues to do well today.  We do not know what’s ahead, but who ever does, so we are just enjoying her kitten personality and her quirky sister’s even quirky personality.  I must say Wyke missed them.  He has been all over them since we got home.  He licks them and plays with them and generally follows them everywhere they go.  It was quite funny when we came in the house and started taking luggage up and downstairs, they followed us around in a miniature parade.  Mostly because we usually hand out treats but also because they are very curious cats and the dog wasn’t letting them out of his sight.

We had wonderful guests arrive at the end of the week so we really jumped back into life in North Hatley quite quickly.  Our good friends John and Sue Fisher arrived for the weekend on Friday and so did the weekend of storms.  We would go from brilliant sunshine to black sky and thunderstorms and then back to sunshine again.  The weather did not interfere with anything we wanted to do and here we are after attending the Princeton Alumni of the Massawippi Region luncheon on Saturday.  It was great fun and for a little town in Canada we have a surprising number of Princeton alums.  It is good to be home.

Cool as a Cucumber

Cucumbers are a favorite summer vegetable even though they are a member of the melon family.  I don’t know many folks who don’t love cucumber sandwiches served at a tea.  They have a wonderful clean smell that reminds me of a place I used to live when I was young called The Seigniory Club, some say that the smell of cucumbers makes people relax.   Cucumbers are delicious in salads and in soup and are considered cool because they have a very high water content, 96%, which makes them cool.  They are often sliced and added to water for a refreshing summer drink.  Sometimes the slices are used on closed eyes to reduce any swelling or bags under your eyes.  You can use small pickling cucumbers to make your own pickles.  Pretty simple and easy and they are really delicious.  Here’s a quick and easy recipe for making your own pickles.  Enjoy!

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