lake | Change Is Hard

September 4, 2015
by dawnkinster 16 Comments

Black & white photo challenge: Shadows and reflections

Shadows and reflections. Having spent the better part of two weeks on the lake I’ve been struck by the many beautiful reflections I’ve seen, and I’ve used quite a few of them in the last few posts. Maybe, just maybe, there’s nothing new to show you.

Still. Cee’s black and white challenge is intriguing and I haven’t done enough of them. In fact, I had to go back and watch the you tube instructions again because I’d already forgotten how to convert a color photograph to black and white since I did my last black and white for Cee’s challenge a few weeks ago.

After I figured out how to do it, the question became what to use. I had a couple of ideas but what it came down to was the still water right in front of the lake house, and the reflection we look at in all different kinds of light whenever we’re here, of the house across the way.

Early morning stillness.

You can tell the weather just by the way the house reflects in the water. If it’s dimpled there is rain. If it’s ruffled there is wind. If it’s perfect it’s water-ski water!

So I guess you can tell what we did right after taking this picture earlier in the week.

Yep, it involved a boat.

September 3, 2015
by dawnkinster 21 Comments

Flying through clouds

Glassy water

I’m resting after more than a week at the lake house. A week filled with lots of water activities, lots of family, lots of sun, good food, laughter and quiet conversations.

Last night I randomly read blog entries from years past, blogs about hanging out at the lake. I came across this one written in 2010 that talked about being afraid to try water skiing after years of skiing only occasionally during summer visits.

It seemed appropriate because in the past couple days I’ve water skied twice. Neither time was for a very long distance, though I got up on the first try each time.

But it was still scary.

Scared

You think about how hard it’s going to be to get your heavier person up on that ski. How the boat will pull. Lots of water rushing over your head. Falling. You think maybe it’s best to retire from skiing. After all you’re older then you used to be. You’re no athlete. You might get hurt.

Then you think about your mom who was older than you are right now and still skied once a year just to prove she could. And you think about the fact the lake is absolutely still, the boat is running well, the sun is shining. There’s no one out there but your boat filed with your family.

Breathing relief

It will never be any better than this.

So you put on the life jacket and whine a bit about being scared. You slide into the water and put on the ski which feels unfamiliar and clunky.

You feel clunky and awkward and the ski rope is moving as the boat slowly moves away from you and you can’t remember which side of your ski it’s supposed to be on and you can’t remember if you normally put your back foot into the boot or trail it as you get up. And you’re wobbling back and forth in the water and the rope is tight and everyone is waiting for you to say “HIT IT!” and so you do.

And the boat surges ahead and the water rushes over you and you remind yourself to just hang on. HANG ON and it will all work out. Balance over that ski and hang on. Let the boat do the work. And soon you’re popping up out of the water. Not gracefully. But you can breath.

You’re no expert skier, not throwing big rooster tail spray, not preforming tricks. You’re just out there, but oh the water is glass, the clouds are reflected beneath you, the sun is shining, the lake is beautiful and soft.

Flying

And you are smiling, because you are skiing through the clouds, and because you didn’t give up on yourself.

Lesson learned. Again.

Summer fun

August 31, 2015
by dawnkinster 22 Comments

Gift of water

Last summer days.

My dad was always a water person. He played, as a boy, on the banks of a river and he and my mother went on a canoe trip down that river for their very first date. During his entire life he wanted to live on water, and he accomplished that when I was a kid, and then again later in life.

Reflective.

The love of water is one of the gifts my parents gave us. And another is their home. Tucked away on a big lake in a warm state it’s a place their kids gather to relax and spend time together.

Water that goes on forever.

I was thinking about what a wonderful gift the love of water is as we were out on their lake today. Big puffy white clouds interspersed with ominous dark streaks floated above us as my brother skied, as we floated near our favorite island, as we visited the mountain near where their ashes were spread eleven years ago.

Mountain balances lake.

Water. The basis of life. Magical, ever changing. Beautiful.

Evening falls.

Aren’t we lucky that our folks passed on their love of water and then made sure we were able to enjoy it for years to come.

They are always near.

And aren’t we lucky we get to spend time on a beautiful lake while thinking about them, telling stories about them, appreciating them.

Remembering them.

Island stands tall.

September 3, 2014
by dawnkinster 6 Comments

WordPress photo challenge – dialogue

Two photos that relate to each other is called a photo dialogue. We didn’t get to Smith Mountain tower this trip, but here’s my photo dialogue from last February when we climbed the mountain.

You can see other interpretations of photo dialogues at this WordPress blog. Or you can find a few of my favorites here, here and here. And this one too.

September 1, 2014
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

Letter to Mom

Hey Mom,

Sunset at the lake

We’ve been thinking about you as all your kids gather in the house you and Dad built on the lake. I’m sure you two were here too, laughing over the silly stuff, bobbing out at the end of the dock, your toes pointed to the sky, maybe even jumping from the dock for the traditional family photo, though I know you didn’t like to get water in your eyes.

Hey Mom

Last night we went out to the big water to watch the sun set. I know you and Dad liked to do that and the neighbors say he went out alone just about every evening that summer after you died.

Heading home

It sure was great out on the warm water with the crescent moon hanging overhead. The sunset didn’t pan out all that well; we only had one pink cloud, but we had a really nice time anyway.

Of course I’m sure you already know that.

Wish you and Dad were here.

Jump!

August 31, 2014
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

Spend a relaxing weekend

On the lake.

Doesn’t it seem like people are stressed more than ever lately? Frightening sights from all over the world flow into our nightly news every evening. The economy continues to wallow and we all work harder than ever trying to get by, trying to make a difference, trying our best.

So I appreciate a lovely long weekend filled with nothing but good food and good company. Here in the United States it’s Labor Day Weekend, when we celebrate the labor of so many generations before and appreciate those people that worked so hard to build the country we are lucky enough to inhabit today. It’s a time for family barbecue, camping in the woods, bonfires, boat rides, long walks, and naps.

I’m spending this holiday weekend on a lovely lake in the South where the weather has cooperated and the waters are warm, where the skies fill each afternoon with towering clouds but only a little bit of rain falls.

When I head back to work next week I’ll keep the memories of boat rides and deck sitting and bobbing in warm waters tucked safely away in the back of my mind. And when that customer demands immediate attention or the coworker calls in sick I’ll pull those memories out and smile again.

We hope all of you are having a lovely weekend as well. May we all relax and then start again next week with high spirits and wonderful memories.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

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