Another S'mores please!

When we bought our lake home eight years ago, like most second home transactions on the lake, you bought all the contents of the home in addition to the property and structures.  I had never experienced this type of transaction, but it certainly came with many surprises and handy things.  This included linens, dishes, furniture, equipment, tools, and don't forget the Pamela Anderson floaties in the garage!  Our ten year old son, at the time, LOVED those and quickly claimed them as his own. 

My favorite item that was included in the sale was the cast iron chimnea on our deck.  I remember thinking at first, "who in their right mind would have a fire on their deck?"  Well that chimnea has had several stack pipes and caps installed in the past eight years, but it's the one thing that all of us in the family love at the cabin. 

We've clocked many hours on the deck sharing stories about the weekend, our past, jokes, and of course many late night snacks and beverages.  Some nights I worry about weather our voices are carrying across the bay to other residences on the lake and keeping people awake because our laughter can get pretty loud at times.  And then I can't forget the nights that I'm teased because I have my multiple layers of fleece on with heavy socks, gloves, hats, etc. in order to stay out just a few more minutes.  I believe the coldest night we sat by the fire was 28 degrees, but it was still a great memory.  Even our dog, Ries, gets to enjoy the fires with us.  I bring her dog bed outside and she's able to enjoy the fire too! 

This summer I've been blessed to be able to stay at the lake and "find myself".  This photograph was taken last week when I was having an early fire by myself (and the dog).  Although, it's not quite the same as having a fire with your family and/or friends, it is still a very peaceful experience to have.  I must admit that I have my ears on alert while by myself to make sure I hear any critters that may think they want to join me.

Our neighbor, two cabins to the east, told us that Saturday morning around 10:30 this weekend a large moose swam about 30 yards off our shoreline from one end of the bay to the other end and disappeared into the woods.  My daughter researched and found out that a moose can swim very well due to their hair being hollow and helping them to stay afloat.  She also found that they can swim up to ten miles per hour.  How amazing!  I'm just sorry that we missed it.  I would have loved to not only see it, but document it with a photograph.  You can bet I'll be a little more alert when hanging out on the deck to hopefully see it sometime making its way back to the other side of the bay again. 

Have a wonderful day and watch for moose if you're around Vermilion!