you should have seen the smile on her face when she first started using it, last night. beaming, ear to ear. it was wonderful to see. she's a natural - quickly picked up how to hold it and (sort of) how to use it. last night we were rained out, so we tried again tonight - she was bugging me all day to get out in the kayak.
i wanted to see what this huge red floating thing was, on the surface of the lake. it floated past our house earlier, and then floated away. we kayaked over to see - it was a plethora of fallen tree buds. i don't know why they were floating together, since, on closer inspection, they weren't in close proximity to each other. lillie had fun trying to paddle without hitting any (unsuccessfully, i might add).
we headed down the channel tonight, to see if we could find any turtles. we've had numerous turtle sightings in the last few days - we're so excited to see their little triangular heads pop up. as we headed down the channel, we could see some small new growth among last year's cattail stems.
there were many floating algae patches. we taught lillie how to stick her paddle in the middle and make abstract art. she almost tipped the boat, in her artistic enthusiasm.
there's a house on the corner of the channel that is being rehabbed. the old lady that lived there died last year. no one has cleaned up her yard, as you can see by the broken branch from this winter's ice storm. her dock - not removed before winter - is partially submerged due to the ravages of the ice. THIS is where the turtles were. we saw several tiny ones, swimming down to the muck.
it is so nice to see the lilliepads (as lillie calls them) growing. they haven't reached the surface yet, but they will soon. ah, spring! as we pulled into shore at home, it started raining. made it just in time.
copyright 2006, jessica voigts
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Comments: 30
1.) This is the first time I have ever seen anyone use the word 'plethora' successfully, and
2.) I think you have one of the cutest little girls on earth. I would say put her in modelling, but that would ruin her. She is beautiful!
we taught lillie how to stick her paddle in the middle and make abstract art. she almost tipped the boat, in her artistic enthusiasm
Love when writers put some -ous into their humor. The turtles are out here, too. We have wetlands behind our property and the quarter-sized snapping turtle babies are all over the place in our yard. One year Big Mama Snapper even came to lay her eggs by digging a hole in the dirt in our front lawn (not great grass here because... well, I won't go into that again).
Lilliepads are cool. Underwater they look like hope and promise itself. Nice stuff, jess!
Thanks for documenting.
eb - i know - i wondered what the heck that floating red stuff was! when we got up close, i could not imagine that it would have been that!
nancy - you are too funny! thanks!
linda - yes, she's already independent and powerful. gotta love it!
larry - yes, we have taken her along since she was 1. i don't have the energy to paddle, so ed paddles and previously, my job was to keep lillie in the boat. she always wants to be in the water. now, with the paddle, i can sort of take it easy.
thanks, jim! yes, it is nice that lillie can amuse herself thusly! ed can steer around her paddlings, so she never feels like she's in the way, or not helping. gotta love it!
These images are just incredible - as always Jessie. I feel as if I've just enjoyed a relaxing evening on the lake right along with you ;)
gisela - yep, come on by any time. better yet, bring a bag of marshmallows and your marshmallow fork, and we'll pull up some chairs and watch the stars come out! i love your lillie comment. it is too true!
ron - ed does the paddling! heh heh. love it! yes, life is so much fun on a lake. it opens your eyes to the everyday details that most people miss. lucky us! thanks!
dorothy - yes, been on brownie lake once. lovely trip for you! i am lazy and only kayak out of our back door. i hate hauling them.
sally - i have a feeling lillie will be leaving me in the dust very soon. she paddles very quickly. heh heh...
nathan - you make my head spin. thanks!