Life on the Lake ~ Bugs*

*This post is for Gail. :)


Lest you think it's all fun and games up here at the summer cottage on Lake Erie...

Please allow me to introduce you to two of the extreme annoyances of being here this time of year.

Muffleheads

Thankfully they don't sting or bite.  But they are everywhere.  And, when they decay in large numbers, they stink.  They are attracted to light, so if you want to read at night, it's best to do so under the covers with a book light!  (Seriously, if you've got a light on, they will find their way inside and hover on the ceiling above you.)

Last week I made the mistake of hanging my clothes out on the line to dry.  (Silly me!)  I laid down for nap and, when I woke up, looked out the back window and saw this....

These two items weren't the worst.  My denim capris were *absolutely* covered (think swarm of bees) with muffleheads!!!   It was the point at which I almost had my first meltdown of being here.  I was torn between crying and throwing up.  And was subsequently thrashing around the side yard beating my clothes against the picnic table to get rid of them.   All thoughts of nonviolence escaped me.

Later that day I made a trip into town for groceries.  I realize yet another 'note to self' mistake ~ in that I had left my car windows down a bit for temperature's sake.  The muffleheads had gotten into my car and died en masse in the back window.  (Luckily, I remembered a car wash with a high-powered vacuum was on my way into town!)

You can read more about muffleheads here.

And be sure to check out this amazing photo of them swarming overhead.  We saw similar groups on our trip through the nearby Marblehead Quarry the night I arrived.


Mayflies (aka Canadian Soldiers)

They arrived in Lakeside last week.  One lady who called to book a reservation literally changed her mind when she found out the Mayflies were here.  They can be *that* bad.

Also harmless, they hatch out of the Lake and cling to every available surface.  They are much larger than muffleheads and have wings attached to a worm-like body.  They too are attracted to light and will die in large numbers around street lamps, eventually causing a noxious odor.

Mayflies on outside of the building where I work.

They crunch when you walk on them.  And the ground/streets actually get slippery with their remains as people trod on and cars roll over their carcasses.

You can read more about Mayflies here.

* * *

Jealous yet?  :-D



As a professed Nature lover, I am trying my best to accept this unique ecosystem and honor its importance to the bigger picture that connects us all.

Still...I have my moments of just being totally grossed out!

Revolutionize Your Soul

One of my favorite tunes from Susan Tedeschi...

And some local Lakefront chalk art. :)

Dreamtime Visitors

For the past two nights I have been awakened by the sound of pyrotechnics going off just down the street.  Firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles....you name it...they're letting 'em sizzle and fly.  It's been in the 1230am-1am time frame, just when I'm fast asleep.

Last night's episode went on for quite a while and I had trouble falling back to sleep.  The fear gremlin (there are a myriad of new mysterious sounds in the night here) was getting the best of me.  And I could swear I heard something fluttering back and forth up in the ceiling above my bed ~ and then something much larger crawling down the side of the house past my bedroom window.

Eventually, I gave up and just pulled the covers over my head in order to feel safe and get back to sleep.

Then the dreams came...

They were very active and vivid.  A large bear came into the cottage (through my bedroom window, no less) and, although it was not threatening to harm me, was cause for great alarm!

In addition, there was an adult fox with two baby foxes running around the place.  Like the bear, they did not seem intent on hurting me and appeared to just be frolicking about.

Nonetheless, in the dream, I called for help.  Though none came.

The dream continued to unfold in other ways that were equally bizarre and remarkable.  Whew!
I was kind of glad to wake up, actually!

Early this morning, on my way out the door for work I grabbed my Medicine Cards book.  I don't recall having ever dreamed about either animal before and wanted to gain some insight into the significance of their appearance in my nighttime visions.

And, just like Blue Heron last week, these two animal guides have some intriguing and relevant wisdom to impart:

Bear represents INTROSPECTION and "In Silence Is Knowing".
Read more about bear's message here.

Fox, on the other hand, brings the message of CAMOUFLAGE and ONENESS WITH ALL.
A description of fox's qualities can be found here.

As I adjust to living alone in this house by the lake, I am grateful for the presence of these Animal Spirits.  I feel even more connected to All That Is and 'seen' by the Universe with each guide gift that comes my way (even if they are during weird dreams of interrupted sleep!)

I know of no better place to embrace and live out the power of Bear and Fox than right where I am.  What peace!

A Gift from Great Spirit

"An inch of surprise 

leads to a mile of gratefulness."

~Brother David Steindl-Rast

Saturday evening I engaged in a long-standing ritual of walking along the lakefront down to the dock to take in the evening's sights and sounds and perhaps catch the sunset.  That simple but profound process is a huge part of what connects me to this place ~ and often what those of us who love it here recall during times of strife, when relaxation is needed or harsh winter days make dreams of summer warmth seem very far away.

I encountered friendly people, an array of dogs, lovely flowers, and familiar houses, trees, rocks, benches, and more.  I stopped to ponder briefly at the bench and tree near the pavilion that were established in memory of my father 20+ years ago.

Then I proceeded out onto the dock, where I could see groups of people gathered around taking photos and chatting.  Suddenly, this magnificent sight appeared:

There it was ~ right in front of me ~ a majestic Blue Heron!

In all my years of coming here, I do not ever recall seeing one perched on the edge of the dock like this.  It was very tame and hung out for a long time ~ waiting for a nearby fisherman to throw it some extra food.  Smart bird.

It walked a bit up and down ~ even turning from side to side as if to say, "Here, take another picture of this side."  If folks got too close, it would flap its wings and fly a bit further out, resting in a less-busy section.  It tolerated all manner of onlookers.  One boy caught a Goby and left it on the cement.  The Heron quickly walked over and scooped it up.

I lingered quite a while, soaking in the mystery and magic of close communion with such an amazing bird.  I noticed its variety of textures and colors.  I looked into its eyes.  I watched its topnotch flutter in the breeze.  In those moments, the rest of the world fell away and I was fully present in communion with Great Spirit.  I felt a powerful sense of having been blessed by this incredible opportunity.

Of course, when I returned to the cottage, I immediately went to investigate the significance of Great Blue Heron medicine.  And...as usual...I marveled at the relevant meaning of its appearance.

Role = PeaceMaker

Lesson = balance between relating and standing alone

Element = Air/Water

Wind = East...Peace and Illumination

Medicine = Uniqueness

Keywords =

~ability to stand alone
~call to balance
~dignity
~uniqueness
~self-esteem
~exploration
~independence
~boundaries
~peace
~fluidity

You can read more of the essay here.

In spite of the maze of questions that remain in light of my decision to leave home and family to come spend the summer here ~ and the ever-unfolding ramifications that meet my days ~ I continue to believe it is where I am meant to be right now.

I choose to embrace this gift of Spirit and its meaning as affirmation of that I am seen and supported by forces greater than myself.  As a result, it is with much awe and gratitude I go forward on my Journey.

"Sometimes I go about in pity for myself, 

and all the while a great wind is bearing me across the sky."

~Ojibwa saying

Scenes from the First Week

I arrived here safely at Lakeside this past Monday ~ and spent the first day with my mom and sister, who had come up over the weekend.  They returned home on Tuesday and I started work.  The new job seems to be going well so far.

A self-portrait as I head out the door to start my summer job!

I'm slowly adjusting to this new routine ~ and getting settled in to a place in which, even though I have a long history, I have not spent much time alone.  It's an altogether different experience being here by myself.

Hours and hours and hours of my life have been spent on this pier.

I hope to soon start some stories of Life By the Lake ~ sights, sounds, smells, etc.  Indeed, there is *much* fodder here for a variety of tales!  :)

I never tire of capturing the sun on and over the water.

Today, my first day off from work, I get to do one of my favorite things:  visit a LIBRARY!!!  I'll even get a new library card!  (It is, in fact, the same library I visited here as a kid ~ and the smell upon entering it takes me right back to those younger days.)  

Of course, I brought a TON of books and magazines with me.  Somehow, though, they are not holding my interest.  It seems I need to explore some new topics.  And I've got a nice summer reading list already filling one entire page of my journal.  Ahhhh...time to just sit and read in the shady breeze by the shore.  Lovely!

* * * 

Now, tell me...

What scenes have been gracing your life this week?

* * *

To The Shore

Yet the Lord pleads with you still:  Ask where the good road is,

the godly path you used to walk in, in the days of long ago.

Travel there, and you will find rest for your souls.

~Jeremiah 6:16

A Sheryl Crow Kind of Day

This week of endings and approaching new beginnings feels like a huge shift for me.  I'm doing my best to go with the flow and stay in the NOW as I move intentionally through the next several days.

The energy that has been created around my decision to move to Lakeside is having a ripple effect in many areas:  I'm kicking long-standing habits (coffee and processed sugar), cleaning out closets, buying new clothes, getting a new hairstyle, changing my finances, saying good-bye to friends, forgoing my home garden and composting, re-structuring my relationships with Doug and Tanner...

Many a moment has found me overwhelmed and wanting to change my mind.  I am daily facing down demons of fear, mistrust, lack, uncertainty, and an overall sense of "this is too hard; this would all be much easier if I just decided to stay home".

And yet, the winds of change cannot be resisted.  They will get me one way or the other.

Might as well stop fighting and let go.

* * *

Here's the song that's been on my mind today.




Tell me in the comments how you're experiencing CHANGE these days.

Or ~ post the name of a song that has the word CHANGE in the title!  :)