Sunsets...

Waskesiu is famous for it's sunsets. I had a great deal to work with, that's for sure. (click on pic for full screen)

The colors are indescribable and my mind often wanders to those moments where I took picture after picture to try and capture the perfect colors of sky and water. It was like a kazilion diamonds surrounding the sailboat with a smokey haze drifting in the background.

The other picture was simply of cloud formations and the colors of water and sky all blending into one another, shades of gold and blue and pink.

The Master was in his creative mode those evenings....I simply took advantage of those gifts.

Wild...

The first part of our vacation gave ample time to wave watch. The pictures here were taken on a wild and windy day. Click for full screen.

If it had been a little warmer, it could have been a good body surfing day. Days like this are a family favorite when we can pretend we're in Hawaii and act like we're kids again, catching wave after wave until we're exhausted.

There simply weren't enough windy AND warm days but picture taking this year would have to suffice.

"Let's go surfin' now, everybody learnin' how, come on a safari with me......come on a safari with me...."

Go Beach Boys......and girls ;-)

Posing...

These two fellows seemed to enjoy their surroundings. They seemed to fit right in where they were.

Gus the Gull was a people bird. He strutted around The Trading Post like he was the owner, picking up various pieces of garbage...just keeping the sidewalk and surrounding area spanking clean. I asked him if he would be good enough give me "the look" and of course, he was more than willing. I think he may have received his contract from Hollywood by now.

Harry the Great Blue Heron, however, pretended he wasn't actually there, standing on that log. He hummed and hawed as to whether he should stay or go, but he decided we weren't too much of a threat, so he played along and struck the most delightful pose, of which I was truly thankful. He is a lot like me, I think, in that both of us enjoy the stillness and calmness of nature.

I'll be featuring more of our fine feathered friends as the days progress. I simply cannot get enough of their beauty, their personalities, and their gracefulness.

I shall include the odd omnivore and herbivore for good measure in a few days. We cannot forget the beasts.

As I have said before and will most likely be saying many more times....God made beautiful creatures.

Oh, and just click on the pic and it will show you Gus and Harry's true beauty.

The calm...

I will be giving you little glimpses and snippets of our 2008 summer vacation in the next while.

I had just caught what turned out to be the only fish of the day - a 5 pound pickerel and captured this shot going through the channel from the Heart Lakes into Crean Lake at P.A. National Park.

Look at the blues and greens, how God does it up good and adds a splash of white for good measure.

I love what He does, the gifts he gives, the pleasures and feasts for our eyes to enjoy.

The day was as calm and peaceful as my heart was. A superb start to a 5 week vacation.

One moment please...

I'll be blogging later.

Kids are home and that's where I am right now for a few more days.....hanging out with them.

Stay tuned for some more interesting tales from The Rose.

I'm hooked.

Ya, I never thought I'd see the day when I would agree with the ordination of females.

Ten years ago, I would not have agreed with that concept.

Something changed.

In that time, a very dear friend of mine has taught me new ways of thinking, new concepts, and the acceptance of the roles of females in various positions including the pastorship of churches.

It's great to be blessed by someone who trusts you and loves you more than you actually deserve. It's good to know that I have been a blessing to her too.

Yes, she has taught me a lot in the last few years and continues to do so.

She spoke in church today as the pastor was away. She had excellent things to say about our Christian heritage and how God saw to it that not only his chosen people through Abraham, had salvation of their souls, but we "Gentiles" could be grafted onto that lineage of Abraham also , achieving that salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the one true Son of the Most High God.

I'm hooked on having women being able to pastor. That's a fact.

Dog days...

I love the dog days of summer.

I feel like that little ole' beagle next door. Just sittin' 'round, watching the cars going by, letting out a big yawn now and then and yelping less and less and it heats up to over +30C.

It was a day at the lake for us today. Lazy. Hot. Relaxed.

Swimming was so good. I could have stayed on the beach 'til at least 8 p.m. but the dog of the day was calling to go home.;-)

Dog days of summer? I love them, but I know what they are leading to.

The maple tree outside our bedroom window has a round golden pile of leaves beneath it.

Fall cometh quickly. Yuk.