Janie's Northern lake
Today’s my birthday, and today’s sketch is officially the halfway point, as 365/2=182.5. Strange!
My very good friend, producer and mentor Janie Hermann, who helped me more than ever in the last year, deserves a break. She’s not going to get it this year, for various reasons, but normally, every year, she gets to visit a lake in her homeland of Canada. She made her suggestion with photos as follows, which I thought was particularly beautiful, (with geolocation protective edits):
When we go to Canada we go to a place that is very special to me — our family cottage on a (lake) deep in… Northern Ontario on the rocky Canadian shield. It is a small(er) lake with around 20 cottages on the perimeter and a very small island in the middle that is the home to two Loons that come there every summer to raise their young.
Waking with the morning mist off the lake as I sit on the dock with my coffee listening to the loons and watching them float by is one of my favorite summer memories… Loons are unusual birds, their call is so evocative and to me it evokes summer in Canada.
The best part of a morning is if the loons decide to take a run across the lake… I miss the lake, our loons, and our canoe…
yes tonight… I am dreaming of a northern lake.
Janie, I hope I was able to capture, if just a wee bit, your Northern lake. Thanks as always for the opportunity, your friendship, and your guidance. It’s invaluable.
This content is published under the Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
I said it on Facebook, but it bears repeating…
That *is* my lake — you have captured the essence of cottage life in northern Ontario perfectly with this sketch. I love it and to look at it makes me happy (albeit slightly homesick). Your talk last night was awesome. I am so glad we continue to find ways to collaborate. Happy Birthday, John… I feel honored that my sketch is being released on your day and is the official halfway point for this project.
I’m very thrilled that this worked for you — I loved making it, and I thought your request was particularly poetic. More on the 365 fb page. 😉
Happy Birthday, John! I have been following your blog for some days now and I enjoy it very much! Greetings from Berlin, Germany!
Thanks so much, Ulla! I think you might be my first confirmed international visitor. 🙂 I loved Germany when I was there a while back. Thanks for your kind note!