Sunday, August 5, 2007

10-horse Sunday

An early morning canoe trip seemed the perfect plan for a hot, muggy August day. So, with yard work behind us and our play shoes on, we headed for Cowan Lake State Park--long, red canoe sitting atop little black car.
Our plans to be on the water early were pushed aside by a wave of rumbling clouds that kept us tuned in to radar reports until mid-morning. We dropped the canoe in and pushed off by 10:30. Still plenty of time to paddle around before the heat of the day.
Cowan Lake is great for canoes, kayaks, sailboats...anything slow. And because the engine limit excludes most sport boats, the human activity on the water and the general noise level is less than at the more recreational lakes in our area.
It's a peaceful paddle--with lots of shoreline and backwater to explore. There's a lot to look at, going slowly and quietly along.
Our little cooler held lunch which we ate on the rocky edge after pulling the canoe up and out for a break at Austin Island. Aside from that, we spent the day paddling along, misty rains a welcome relief from the heat. And glad the sun was behind heavy clouds.
In the distance, we could barely see something leafy and green along the water's edge, far down the lake. Determined to answer our curiosity--we stroked on. We were handsomely rewarded. Acres of American Lotus--their creamy yellow blossoms nearly a foot wide, leaves two feet across. For the rest of the afternoon, we paddled between them, up to our necks in loveliness, in a sea of flowers.

I have passed down the river before sunrise on a summer morning, between fields of lilies still shut in sleep; and when, at length, the flakes of sunlight from over the bank fell on the surface of the water, whole fields of white blossoms seemed to flash open before me, as I floated along...
Henry David Thoreau


American Lotus, Nelumbo lutea





The world has much beauty to show us, if we take it at
10 hp.

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love these lily photos! WOW

RuthieJ said...

What a nice way to spend a Sunday. Those lotus flowers are beautiful...were they fragrant too?

nina at Nature Remains. said...

I didn't notice fragrance--not to say there wasn't any--maybe carried away in breezes.
I was most taken by their size and abundance--literally engulfing us in a sea of flowers!

Q said...

Oh Nina!
What a gorgeous surprise!
Wow! Your photos brought them right to me!
Wow!
Nice outing!
Sherry

cestoady said...

Stunning photo essay -- a 10 on the WOW -meter -- that does justice to such a magnificent plant.

Dorothy said...

What a beautiful place Nina.
Your pictures are so peaceful, that lake and water lillies - just stunning!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

What a beautiful place Nina. I can't immagine being surrounded by those lotuses.

Mary said...

Hi Nina, 10 hp will do it. I agree.

Wow. A sea of flowers - pond lotuses! I'd be in heaven.

Thanks so much for sharing this!

Cathy said...

It's been a long while since I've experienced that elation that I know you felt here. You've captured it so beautifully.

Ruth at Body, Soul, Spirit - recently posted a photo essay in which she included Mary Oliver's 'Ponds'.

The first stanza:

THE PONDS

Every year
the lilies
are so perfect
I can hardly believe
their lapped light
crowding the black,
mid-summer ponds.
Nobody could count all of them-

Kathi said...

Wonderful photos! I have pssed the signs for Cowan Lake on SR 68 on my way to and from Columbus, but never stopped. Sounds like a place I should visit sometime.

~Kathi