The cruise ship was in my sights as I walked away from a father and his daughter who I knew for certain would have a nice time playing over on the brightly colored equipment just for children and grown ups alike with a child like heart.
This area is the center line between shallow and deep water of the lake. I love how these rocks are piled high above the waterline. just waiting for someone to canoe over and sit a spell, but it won’t be me in one of those canoes anytime soon…
I could hear music playing where the ship was docked, and wondered if the men and woman working on the cruise ship were cleaning up the decks to their favorite tunes…
I found my right foot tapping to the tunes that were drifting toward me as I drew closer to the ship. I stood by this sign just looking around and enjoying the music supplied from inside the cabin doors.
I had to walk way back from the sign to get a picture of the ship, but still missed the right front corner.. Oh well, by now my knees were screaming at me without a care in the world about just how far I was from my car.
I started back to where I began on this gray morning and noticed the father and daughter were parked by the playground and I just knew the little girl was going to have fun and hopefully forget all about her daddy yelling at her moments before.
These little beauties were growing very close to the shoreline among the rocks.
If it wasn’t about to rain any second now I could have sat on the edge of the pier and watched the reeds dancing in the wind that was beginning to pick up speed. You can smell the rain in the air as it approaches with its sweetness.
With each pause walking back to the car my heart danced through the aching joints and enjoyed the beauty that was on display this August day in the year of 2016…
I sat on a bench and looked though the camera lens at the bits of blue and purples along with a variegated hostas
This path made of stone was calling out my name to choose this direction instead of the same way I arrived…
For this single bloom alone I was glad I was listening to the stone paths wisdom, so I could delight in the beauty of this flower.
Excitement abounds with thoughts about this tree surrounded by these hand picked plants from the caregivers of these gardens. If trees and plants could speak, what would they say on a day like today? This congregation would have plenty to voice I’m certain….
I wished there were labels to tell me the name of this beautiful plant. It reminds me of deep sea diving in Florida and the beauty that lies beneath the sea…
I needed to pick up the pace as the sprinkles began to appear on my glasses….
Looking forward before heading back to where I started on this morning I smiled at these grouping of beautiful trees swaying so delicately in the breeze off the lake.
I sat down just underneath the cover of some trees and snapped this picture as the darkness covered the skies, briefly as the lamp came on.
I knew I had a few more minutes to get the final pictures as the skies parted and a little more light was available to me…
I’m excited and worried about this structure going up, excited about the new restaurant, but it’s right across the street from the lake and the garden I’ve just shown to you all here on Word Press… what would you think about a 6 story building in this location, just wondering here what thought you all might have about that.. Please leave a comment in the box if you have any views on this.. Thanking you kindly for following along with my little stroll along the boardwalk and down to the pier… hugs
Until next time
❤
~Laura~
bluebird4udaily 
I enjoyed seeing how much you got from a walk on a gloomy day, with rain threatening. Appreciating all the nature even when the sun isn’t shining shows a real attraction to your surroundings.
I can’t help thinking that the hotel, restaurant, and coffee shop will add to parking problems, and localised traffic congestion. Then again, if the local economy depends on tourism for jobs, it is an unfortunate necessity.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Pete, thank you so much for your comments, I’m torn about this structure going up so near the waterfront.
When I was just a mere teenager living in Florida very close to the beaches, I watched the city grow, and new motels replace the one story ones…
The newer ones were like a wall blocking all sights of the beautiful white sandy beaches from view while driving along the beach highway.
I’ve seen the best and worse of both, new and old.. I think I prefer the older single story better…
It’s like when builders are clearing the land to build a home, they cut down all of the trees, build the house and then place tiny versions of trees that the owner will never live long enough to see the beauty that was once there.. hum…
But, ….time marches on and people need jobs in the worst way here and this structure will provide this for them…The law was no more than 2 story there in this spot, but they fought for 6 and won… I think that’s the rub for me.. 2 would have been better….
Take care dear friend,
Laura
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Six floors will indeed be an eyesore so close to the lake. There should have been more protests, and an exercise of ‘people power’! However, it is hard to fight the promise of more jobs, and an infusion into the economy. The sad thruths of modern life…x
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Pete, that’s why I’ve been so torn between both issues on this motel structure.. I suppose with the good (jobs) you must always have a flip side, (eye sore) … Thanking you kindly for your comments.. Oh and on a side note I think they finally found the problem with my vehicle and it’s fixed after dealing with it for over 5 years, fingers are crossed .. and thinking good thoughts.. that’s the case…
Take care, Laura
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What an interesting little adventure! When I saw your first post, I decided that I would wait until you got to the end of your story before reading it because that way I would be able to take ‘time out’ to focus on the whole. I still liked that it was in parts because of the way this introduces natural pauses in the progression of the tale, rather like the pauses you made as you walked, but I also liked that I could make the journey in one sitting.
Of course, the problem with this is that you have had to wait for my comments! However, I hope to make up for that here:
I loved the bit about the Loch Ness monster 🙂 Perhaps, as a Brit, that should go without saying. Whilst I have never been to Loch Ness, it’s a mythology we have all grown up with and the idea of a monster lurking in the depths of a deep, dark lake has always appealed to me. Your elephant also made me smile 🙂
Even in the days when I was rather fitter than I am now, you wouldn’t have got me into a canoe. I learned to swim just well enough to allow me to go sailing – with my aim being always to stay safely *on* the water, not in it! In contrast, canoeing always looked to me like something that was designed to get you wet! No thanks!
I was so pleased to read that the father of the little girl heard what you said. I don’t think I’d have had the courage to speak out as you did. I was taught too well to mind my own business. Also, I don’t think I would have had the presence of mind to know what to say. By the time I had thought of the right words, I think the moment would have passed. But you nailed it – and I’m so glad you did 🙂
Finally, I appreciated the way that you kept your readers aware of the ever-darkening sky without making that the centre of the story. You show the clouds and the street light and you mention the umbrella a couple of times, but for the rest it’s all in the gradual loss of colour in the photographs. I also love the insignificant little details – the weed, for example. Often, when I go for a walk, I’m so lost in my own thoughts that I have to make myself see such things. For someone who loves the countryside so much, I can be very bad at actually looking at it! I am too easily content with the general impression of sky and space and peace and colour and beauty that it almost seems to encourage me to lose myself in my thoughts!
As for the six storey hotel, I totally understand why they would want to put it there. Ultimately, it’s the same reason as the pier, the boats, the shoppe, the playground and the garden are already there. People want to be there. I can’t argue with that, even though I’d prefer to be there on my own without such clutter crowding my space. It’s like the tension between the girl and her father. There are just too many of us, all with different reasons for wanting to be there 😉
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Ros, my dear somehow I just knew you were waiting for all of the parts to display themselves about my stroll by the Lake…
I had taken over 60 digital photographs because of the bad lightening. I wanted at least a few to come out alright. It took me 4 hours to edit out the bad ones, and cut down on each one in size, or else I’ll run out of space on my free word press blog too quickly.. this is why you can’t click on the pictures to enlarge them… If, you were wondering about that…
I struggled with my thoughts on how to deliver these 4 posts about the lake. I could have use all in parts and sent out all in one day, or do as I did spacing them daily… I too love to wait until all parts are out and then read them as a whole, but …
I do become very long winded when telling a story that I figured most folks would not have the time to get through them all. Not everyone is retired as I am… And, I try to keep that in the back of my mind…
My son tells me to just post pictures with very little story .. But, this trip needed the memories included… I suppose lots of folks tend to stay away from content that is too much to read.
I love the written word and enjoy so much the moments I can find to write about this and that.. I do try to just post a little ditty now and again with just a picture or Haiku .. But, my joy is the writing…
Thank you so much for telling me how this story with all of the pictures made you feel, that really does mean the world to me to get feedback… My poor children thank you as well, as this relieves them from having to read everything I write, when I say how did you like it?
I usually never just walk up to a stranger and try to divert them in any way, but my heart bled for this child, as the father was screaming at her… I followed my heart and the words just flowed out of my mouth, along with smiling at both of them.
I prayed this would turn out well, and knew after that my purpose for this pre- rainy day was this and this alone.
Sometimes, I just follow what is trying to be whispered to my soul… I’ll share with you something I don’t tell many people for fear of them thinking I’m outta my gourd..
I’m very close to God, always have been and it’s for him that I walk the earth still…
My faith has carried me through many ordeals life has offered up to me on a platter, and I give thanks to him by trying to always see, and listen to his messages..
Often times, when feeling down at the cemetery where my husband is buried, I only need to look to the sky and I’ll always see a hawk flying overhead.
When I’m there and not feeling down, rather just there near him, no hawk to be seen.. To know it’s a message this has been going on for over 18 years…that’s just one in a chest full of reasons he’s always with me…
I just wish that my sister who committed suicide in April could hang on as tightly to her faith.. Life is so fragile we all must protect it with the gusto the big man upstairs intended.. Sorry this became a sermon, I just had to for some reason share this with you here today..
Perhaps, I’ll also know of this reason down the road..
Take care, dear lady …
Laura 🙂 I’m glad I made you smile in the post… hugs
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I think you did absolutely right to post each part daily, so that folks wouldn’t get overwhelmed. That way, we could all choose how we wanted to read them 🙂
Thank you for sharing about your faith. It’s something I have long suspected, but have never wanted to assume, so it’s good to have heard it from your own lips (so to speak). As you say, we do not always know the reasons for doing what we feel led to do – not at the time and sometimes not ever. But this time just know that your words have been an encouragement to me. The reasons may well begin to unfold in the next year or so, but, for now, I would prefer not to speak of them.
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Ros, of course please never feel you need to disclose anything to me ever.. I was just stating that I had a strong feeling I needed to come out and tell you about my strong faith, but be certain I’ll never take that further.. not on here to do that, but sometimes it’s good to share with a certain person who might understand me just a little bit more and if I can bring a smile to your beautiful face or make your day just a little lighter by a giggle or two then I’m doing what I wanted to do all along… and I’m secretly glad you assumed correctly about me, because I’ve wanted to express myself in such a way without a preaching vibe.. Which again I’d never want to do here…. hugs sweet lady and have a wonderful evening across the pond..
Laura 🙂
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I have enjoyed coming with you on your walk. Very pretty plants today.
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Thank you so much for coming along with me on my 4 part post of my little stroll down by the lake, and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the pictures as well.. Take care, Laura 🙂
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