Sunrise and Sad Songs
I awoke shortly after 5:00 a.m. to use the restroom. Seth met me in the hallway, saying, “You’ve got to see this sunrise!” He is an early riser and was up everyday before dawn so he could set up his new GoPro camera on a time-lapse shoot of the sunrise. It looked like this last day promised to be the grand finale!
I threw a jacket over my nightie, put on my sandals, and grabbed my camera. I expected to take a few pics and go back to bed, as the sun wasn’t going to rise for at least another half-hour. But the sky drenched in rich pinks, purples, and oranges; the lake, as smooth as glass save for the the ripples around the ducks; the eagles soaring, then landing in the pines above our cabin; the melancholy song of the loons–it all drew me in. I couldn’t leave until the show was over.
In an attempt to bottle up the beauty so I could take it home with me, I snapped several photos and recorded some video of the loon songs. These are the moments, the feelings, that I carry with me back to Michigan as I remember Minnesota, my home away from home.
I did manage to get another hour or so of sleep before everyone was up and loading the cars. When the last suitcase was crammed into the car, the last bag of trash taken to the dumpster, and the last dish washed and put away, I found Tom. He said, “Is it time to say goodbye to the lake?”
“Yes it is.” He knows me well. Since my childhood days at Sand Bay Resort in Battle Lake (MN) to our more recent years here at Cass Lake, the yearly pilgrimage is not over until I say goodbye to the lake.
We walked out to the shore hand-in-hand. The brilliant sunrise had morphed into a gray, overcast sky–one that matched my mood. The call of the loons now drowned out by the scurrying of grounds workers and vacationers packing up around us.
Gazing at the still water, I recalled the years gone by–when our kids were young and frolicking, when my parents and the rest of their generation were still with us, when Tom and I had ambitions and dreams we’ve now attained–and a few tears fell from my eyes. Tears of sadness mingled with joy. Tears for the past mixed with hopes for the future.
We’ll always love and remember the years we’ve spent here. The adventures we’ve had here. Dreams we’ve realized. Beauty we’ve experienced. And mostly, those we’ve loved.
Goodbye, Cass Lake. (For now.)
2022 Lake Log Recap
Every year, I wrap up the year’s Lake Log with a review of the details. Here’s our 2022 Cass Lake vacation, in a nutshell.
Dates: July 1 thru July 16. This was our 18th consecutive year at Cass Lake, our 17th at Birch Villa Resort.
People who vacationed with us: Both weeks – Tom, Linda, & Chloe (cabin 7); Paul, Melissa, Ben & Elle (cabin 6); Roy, Deb, Luke, (cabin 5).
First week only: Leah and Phyllis (with us in cabin 7); Leah G & Erin (Cabin 5); Bill, Beth, William, Elise, Zachary, Zeke (E’s BF) (cabin 1); Tom and Barb, & Tommy (Melissa’s parents and son, 1st cabin on the hill).
Part weeks: Jared (Wed-Wed), Mary (Chloe’s friend) (Th-Su) (with us in cabin 7);
Second week only: Seth, Maddie, and Oliver (with us in cabin 7)
Price of gas: $4.29-$4.59 (about $1.50 more than last year!). We drove our 2016 Ford Edge with the bike rack, holding my bike and Tom’s trike. The girls drove Chloe’s 2011 Prius. Leah drove her 2018 Ford C-Max as far as Lombard, IL & rode back home with Phyllis, where she picked it up again.
Total number of fish caught: 67 (61 perch, 4 rock bass, 1 bluegill, 1 walleye). We ate 39 of those for our fish dinners. Total fish to take home to the freezer: 28 (26 perch, 1 bluegill, 1 walleye, in 7 bags). It was a slow year, in part due to the Mayfly hatch.
Restaurants we visited: Hazelwood Food and Drink (in Minneapolis), Companeros (Dorset), Ruttger's (Bemidji), Zorbaz (Park Rapids), Turtle River Chophouse (Turtle River), and Bar 209 (Bemidji).
Biking/Walking: Tom has gained much endurance on his recumbent tricycle since last year. This year, he rode 142 miles total during seven rides on the Migizi Trail, around town, around Lake Bemidji, and home from Bemidji. I rode 40 miles over three rides on the Migizi, around Lake Bemidji, and a short (but fraught) loop around town.
Church Attended: We worshiped at the Evangelical Free Church of Bemidji. Pastor Jerry had just returned from a 3-month sabbatical.
Other activities: Shopping trip at Mall of America; Shopping in Walker, Park Rapids, and Bemidji; playing lots of games; tubing (Leah, Chloe, & Mary); Diamond Art (Leah); Job searching (Chloe); Reading (Tom, Chloe, Maddie, Seth, me); Writing (me); and playing with Ollie (everyone!); Sliding, swinging, talking, jumping, tickling, having typical 2-year-old temper tantrums (Ollie).
