I begin to write this
on New Year’s Eve. Frigid arctic air blankets most of Canada. Ottawa’s New
Year’s celebrations are frozen in storage. But before I thaw out and embrace
2018 I need to think about and thank 2017 for all it gave me.
Outside my window, a
line of cloud mountains has dominated the watery, Lake Superior horizon for
several days. I never have seen a mass of sea smoke sit so still for so long. Yesterday
morning we spotted a lake freighter several kilometres away; its white bow and
stern were pin prick dots against that blue/ grey winter fog wall. Brrrr.
Hurray for cabin warmth and fireside musings! So here are 17 things that
resonated with me during 2017.
The abundance of wet
weather brightened up a special aspect of the forest. Usually by midsummer the mosses are dry and crackly, perking up
for a brief time between the rains. But this year the mosses were the stars of
the show. Brilliant greens thickened boulders and hung from trees adding a
unique softness and radiance to the bush.
The extra amounts of
moisture also heightened water levels. Fall storms have deposited new driftwood onto the shore. Some of
the pieces are lake washed, twisted roots from eroded trees. I do wonder how
long before the water recedes once more.
Hiking is inspirational
itself, but this fall was a true treat. Kathleen Cote, a staff member from Lake
Superior Provincial Park, read Mary Oliver’s poem, Wild Geese, at the first
lookout on the Awausee Trail. Now that was real
poetry.
The closest community
to the north of Montreal River is Wawa, a great little town with a big heart. How
wonderful to see the 2017 resurrection of the Wawa Goose.
The closest community
to the south of Montreal River is Batchawana Bay. This summer some friends
there shared with us some terrific
tasting, homemade, St. Mary’s River smoked salmon.
Also this summer the
Friends of Lake Superior Provincial Park began plans for the construction of a 2018 handicapped platform on Agawa beach.
Congrats Friends!
Closer to home, for our
own projects, we discovered the Boreal 21
Agawa Canyon Saw. Designers of the cool tool describe it as a revolutionary
53.3 cm folding bow saw that unfolds in seconds for easy high performance cuts.
We can attest to that fact as Ward has used the saw many times on our trail
clearing expeditions.
As well as giving us
many trail building days, the amazing 2017 warm autumn gave me opportunities to
swim in October! Thank you Lake
Superior.
2017 was a good year
for artistic expression. Linda Nanchin’s hand
painted cards have inspired me to draw and sketch. Nanchin is a self taught
artist whose fine work illustrates the beauty of nature and the rewards of “just
doing it”.
So in the late fall I
kick-started my desire to draw and took a sketching
lesson with Taimi Poldmaa’s at her art studio in The Tech on Wellington
Street in Sault Ste Marie. Poldmaa taught me how to see the world from a
different perspective.
This different
awareness of light made it possible to further appreciate the constant changes of
the shoreline. In December, winds had pushed waves to the very back of the
beach. After one of those storms we saw
pebble arrangements like no other. A huge section of same plum sized cobble
froze together to create a wide knobbly “boardwalk”. What fun!
Earlier in the fall,
while trekking that same beach, I had the luck to notice over two dozen loons. The day was calm and their lonesome calls
alerted me to their presence. They swam towards each other, all the while
making soft blip noises. The loons were gathering, about to have a chat before
the flight south.
No Lake Superior look
back on 2017 could be complete without mentioning the paddling. Our canoe days floating over underwater gardens of gigantic
boulders are wonderful memories that never fail to fuel up the winter dream
time.
At this same time I am
thinking about the caribou and the wolves
on Michipicoten Island and how their interlinked lives will emerge. 2018 will see more of that story.
Another animal, this
time a little one, has shown itself. A pine
martin , an house cat sized animal with a bushy tail, a beautiful russet coloured coat, large paws
and a very cute face visits our bird feeders. Somehow he and the birds and
squirrels have worked it all out, cohabiting amongst the snowy nooks and crannies.
My almost last entry of
2017 memorables is something I observed in the night sky. These freezing cold
nights have been so clear you feel like you could almost touch the stars. On
December 28, 2017 as I was looking up I noticed a very large moondog,( a perfect
circle of light around the moon), which reminded me of how connected we all
are - even to the moon! Moondogs often signal a change in weather and as I finish writing this on January
2, 2018, 70 km winds and -3 temperatures are at the doorstep.
Now for the most
important part of 2017. That is you, dear
readers. Big thanks for all the support and encouragement. You make lake fx
happen as much as I do.
All the best for 2018
and may this year bring you many fine memories.
