The next day I was up early. The first rays of light crept over the horizon and gently teased the sleepy creatures of the woods as I sat by the water's edge to watch the day arrive.
I made up my mind the night before to become friends with the vastness of Canada's wilderness and the new day gave me fresh incentives. I realized that I must acquaint myself slowly with a land that is inhabited by creatures I had seldom seen in pictures, let alone in real life. Nature is never in a hurry and man can only learn about her on her own terms.
A thick mist clung to the lake and the trees. Dew-drops were catching the early lights. The rising sun gradually thinned the mist and like the image on a photograph in the developing tray, the land appeared slowly, swaying to the rhythm of the first hour of the day. After a while the sounds of birds grew louder and the shore on the other side of the lake sparkled in the morning sun.
Soon everything was clear, bright, dry and warm.
The water beckoned.
I stripped for a swim, but the moment I stepped into the water it stopped beckoning. I managed to splash about a bit and jumped back onto the rock, where the sun quickly made up for the warmth the water lacked. I was refreshed and hungry. With bread, cheese and grapes I settled on my favourite spot just outside the cabin. |
