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.