August Holiday Weekend
This past weekend has been the August Long Weekend, in British speech, August Bank Holiday
. It is the height of the summer which after this weekend will be moving downhill toward Autumn. My son learned this several years ago when he went camping near the end of August to crawl out of his tent in the morning to frost on everything.
The weather this weekend has been a little bit of everything. Saturday was sunny and warm. Sunday was rainy and today is quite cool.
Saturday I preformed a wedding for a lovely couple on the deck of their parent's home on Chebogan Lake. Did they get lucky. It was a lovely day in a summer with few truly lovely days.
It turned out the family and I shared knowledge and aquaintances in the area. Perhaps, I am no longer an outside after thirty years living around here. In a rural area if often takes time to be accepted completely. I certainly felt like an outside when I got lost both coming and going from the wedding. I thought I knew that area behind Crystal Falls. Apparently not! I finally got there and back home after asking several people directions. When the gravel roads begin to look more and more like a bush logging road with few houses anywhere you soon get the idea you are going the wrong way. I had left early so as it turned out I was not late. Not that being late ever worries me. Nothing can happen until the minister arrives. . . .unless they open the bar before the ceremony. I hate that it is so undignified and shows little respect for the occasion.
When I admired a book from which the couple had taken a couple of readings to include in their ceremony, they gave me the book, which I have been thoroughly enjoying. It is "Chop Wood Carry Water: A guide to Finding Spiritual Fulfillment in Everyday Life." It is filled with wisdom for simple living and spiritual growth. I recommend it.
Yesterday I spent a little time on the Internet watching films from the National Film Board, one of Canada's publicly owned great cutural institutions. There is much to be said for government funding of the arts and culture. We always seem to get great value for our tax dollars.
Today it is quite cool. Last night, at 2.00 AM, when I was outside with Heidi, it definitely had that late September autumnal feel. But is was a terrific night clear with a lovely moon and lots of stars. I even saw a shooting star, bright and of long duration . I suspect it probably was some man made space garbage burning up in the atmosphere.
The shooting star season is almost upon us. The Perseids Meteor Shower peeks in the middle of August. In my idle youth it was always fun to talk a young lady into going out and watching for shooting stars. You know the rule. " you can kiss the girl you are with if you see a shooting star." To accomplish this in a canoe can be a challenge. Out on a lake with no light pollution is the best place to view this wonderful display of Nature.
Speaking of canoes! I have been wishing I was off in a canoe for a few days. It is alway a delight to find a little bit of wilderness to enjoy, either alone or with someone.
Of course, one is never really alone. All of Nature is there to keep you company. When you are physically alone you discover your Self shows up and teaches you, in your aloneness, valuable lessons about who you are. We need to be reminded once in a while that we are not separate from Nature but at home with it. My most satisfying religious experiences, (being visited by the awesome mystery of existence) have visited upon me when alone with Nature.
Below is a video I would enourage everyone to watch, whether or not you have done so years ago. It is long but worth it if you would like to know what canoe tripping is like and its many rewards.
It is a film of Bill Mason, Canada's iconic outdoors man, who sadly is no longer with us. He has left us a great legacy in the way of the films he made with the National Film Board. His instructional films of canoeing are very good, both entertaining and a joy to watch. He has also done a couple of films on wolves and whales. His delight in being in the wilderness is infectious. So make some popcorn and watch his family canoe trip.
posted by Tossing Pebbles in the Stream @ 9:42 a.m.
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8 Comments:
we have had a mild summer this year. Not too many overly hot days. Its been far too long since I have been canoeing. Thanks for the video. :)
Philip--have you ever thought of GPS--and would it work on back roads?
Anyway, as you say--nothing in a wedding happens until the minister gets there.
I am laughing at your comment about the difficulty of kissing in a canoe--I don't think I have ever tried that. I enjoy canoeing, though, for me--the problem is I like to be in front.
It was freakn cold here last night. I hope you find a canoe partner in time. :)
Philip,
We have had a cool summer with lots of rain, but the last few days have been really warm. 88F compared to 70 is quite warm, especially for an old gal who likes it cool. The nights are great for sleeping though.
Yes, autumn is coming and I'm sure you will have lots of colour in your neck of the woods. Nice catching up with you again.
Blessings,
Mary
It's really warm now! I have the A/C on.
We have the Song of the Paddle books, there are two that we have. I don't know if there are any more to the set. Have never seen this video before. Do you know where I could get a copy?
We've had a VERY cool summer. We didn't have the AC on the entire month of July.
Chop Wood Carry Water is a great book.
I'll look for Song of the Paddle. I used to do a lot of canoeing back in the late 80s. We'd like to take it up again, but we have to teach the kids how to swim first.
Thanks for popping by. That book you mentioned sound like something I need to read. I tend to worry about just doing the necessary little jobs and not accomplishing much especially as I have lots of time on my hands. I remember a cookbook I used to have called Laurel's Kitchen and she spoke about the spirituality of making meals for your family and in all the little everyday acts. A good reminder, thanks. We have several fires around us but none actually impacting us and they are predicting rain in the next few days.
Thank you for this - I haven't watched a Bill Mason film in many, many years. I looked him up, and see that both kids are artists and Becky is still an avid (professional) canoeist!
(P.S. found you through Berni, but I have seen your blog before)
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