Thursday, August 27, 2009

Shell Lake

A long time ago when I was a kid, on hot summer evenings our Mother would give into our pleas for a swim. Sometimes we would go to Shell Lake..to the bend in the road where there are less weeds or the small resort or over to Bob and Ruby's on the west side. Our Mother couldn't swim, so we were always told "Don't be going in over your head." There was no air conditioning back then, nights when there was no breeze made for a long miserable night.

We had a few warm days here..and several evenings we found our way to Shell Lake..to the bend in the road. Chance was the only swimmer, I certainly did enjoy splashing water at Chance and wading knee deep in the water. We were the only ones there..how times change..fifty years ago there would have been many kids swimming there. Sometimes there were so many that our Mother wouldn't stop, because she might lose one of us amongst all the swimmers...so we would go back home and have to be content with playing water games with the water hose...not nearly as much fun as swimming.

There are quite a few places for sale over there, some of them need a lot of work.. I asked Far Guy if he would like to live there.."Nope" he has no need for a lake..he doesn't fish, swim or even wade in the water..and looking at water doesn't relax him a bit. I like to wade in the water, and I like to just sit on the edge of a dock and put my feet in the water and look out over the lake..I find it very relaxing.

Great Blue Heron, the heavy vegetative patch out in the water is Wild Rice.

Shell Lake is much the same as it was fifty years ago..there are a few more reeds.. Wild Rice still grows there. There was more garbage on the shores of the lake, there were no boats out on the lake..no fishermen in sight. One evening there were a number of "fisherman" in the waterway down under the road with bows and arrows..shooting fish..seemed pretty strange to me:)

14 comments:

hayseed said...

What a peaceful place- I am a big-time water person, love it, love to be in it near it, looking at it, etc.... I have never heard of poeple shooting fish, but I guess it would be similar to harpooning them, wouldn't it.

Becca's Dirt said...

Such beautiful photos Connie. Love the peacefullness in the setting. I can just imagine the lake fully active with lots of children playing stirring up the waters.

Anonymous said...

What a pretty, peaceful place. Seems like one of those simple pleasures that has been taken for granted and forgotten about by the new generation. Like you, I could sit for hours with my feet in the water, just thinking! Chance sure is handsome in these photos.

West Side of Straight said...

Nothing prettier than a beautiful sunset over water.

Rae said...

The sunset is gorgeous over the water. At least Chance had a good time. Isn't sad how times change. I wonder why nobody goes to the lake. I can't imagine a more peaceful place. It looks so relaxing and inviting. I am like you though. I feel contented just to sit by the water or wade in it. I have fond memories of swimming in our nearby lake when I was growing up.

The Silver Age Sara said...

I love water too and the photos are so beautiful. Chance was lucky he got to go wading in such a lovely spot. I'd like to have a house on the water but here it is very crowded on the lakes and super expensive so I'll content myself with the woods.
Thanks for sharing the photos and the memories.

Andrea said...

Very beautiful pictures! Like your husband, I'm just not a water person either. Looking at the ocean just reminds me how dangerous and unpredictable it is; lakes are ok but only because I really like frogs; not to go in. Just another example of how different one person can be from another--

Andrea said...

Simply excellent photos...so peaceful!! :)

kbear said...

Beautiful lake...beautiful photos!

Anonymous said...

Shooting fish with arrows??

I'd love to buy a lakeside property... and have my very own lake! Oscar would like it too.

Great shots - very peaceful!

RURAL said...

Those are some of the most peaceful and beautiful shots I have seen in a long time. It is almost as if time stood still. There is a calmness in them.

Great captures.

Jen

The Retired One said...

I loved the blue heron and sunset pictures...lovely!

L. D. said...

I love it. I am torn anymore as I got snobby and thought I could only live next to the great lakes. Now after being next to the ocean, I want to visit there, but I still want to be next to the great lakes. This was a great blog. I am trying to catch up on few of my bloggers friends. Photos are great. Mom's were so afraid of water. My mom finally learned she could sit down in the lake where it was shallow, but it was only six inches deep.

Emma Rose said...

Chance my Love!! I have missed you so!

Kisses,
Emma Rose