The lake is a permanent feature of life here. It has a unique ecosystem but it's not a popular place unless the sun shines. To us it has a special charm all of its own. I don't remember swimming in it at all until my two nephews, who live in Sweden, came for a visit. In Swedish culture, lake swimming is the order of the day. At that . . .
The light and the shade
Q. How many Irish Mammies does it take to change a lightbulb? A. Sure don't mind me I'll be grand in the dark. Irish joke So the snow eventually thawed, although for days it was banked up on both sides of the escape route. I didn't venture down to the lake but went to the highest . . .
“You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves”
"You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves" from the Wild Geese by Mary Oliver With thanks to Grace . . .
Love
The swans are back on the lake for the winter. Just one pair, they come every year. I have to go deeper into the forest to glimpse them up close. At first they are hidden by the reeds but as I step into the water they stir and swim towards me, elegantly posing side by side. They mate for life. As I have. My mate is building . . .
Dawn embrace
It's early, 4 am. It's going to be a good day, the darkness is a kind of blue. A spooky mist is rising from the lake. As the sun starts to brighten in the east it gradually takes on a warm tinge. It is very cold but the wafts of mist promise the warmth of summer. The small cauldron of the lake is steaming into life this May morning. Two swans . . .
