One of the smartest things I have ever done in my entire life was to buy the house I have lived in for many years.   When I first bought the house it was too small for my wife and two sons. Now that the sons are grown up and have their own homes its just the right size for me and my wife. This house is not so great but the location has been ideal.  The house is located about a hundred yards from a very nice lake.   It's not a real big lake but big enough.

When I first saw the lake, I immediately thought this was a great place for my sons to grow up.  The lakes northern shore line is about one mile from the dam to the other end of the lake.  It's about a quarter of a mile wide at the widest part.  Houses have been built around the lake so it's a peaceful by well lived area.  In the mornings it is at times incredibly quiet.  This allows you to hear sounds and see things that people who live in big cities almost never see or hear.  I hear the fish splashing in the water and the sounds of the ducks and geese make as they fly here and there.  If I am lucky I get to see one of the blue herons that live on the small lower lake. Yesterday I got to see the blue herons baby.  The mother got mad at me as I walked close by.  She squawked like crazy and flew to the other side of the cove and her baby silently followed her.  These herons are beautify as they gracefully fly around the lake to get away from the occasional human walking the shore line.  When they fly their huge wings almost touch the water they fly so low and fast.   When they are not flying they are looking for something to eat.  They stand near the shore and move so quietly you can't hear them.  Their natural coloring camouflages them perfectly and so they are hard to see when they are hunting.  I used to see a turtle that lived on a half semidried log.  Someone cleaned up the brush on that part of the lake and I have not seen the turtle since.  I wonder where it went.

A long time ago I had a row boat on the lake.  I never have been much of a boat person and I guess that is because I never learned to swim.  It was nice for the three years I had the boat but I had to sell it because times were tough.  I sold it to a neighbor further down the lake and every time I walked past the boat I was reminded of how tough it is to be poor and have to sell your possessions. Then one day someone stole the boat and it was gone for good.  I was glad to see it go.

I could write for hours about how much I love living by this lake.  I fear that someday that will be taken away from me for some reason.  So I have preserved this lake by taking many pictures of it which I treasure almost as much as the lake.