Messing about in boats

Queen Shenaynay

We spent today at a gorgeous, quiet lake with some of our very dearest friends. A storm gathered just as we arrived, and we sat under shelter and ate M&Ms while watching lightning flash and rain fall on the water. It was beautiful. The clouds cleared after a while, and most of our entourage launched away in a couple of rowboats in the sunshine. Back at the dock, we could hear their laughter skipping across the water and echoing off the rock canyon walls well after they had rounded the bend and we could no longer see them.

Toward twilight, we took a pontoon boat out for a long spin around the lake, with the kids serenading us in harmony from the bow. We stopped at a sandy spot for a sunset dinner on board. A little stone-skipping, a bit of swimming, and then we boated back to the dock in darkness, with only the moon for light. Ahhhhh.

In The Wind in the Willows, Ratty proclaims to Moley, "There is nothing- absolutely nothing- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it."

It was a charming day. Made me think of a favorite poem, one that I quote under my breath quite often on days that are not so charming as today has been...


The Lake Isle of Innisfree

by William Butler Yeats


I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.