Little Blake Lake

Overwhelmed by the fireworks of July 3 and 4, I didn't quite get anything written about the end of last weekend.

Now, we've gotten to Sidetrack for a second weekend in a row!

Last weekend did involve two nights of fireworks. You'll have to take my word for it or look and Sank's blog. His camera was up to taking pictures of some of the fireworks. The biggest and showiest were on Big Blake Lake, just over the ridge. But we could see about 80% of the bursts.



David and his buddy did get outside and even on the lake. But we worried a bit about those two big guys exceeding the capacity of the old canoe.

On the fourth, the Nan decided it was time to do something about the mess in the Shakespeare House shed.



She and the guys emptied the place and cleaned out at least a dozen years of mouse nests. Then the useful things were put back inside. It's now possible to step in, look around, and find things in there. What a wonderful celebration of independence!



One of the things that did not go back into the shed was this bottle of gasoline (with oil in) from over 25 years ago. It'll go to the hazardous waste dump back in Rice County.



This Saturday was a wonderful day. Weather was cool and bright Just about perfect in my book. Old friends came up with their two white German Shepherds and spent the day. Great time and a great dinner, if I do say so myself.



Sunday morning's dawn caught the bridge at the south end of the Lakes Blake, but it really was an avian morning. (Again, you'll have to take my word for this.)

Just as I launched the canoe, an osprey dived into the lake, disappeared, and then splashed out into the air. We've seen ospreys here before, but not often.

No sooner had the bird headed north, but two bald eagles headed for the fisher bird. The eagles were considerably faster than the osprey, which headed for the trees on the northwest shore. It dipped and turned and flew near the tree tops, but the eagles were persistent. All three birds disappeared over the ridge. I don't know the ending to the drama, but one of the eagles later flew south along the west shore of the lake, circled at the south end and perched in one of the pine trees along the eastern shore.

All the time that chase was going on, a loon was providing a soundtrack. Pretty neat.

Then, as I paddled south to get a picture of the illuminated bridge, a shiny ball fell from a tree and splashed into the lake. A moment later, a kingfisher exploded from the water and zipped back toward the trees. We've been seeing a kingfisher on our dock and Mark's boat, but to see the bird fish was a real treat.

Before I got back to the dock, I saw a green heron (funny-shaped little bird) in the reeds, a gull sailing overhead, and a blue heron sailing down the western shore.

Got to wave at Larry, recuperating on his deck.

A wonderful morning. A wonderful weekend. A wonderful place. I think I'll be back.

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