Wednesday, August 5, 2009

koshlong lake

I have been most fortunate to spend 2 weeks in Haliburton, Ontario attending courses at Haliburton School of The Arts...a 50th birthday present from Jerzy. It was a wonderful experience. I'll be posting some photos from my courses over the next few days but today I thought I'd share some photos from Koshlong Lake. I stayed there in a lovely little apartment on top of a former marina, now a workshop where Lise Ainsley - my "landlady" - makes canvas boat covers and does upholstering work. It was a wonderful little retreat for me while I was there. I inhabited the top floor of the brown building in the above photo. Small and cozy...perfect for one person.

Here is my little deck. A great spot for my morning cup of tea. And my evening cup of tea.

And here is my view of Koshlong Lake from that little deck.

Almost every morning started like this...misty and mysterious and unbelievably calm and peaceful.

These floating docks were in different positions each morning depending on the wind and the weather. I liked this configuration.

The mist usually burned off by 7:30 a.m.

Went for a paddle and felt right at home in the canoe and in the rugged, rocky landscape of the Canadian Shield. Back to my roots...

See what I mean. Outcrops of Precambrian granite, lakes, and pines really speak to my soul. As they once did to the members of the Group of Seven.

And swamps and marshy areas are another favourite destination of mine. Especially if I'm in a canoe. There is no better way to explore a swamp!

What treasures you find in a swamp! Here is an intact skeleton and shell of a snapping turtle. With my fascination for bones, I was so tempted to scavenge it but somehow it didn't seem right to disturb it from it's peaceful resting place so I just took a photo.

5 comments:

jo horswill said...

Hi Gorgeous Kate...so wonderful to see these pics.
You have an artistic "eye" for detail.
Oh yes, there is my cabin next to yours on the lake :) (I wish)
Looking forward to seeing some of the work you made while at Haliburton. Jo xx

mansuetude said...

a beautiful place; and a wonderful birthday gift! Happy Birthday (whenever it is).

Reminds me of summering in Maine and NH as a child; there were always blueberry bushes wildly providing if we got out of the canoe and into the little island brush... etc.

wonderful photos.

Jeane Myers said...

wow Kate, I think you've been to Paradise! the photo of the floating docks is absolutely gorgeous!

Beverly Graham said...

Lovely, lovely, lovely. I am so jealous...

kate said...

jo...yes, I'm all about the details. Sometimes missing the big picture! Would have been nice to have you as a cabin neighbour!

mansuetude...the smell of blueberry bushes...nothing like it!

jeane...paradise it was.

bev...I'm jealous of myself! Hoping I can return next year!