Haven

[vaneramos]

Lake Fletcher was just the thing I needed this weekend to press my restart button, and sharing it with Danny's calming presence was even better.

Driving up Friday, we hit Old Highway 117 at sunset and continued the last 45 minutes through dusk, a fingernail new moon riding low in the west. Once we left the highway, each time the road dipped into a wet valley, the din of spring peepers would engulf the car. Upon our arrival, one bright star (Deneb?) lay over the lake, reflected in it. A family of barred owls hooted and barked on the far shore.

The weather was perfect. Tree buds had barely started to burst, and there was little sign of wildflowers except in sunny places along the road. Saturday and again today, I did something I've never done this early before: went for a polar bear dip. The water was only 11°C (52°F). It was just a quick jump, then mad splash for the dock, but how invigorating! I wasn't in long enough to get cold, but it made my whole skin tingle.

I have more to relate, and many photos to process, but must first make room on my hard drive.