Author Topic: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online  (Read 36385 times)

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For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« on: August 29, 2015, 09:41:59 PM »
For Love of Lakes
Author ~ Darby Nelson: Aquatic Ecologist, Prof. Emeritus

"Deep feelings of joy, of belonging, envelop me. Boundaries melt, I seem as one with water, rock, and lily, all part of a magnificent whole. ~ Darby Nelson

Landscape is not "land," it is not "nature," and it is not space...
A place owes its character to the experience it affords to those who
spend time there, to the sights and sounds, and indeed the smells, that
constitute its specific ambience.  And those in turn, depend on the
kind of activities in which its inhabitants engage.
~ Tim Ingold


We are the landscape of all we have seen. ~ Isamu Naguchi


Welcome ~ Pull up your chair and join us.
Some of you will NOT have a book and that is fine - We expect to use the book as a guide for this discussion relating what we read to 'your' nearby lake. Most of the book is available to read from the Amazon preview link: For Love of Lakes

Link to, For Love of Lakes and tell us:
  • Tell us about 'your' nearby lake? How clear is the water? Are there wigglies in the water or floating bits? Has algae fouled the water?
  • Do you have memories of other lakes - tell us about those lakes - what was special, how large was the lake and did you swim from a beach or fish from a dock or boat?
  • What did you know of Lake Agassiz and Louis Agassiz?
       - How does Stephen A. Forbes fit into the story of Lake Agassiz?
  • We learned most of our northern lakes and beaches were covered by an ice cap during the ice age. Water from a ghost lake, the ancient Agassiz surged and topped moraine dams, the result of glacier deposits and torrents of waters cut through the till... "huge boulders too large to be moved" accumulated and stopped the downcutting, forming lakes, ponds and rivers while altering the landscape we live with today.
  • While walking in the woods and lake trails do you call by name the trees, birds or insects?
  • Do you ever remember drinking directly from a river or lake?
  • Is there a quiet spot on your lake where you can hear the wind and the lap of the water?

Darby Nelson is a beautiful writer who adeptly weaves his cast of characters; insects, minuscule lake life, and rocks into a story of interdependence with his cast of birds and plant characters.

One, without the other is not possible and then, he enlightens us to the lake culprits that are draining the oxygen from our lakes, killing our fish and contaminating plants and birds. He tells the story as if a ballet, weaving and floating word pictures that show the beauty of these connections. His book would make a breathtaking movie rather than simply a documentary of facts and problems.

And so, rather than listing a group of focus questions that would only help us identify various characters and their individual habits, let's read and share the words and information that strike us as well as, photos (as Jane says, of reasonable size - no larger than 400 pixels on the largest side - need help with that please ask) Let's continue to share 'our' lake stories and links to sites that further and make easy the lessons Darby Nelson, ever the teacher, is uncovering in
For Love of Lakes
     

Dictionary of Glaciation terms with photos: Landforms of Glaciation
A Glossary of terms: Glossary of Glacier Terminology - Text Version
PDF~The Lake as a Microcosm by Stephen A. Forbes (1887)

librivox-Acoustical liberation of books in the public domain
Walden by Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

Our next section, Mindscapes is planned to be discussed next week, Wednesday, September 16 and Futurescapes to be discussed the last week, Wednesday, September 23.


Discussion Leader: Barb

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2015, 09:52:10 PM »
I could not welcome y'all better than this email from Darby Nelson - the author of For Love of Lakes - I had emailed to ask some questions since I have absolutely no knowledge of geology and one of the short chapters uses words that any amateur geologist would easily be able to roll off their tongue knowing exactly what it all meant - And this reply arrived.

Quote
From: Darby Nelson Sent: Aug 29, 2015 10:32 AM To: augere@ix.netcom.com Subject: glacial questions

Dear Barbara,

What an honor to be chosen for your long-running book club! I hope your members will enjoy For Love of Lakes and learn how better to be good stewards of their lakes.

My wife and I have been sick with a flu this week, so hope this gets to you in time for it to be useful.

First some background on continental glaciers. During the several ice ages, snow accumulated to miles deep as there was little melting during summers.  The weight of snow compressed underlying layers and turned them to ice. The bottom layer melted with geothermal heat, lubricating the ice sheet so that it could more easily slowly flow outward in all directions, moving just centimeters per year.  Any rocks and soil at the land surface froze into the ice (“plucked” off the surface) and moved along with it. All this material is what is left as “till” (unsorted, unstratified mixture of all sizes of rock material deposited directly by glacial ice with little or no working by water) when the ice finally melted. 

After many glaciers worked over the land, scraping it clear, all that was left in places was highly resistant bedrock, “bedrock basins”. Many of these filled with water after the glaciers melted and became lakes.  In the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, you can see parallel scratches on the bedrock where rocks carried by the glaciers scraped them as they flowed over them.

All of Canada and much of the US was covered by glaciers. Glacial geologists have been able to map where they went by identifying rocks that came from various points north.  Since this happened over and over again, newer glaciers obliterated much of the evidence of older glaciers. “Ice tongues or lobes” are the front of the glacier. If the ice front hit a resistant hill, it split and flowed around it, forming smaller lobes.

When the climate started to warm again, at the southern edges the glacial ice melted faster than it was replaced by new ice moving in from the north (“melting back”).  The slower this happened, the more till dropped out of the ice in one place forming an “end or terminal moraine”.

You have down cutting exactly right.

“Fetch” is the distance wind can blow unbroken by land from one shore of a lake to another.

Hope this helps!

Darby
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

ANNIE

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2015, 01:07:48 PM »
Hi Barb,
I have just printed your questions and the author's letter and will now see if I understand what he has to say and will try to answer your questions later.  My book has not arrived at my library.
"No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth." Robert Southey

mabel1015j

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2015, 01:10:18 PM »
How great to have the author, way to go Barb! I don't have the book, so will look forward to the samples from Amazon. I've asked for an interlibrary loan, but don't know when that will happen.

Now that i think about it, my adult life has been very much related to lakes. During my college years, I spent every summer at Mt Lake resident camp in Fannettsburg, Pa as a counselor. I don't know the history of it, but it was a natural lake. The other two that I've been close to are both results of FDR's CCC program in the 1930s. One is Italian Lake in Harrisburg, Pa. In the 60s i lived on one side of it and walked across the little "Japanese Bridge" to teach at William Penn HS on the other side of the lake. I talked about it and showed pictures of this beautiful lake on one of our other sites a few months ago. I'll hunt up those pictures again and post them shortly.

The other CCC project is one I live near now and Ginny will know it well, Strawbridge Lake in Moorestown, NJ. I think I will have to go down there to get some nice shots of that beautiful lake since what I researched quickly didn't show it at its best.

Looking forward to learning all sorts of new things about lakes. :)

Jean

mabel1015j

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2015, 01:23:53 PM »
Oh, i almost forgot, I worked for Dept of Army for 16 yrs at Ft Dix and they have a lovely lake where i often ate lunch. I have a hunch it is also man mad since it is near the golf course. I'll check with their museum and see what I can find out.

Mt Lake in Pa is in the Appalachians, so I have a feeling it is very old.

Jean

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2015, 03:15:47 PM »
Ann - looking forward to you peeking into the discussion - the letter from Darby Nelson was in response to my writing and asking him to explain the 4 pages that deals with the birth of what he describes as a Ghost Lake that stretched from the northern States into Canada, was 4 times larger than Lake Superior and it disappeared before the history of man even arrived on the scene - it was birthed from the action of glaciers and when it breached the glacier made dams, that were created from the rocks and dirt picked up by the packed years of snow that turned into ice at various times, places these porous dams broke till the final breaks which allowed the lake to start its journey emptying that added to many of our rivers and lakes still with us.


I had no background in geology - none what so ever - had no idea what he was talking about using the elementary words known by anyone who is familiar with glaciers and how they affect the land - I read and re-read those pages at least 5 or 6 times and started to Google but it was still over my head - so I wrote and between what Darby Nelson shared in his email and the additional information I found Googling first the name of the lake and then the various individual words I am pretty confident we can really enjoy understanding how our land was affected and is still affected by glaciers.

All that in 4 pages of reading - the other pages are filled with his thoughts, experiences and concerns for things like algae - nothing new and challenging.

But before we get into the book itself - let's talk about the Introduction and the biggie - please introduce us to your lake.

Jean thanks for your introduction to two lakes - both in Pennsylvania - yes, a photo will be a treat for us to see 'your' lakes - I hope you can easily find those photo shots again. How great to be hearing about a lake that as you say, must be old since it is located in the Appalachian Mountains - I guess it never crossed my mind till reading this book if the Appalachians were created from glacier activity. So much of our landscape I just took for granted as is and always was - never crossed my mind it was developed from the action of other natural forces - I knew there are mountains that are so windswept the walls of the close passages between the rock formations are beautifully sandblasted into smooth rock and I know in our area there is a huge underground system of water ways and caves as well as areas that still have the foot imprints of Dinosaurs. 

Well I spent time last evening trying to decide which of the nearby lakes I would use a reference while reading. In the process I looked and found many lakes are part of a river system. Remembering 4th grade geography that a lake was bounded by land I thought I should be looking for a nearby lake that is self contained but soon realized all the lakes in the book are not self contained.

The Lower Colorado runs through the middle of Austin and until, the dams were built would often flood just about the entire town - a series of 5, that have now become 6 dams were built with the lake in town still looking more like a river than the other broad spread out lakes in the chain. I was shocked to read that Darby Nelson knew of and mentions Town Lake in the book - Since his acquaintance with Town Lake it has been renamed a couple of years ago to Lady Bird Lake and just about completed now is a hike and bike trail that surrounds the lake with a couple of substantial foot bridges making the connection across the lake - however, there is only one spot that folks can still get in the water. For years that was a spot used by casual fishermen who came with the proverbial piece of cane cut from their backyard and some string or just the string with a bobber to keep the bait from sinking. Those old fishermen seem to have disappeared and now mostly young men and women with their dogs use the spot.

I just did not feel like getting into that mix or driving downtown - I do not even walk the trail any longer - yep, Austin has changed - the next lake in the chain is Lake Travis - it takes about 20 minutes to drive out there and it has several boat ramp areas where folks swim nearby - it is a broad and open lake - big enough for sailboats with lots of coves, a couple of yacht clubs and boat marinas, some private property with mansions worth several million where as, for years before Austin grew up it was where families had their summer house that was mostly a huge porch, with a bathroom, a small kitchen since most all cooking is done outside - no AC or for many no electricity. Those summer places are all gone now as the property was sold and substantial year round homes were built.

The layers of limestone and probably other rock layers are seen with only a few beach areas that are on pieces of land that poke out - When the dams were built, if you ever saw the Montgomery Clift movie, Wild River -- he is, during the 1930s a Tennessee Valley Authority Agent responsible for moving everyone so their house can be demolished in order to make way for the new lake - well that is the story of the demise of the small communities when this chain of lakes was developed also, in the 1930s.

East of town there is a small lake that was for years called Decker Dam - I do not know its history and then up in Georgetown that I can drive to it in about 40 minutes is Lake Georgetown that I remember when the San Gabriel was damed to form that lake only about 20 years ago - I just cannot think of a self contained lake in Central Texas.

Funny growing up we always lived near the ocean or the gulf - Florida, Georgia and City Island in NY - there was always an expanse of water with a big sky and a fresh breeze or when we lived north at times the cold settled in with ice and snow and there were things like deep sounding bells that rocked in the water to let boats know where they were - and boats using fog horns - and so when I saw my first lake - I have no idea where we were - I do remember we were on a picnic with my Aunt and Uncle and cousins in their vehicle and my Mom, Dad and Grandmother in our vehicle with me and my sister - My uncle's vehicle got a flat tire on the way and it seemed to take hours to get it fixed so that the quilts were spread on the side of the road and we had some of our picnic right there -

But when we got to this lake I just did not like it - kept looking and looking and all these people and it was hot, the sun beating down and no breeze. There were trees right up to the edge of the lake with a beach area with sand and some tall lifeguard stands - did not even want to get in the water - I just stood and did not like what I saw and certainly did not like the odor - not scent but odor to me - mostly a mixture of heat and humanity. I was so thankful when we set up the picnic under the trees out of the eyesight of that lake and after eating my dad and I went for a walk in the woods where he, like always, named all the trees and plants that grew wild. He would show me the difference in the bark and the shapes of the leaves that would tell me the name of the tree.

I did not again see a lake till I was a teen - a shaded small lake in the mountains that was lovely but most of my adult life living away from the coast the nearest swimming area was a river rather than a lake. Here in Austin in one sense they are a chain of lakes but they do empty as a river into the Gulf. Most lake areas of water in this state are called tanks and there are lots of creeks and streams that open up in spots to swimming holes and ponds. I love walking along Bull Creek that is about 10 minutes down the other side of this Mesa I live on. When I have been especially stressed out and the creek is still running (it tends to dry up during a hot summer) I just plop into the water, clothes and all and look up at the sky - then I have to sit on a boulder to dry out so I can get in my vehicle to drive home. 

Then there is deterioration - think I will wait and talk about what little I know in another post tomorrow.
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

PatH

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2015, 07:00:00 PM »
Ooops, I seem to be always behind.  I've got my book, have just started reading.  I can see already that I like his approach, but don't have much to say yet.

Lakes are a part of my past, not my present, as now I'm not within easy reach of any, but water has always been important to me.  I'm never happier than when I'm floating in it, or on it, or sailing over it, or swimming through it.  So I'll dig into my happy memories.

BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2015, 07:13:23 PM »
Pat glad to see you - this is not so much about what Darby Nelson says in his book as it is making his points relevant to our own experience - this being the pre-discussion we are only attempting to read the Introduction to the book that is online with the Amazon preview of the book - so no panic you are just fine... and yes, memories will be wonderful.
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

bellamarie

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2015, 11:41:52 AM »
I have not gotten the book so I will just follow along with what you provided us from Amazon.  I grew up in a small town of Monroe, Michigan and have had the great pleasure of being surrounded by the great lakes.  Lake Erie is just a short drive from where I grew up, and we would have family picnics at the state park there.  I was never and still am not a swimmer, I have enormous fear of being in any water where I can not touch the bottom, or grab on to something I can touch easily, but I am drawn to water for peace and calm, so we go to our Maumee Bay, here in Oregon Ohio about 20 minutes from where I live, or we vacation in Marblehead near Sandusky, Ohio which is about 45 minutes from where I live, or we go to Manitou Beach in Michigan about 40 minutes away.  I MUST be near water to relax, on vacation.  I love boat rides and pontoons.   

Here are a few pics of my favorite places to vacation.

This is Marblehead, where we have the famous lighthouse.


A little info about Lake Erie


This is another shot of Marblehead, Catawba,  from here you can take a jet express and go to Put In Bay Island, and you can see Cedar Point amusement park across the bay on a clear day.


I'll post some more pics later, I have to run for now.
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ginny

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2015, 11:50:25 AM »
I very much like the book. I love the illustrations he's drawn.  I haven't paid enough attention to the drawings to see who did them but I like the book enormously. Not what I usually read, but look at the difference it's made already:

Where was the first lake you remember visiting as a child?
Did you live near your childhood lake and visit it frequently?
Do you remember what you thought when you visited the lake?
When you visited the lake did you play, swim, picnic, boat, fish or simply look?
What is the name of the lake you now most often visit? Is it located nearby?


Silver Lake in Bucks County PA is where we always went to swim and do whatever one does at a lake. I will never forget the day we went and found it closed, it was contaminated. The most beautiful lake, silver in aspect, really, it looked like mercury. It had that strange flat sheen that UK waters have.

All these years I have thought what a sad thing that was, the contamination of that area and guess what? It's not any more!!

Here's something from the Silver Lake site  itself:

Geology
This area represents a geologic zone referred to as the Coastal Plain. Let's go back a bit in history to find out how Silver lake came to be. During the last glacial period, the oceans were about 100 miles further inland. Much of our water was contained in ice. The glaciers came down as far as Easton which is about 60 river miles from Bristol. Along their path, they scraped, plucked, smashed and ground different types and sizes of rocks. When the glaciers melted, water flowed into the Delaware River, increasing its size tremendously. Rocks floating down the river were chipped along their edges, making them rounded in shape. This mass of water encountered a dam, thereby spilling over into the areas we now call Falls Township and Trenton. Once over this obstacle, the water flow decreased and spread over a large area. Many of the rocks transported along the way found a new home. If you pick up rocks in Silver Lake Park, you will notice that they are rounded, having been taken from their unknown origin and laid to rest in Lower Buck County. Also noticeable are the varied colors of rocks.

Due to the fact that these rocks had very diverse origins, many types of minerals are now found in our soil. Lower Bucks County is reputed to have some of the richest soil in the state. Unfortunately, this has also aided in the construction industry. This prime soil has sprouted houses as well as farmlands. The housing developments seem to have won. The type of soil found in Silver Lake Park, is the reason it is so highly protected as a Coastal Plain Woodland. If you visit, you'll notice the relatively flat terrain within the park boundaries. The elevation varies from 18 feet above sea level to only 34 feet.

This type of geology makes the park unique, being reflected in the flora and fauna. Pennsylvanian rare or endangered species are also located here. Many of the plants and animals are more likely to be found in the south like the Magnolia, Willow Oak, Sweet Gum, Red Bellied Turtle, and the Southern Leopard Frog. In contrast, there are few northern species. Each of the Walnut trees were planted and you will not find any Hickory trees, normally common in Pennsylvania.


I did not know that. And were it not for this book and this discussion I never would have, either. It's amazing what you can learn from a book.

And it's apparently quite a reserve too:

Parks and Recreation
Silver Lake Park - Coastal Plain Forest (465 acres)
Bath Road, Bristol Township, PA


http://www.buckscounty.org/government/parksandrecreation/parks/SilverLake\


Lots more history there, all fascinating. I'm so glad they took hold of it, we always enjoyed it when I was a child.

PatH

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2015, 12:00:21 PM »
From the map it looks like there must be houses pretty much all around the park, some right on the lake shore.  It's a good thing they protected the lake.

ginny

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2015, 12:32:35 PM »
I agree, I was kind of surprised by this: Once purchased, Bucks County coordinated a series of clean-ups, eventually removing over 200 tons of trash. Trails were installed to provide public access from the nature center building area. Most recently, an effort to route a highway through Delhaas Woods was defeated.


200 TONS of trash. 

It's been 64 years since I saw Silver Lake. A lot can happen in that time. And that's a fairly well  populated area.


The Nature Conservancy does good work.

mabel1015j

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #12 on: August 31, 2015, 01:53:16 PM »
This was my posting in the Library in May when i was mentioning Italian Lake in Harrisburg. I hope it works so I don't have to repost the links to the pictures and my comments.

http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=881.msg254833#msg254833

BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #13 on: August 31, 2015, 02:05:32 PM »
What great gifts y'all have brought to these pages - the photos Bellamarie are a joy to look at - I bet you feel so proud of that area and a photo just does not do it justice - with pontoon boats nearby it sounds like the lake is developed and cared for - is it part of a state park system or is it privately maintained?

Wow Ginny the background Geology is almost as if written for the book - and yes, it is so fascinating isn't it to realize what we have looked at was so much more than we ever imagined. And all these new words - the web site is a jewel - they really did a wonderful job.

The history of the lake is as fascinating as the geology - when we read this and really understand because I think many of us read this kind of background and it goes right over our heads as background information that is nice to read but it really makes no impact - now with the impact of really understanding how our northern lakes were formed you could not dream of leaving trash behind - with 200 tons - TONS - of trash - that says to me there are many more who do not have the reverence for an area because they have no clue of the miracle they are looking at.

I say they and it really is me as well - the only difference we were trained not to leave a place unless it was better than when we arrived - it appears that is not a common view but even that viewpoint is so limiting compared to having the reverence for the land that comes with knowing how it was altered by natural forces. And better yet, to be living now, in this time of history where the thousands of years of land movement can be seen and best yet, explained - So much to be thankful for those who lived in the nineteenth century and started to understand geology. This is right in line with the Novel we read about a year ago - Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier only this time it is not a novel - hmm there was so many true names and events in Remarkable Creatures it is strange to think of it as a novel.

Pat and Ginny what is the Lake you both frequent now - I am not sure where you live Pat but I always imagined Ohio and Ginny is in SC - is there a lake you visit now?

We had an interesting event - again I had no clue and it would have gone by me with a passing notice except for reading this book - I shared earlier we have creek only about 10 minutes away - it widens out in a few areas and one area there is a park where there are several boulders worn down over, who knows how much time, and the children slide down with the water that is like a mini waterfalls. The city took over a few years back and has developed it into a park like area with picnic benches and a restroom - it is adjacent to one of the few low water bridges still left - the cost of a normal raised bridge was a great drain on the city budget so that when the early roads were built the road continued on the ground and was laid over the land under many a creek when it was at its seasonal low or dried up and so when the creek is running you drive through a foot or more of water. The problem and danger is when we have our severe rain storms that are frequent raining 10 to 16 inches in hours - the creeks run wild and if you are crossing a low water bridge the water is so swift it takes the vehicle with it down stream.

With a super highway that encircles the west side of town having been built some 35 years ago few folks use the old road - thus the park - well back to why I started all this - seems like yesterday there was a spill - of all things CITY WATER - had no clue how dangerous City Water is to fish - so dangerous the creek and park were closed down - 

It seems "chloramines in treated water adhere to the gills on fish and quickly suffocate them. That's why people with aquariums don't just fill them up with city water...fish can tolerate a small amount but 100% city water will quickly kill any gill breathing animals."

Who knew... I sure didn't...
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

JoanK

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #14 on: August 31, 2015, 02:30:05 PM »
My earliest memory of a lake is not a happy one, but funny (now, not then). At about age 14, our family vacationed at a lake in New Hampshire (Pat will remember its name).

I ventured into the lake, somewhat shyly, wearing my first two piece bathing suit, and dived in. When I came up, it was a one piece bathing suit.

The rest is lost in the mists of time.





JoanK

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #15 on: August 31, 2015, 02:41:44 PM »
Since then, many lakes have featured in my life. I agree with the author:

"Deep feelings of joy, of belonging, envelop me. Boundaries melt, I seem as one with water, rock, and lily, all part of a magnificent whole.

While such feelings have arisen in me at other times in other places, all have occurred in the presence of water and most frequently, as now, by the side of a lake." ~ Quote from page 7

The area where I lived for many years had several small man made lakes, and I have spent many an hour by their side. Another lake precious in my memory is Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. (If you've been to the town of Lake Placid, the lake that it is on is NOT Lake Placid, which is several miles away. When I visited it decades ago, it was not built up at all, except for the place where I stayed. t was as still as a mirror, with the woods and mountain reflected in it perfectly. And the silence was almost complete.

I don't want to know what it's like now.

http://tinyurl.com/o2fkber

JoanK

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BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #17 on: August 31, 2015, 02:56:59 PM »
Aha - if I was just patient there you explain for us the very question I was asking

 ;D  :)  :D  JOAN - I am still laughing - oh as teen you must have been mortified - did anyone come rushing with a towel for you.

I have heard often of Lake Placid but never saw it and for some reason never googled it either - what a marvelous looking lake - looks like it is well cared for -

Joan let me know but I can make the very long link into a short link for you but I will wait for your OK.

Seems to me you live now near the Ocean - I think I remember you sharing how you have been able to view it from an area near your apartment - is there any lake in the area - you may not have visited it since you do have one of the largest lakes in the world - the Pacific Ocean to enjoy - and I bet you enjoy by looking rather than swimming or boating or fishing.

Darby Nelson makes an issue of this looking business that he shares that we will get into on Wednesday when we start looking closer at the book and see how we relate to 'our' lake.
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

JoanK

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #18 on: August 31, 2015, 03:06:02 PM »
BARB: we were posting at the same time. As you see, I do have a favorite spot by the ocean. I have a memorial stone to my husband there, and I can go and sit and talk to him.

Yes, please make my URLs shorter. Thank you.

mabel1015j

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #19 on: August 31, 2015, 03:06:47 PM »
Amazon's sample starts us at Walden Pond. Here is a nice group of pictures from 1909 to 2000s of the pond and replica of Thoreau's cabin.

http://thoreau.eserver.org/pondpics.html

ginny

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #20 on: August 31, 2015, 03:12:33 PM »
A  huge and beautiful feature article in yesterday's NY Times on Lake Michigan! Just as if it were made for this discussion. :)_ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/30/travel/lake-michigan-tour.html?_r=0

JoanK

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #21 on: August 31, 2015, 03:19:52 PM »
Exploring your site, I came on this tour. It leads you from one picture to another with a connected story:

http://thoreau.eserver.org/cliff.html

mabel1015j

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #22 on: August 31, 2015, 03:27:50 PM »
You asked that we share a favorite fiction book about a lake, i immediately thought of Susan Wiggs "Lakeshore Chronicles" series. Here are THIRTEEN books from the series:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/susan-wiggs/

They are easy reading, enjoyable stories of family relationships.

Jean

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #23 on: August 31, 2015, 04:43:33 PM »
This gets better every hour - I have always wanted to visit Waldon's Pond - maybe it will still happen - we discussed his book a few years back and loved it - remember especially the birds and the ants marching and the thumping of the lake as it thawed in Spring -

Yes, the first chapter is not included in the Amazon preview - I will try to put together a synopsis for Wednesday - Pat I understand you have the book - maybe if I miss something important you can help fill in the blanks -

Wow and Wow again - the site for Lake Michigan - I do not think I have seen another so well done - the photos are wonderful you can almost feel the breeze coming in off the lake - what a treat that site is to spend time going from page to page - they have sure set the bar for a professional #1 website.

And Jean I never heard of these books - fabulous - a whole series - they sound like a fun read - have you read them?

What a variety of lakes we already have - from the most formal garden type lake near Harrisburg to the wild and huge lake of Lake Michigan and then everything in between.

No magnificent site for Lake Travis or Town Lake, recently named Lady Bird Lake, or the short bit that connects the two called - of course - Lake Austin - all part of the chain of lakes that includes Inks Lake, Lake LBJ and the really big Lake Buckanan (said Buck like a male deer with the emphasis on the Buck and then quietly anan as in canon without the c sound) if you think that is different wait till you get a load of this - one of the tributary rivers to Lake Travis is the Pedernales said, - get this - PUR-də-NAL-iss

A few photos I found online

Pedernales River


The Narrows up near where Lake Travis makes a bend before it widens


Small section of Lake Travis


Another view from another area of the lake (Travis)


Get this - same area before and after the drought



Lake Austin from the top of Mount Bonnell - a hill to most of you but the highest point in Austin


Town Lake / Lady Bird Lake


Hike and Bike trail Lady Bird Lake from statue of Stevie Ray Vaughn
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

nlhome

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #24 on: August 31, 2015, 04:49:38 PM »
I grew up in an area of central Wisconsin where there were lakes everywhere, and the village where I grew up was about a mile as the crow flies from Rush Lake, a very old lake that lives up to its name. It was a hunting lake and full of waterfowl and  still is a popular place for hunting and birding; some people fished in the deeper spots, but it was mostly too shallow for anything but canoes and little rowboats. We would go down with my dad to check out the ducks, to see some of the hunters who had cabins, but there was no shore to sit at or piers, just a boat landing on one end. On the map, it's a large lake, and one of my memories from my teens is seeing a truck pulling a very large boat behind whiz past heading down the road to our end of the lake, and 5 minutes later seeing it whiz back out to the highway. Here is an overhead picture and article about this lake:
http://www.wisconsinbirds.org/iba/sites/rushlake.htm 

I go home to this area, where I still have family, but don't go down to the lake.

But when I was young we also lived close to other lakes, one being Big Green Lake, which was a beautiful place with beaches and lots of public access, and so we went there often. My uncle had a boat and he'd take us around the lake to look at all the big summer homes built years before by people from Chicago who summered in Green Lake. I remember swimming, fishing, ice fishing, and picnics at the beach. There was one area we swam that was lined with rocks, but it was closer to home and so on hot July nights we'd head out there after my dad closed his shop, so often after 9 p.m., and we'd swim  for a short while to cool off, and enjoy the peaceful evenings with just a few others out there. There was and is so much going on at Green Lake.  Here is some information.

http://www.cityofgreenlake.com/modules/web/index.php/id/1/Green-Lake-Wisconsin

For the last 30+ years we have lived in the un-glaciated corner of the state, so we are close to the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers, but our closest lakes are man made. They are lovely, and we head to the state parks where these lakes are located frequently, but the area is just not the same as where i used to live and the lakes don't feel the same or have the same impact on the lives of the people here. We own a canoe, a rowboat and a larger boat and motor, because we had them before coming here, but they aren't as important as we're more apt to go hiking as go out on a lake.


bellamarie

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #25 on: August 31, 2015, 05:39:27 PM »
This picture is Round Lake Manitou Beach, MI.  NOT to be confused with Devil's Lake.  We go here once a year with our kids and grandkids.  A friend owns a beautiful summer home on this lake.  I had never seen a sunrise, so I got up early and watched the pink outline on the horizon and took pictures as the sun came up.  I was simply amazed with this picture.

My first ever sunrise on Round Lake.

Round lake.....a view from the balcony of our friend's summer home.

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mabel1015j

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #26 on: August 31, 2015, 11:54:25 PM »
Love the rock formations on Lake Travis, they are wonderful.

Green Lake and Round Lake are beautiful.

Barb, i have read some of the Lakeshire Chronicles series, probably 3 or 4 of them. I found them entertaining, easy reading and a good look at interpersonal relationships.

ginny

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #27 on: September 01, 2015, 12:30:28 PM »
Got a riddle for you. Don't look it up!!

What can run but never walks,
has a mouth but never talks,
has a head but never weeps,
has a bed but never sleeps?

BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #28 on: September 01, 2015, 01:01:20 PM »
nlhome lovely web sites and it was only going back a second time to the second link that I saw the heading photo change - and sure enough it changes several times - nice memory for you - interesting how the man-made lake nearby has enough difference about it that you do not enjoy it in the same way but do more hiking than boating. And three boats - you did do a lot of boating didn't you. You have some nice memories with your family on that lake and you ice fished -

I have never known anyone who ice fished. Did you use a drill to break a hole in the ice - did you have a shelter like they showed in that funny movie with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau - What did you catch - Did you or your mom cook up the catch and how did you/she cook it - Did you fish often in the winter or just a few times - How did you keep warm - OH please share - this is exciting to know someone who actually went ice fishing.

I remember as a kid in high school my father brought home a wooden canoe that was leaking like a sieve - all that winter and spring my best friend Pat Cranna and I patched those seems, sanding and using marine putty and then marine varnish - every chance we had we worked on that canoe - early summer we tried it and it would still leak so back on the horses it went - for awhile we even contemplated stretching a muslin skin over it - till near the end of July we finally had it tight and then off we went - we lived on an Island and that was our first excursion to canoe around the island that was a mile and a half long and a half a mile wide at its widest - the shore was surrounded with mariners, sail makers, and wooden boat builders as well as, a few yacht clubs so that you could not stay near the shore but were out where the current and wind gave your muscles a real workout.

For a few years we had a small sailboat that we trailered out to Lake Travis. One summer I was working at the Girl Scout Camp and my daughter was also working as a councilor. We arranged to have our free time at the same time and took the sailboat out but that part of the lake is narrower - in fact just past the Narrows pictured above so that the wind is different than when there is a broad expanse of water - well we got to the opposite shore and then the wind just dropped to nothing blocked by the trees - Katha thought if she pushes the boat with me in it further off shore the wind would catch the sails - she was right but neither of us expected it to happen so quickly. The wind filled the sails, the boat took off and she grabbed the stern just in time as we laughed and laughed me trying to handle the boat while helping her back in. She was dragged half way across before we could both sail the boat back to the camp.   

Bellamarie - more lovely photos - do you get out to the lake often - since you are not that comfortable swimming how did you make sure your children learned to swim - did you arrange for lessons or was there another family member who taught them - when you visit the lake is it an all day excursion or is it close by that you can just run out for an hour or so?

Jean after you sharing about the Lakeshire Chronicles series I had to look on Amazon for other books written around a lake - to my surprise found several - the only book that I remember fondly is the old Sir Walter Scott Lady in the Lake - but then I love the Arthur stories and The Song of Roland and and and... but a contemporary story... I did find one and ordered it used - takes place in Ireland and I love all Irish literature - they have a way with words that i find unmatched by any - By the Lake by John McGahern. I think I will first check out our library and see if they have any of the Lakeshire Chronicles. 

Well tomorrow we start - so gear up about to learn more and more about 'your' lake - I love starting a book discussion midweek - we will have a set of focus questions that can be changed out or added to over the weekend so that we can either go deeper or wider in our exploration of lakes and Darby Nelson's experiences discovering his seven lakes.
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #29 on: September 01, 2015, 01:03:04 PM »
OH my Ginny - you have me stumped for now - need to think on it because we just know it is going to be the most obvious answer - shoot leave it to you to get our brains moving on a Tuesday...  :)
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

Jonathan

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #30 on: September 01, 2015, 02:44:49 PM »
What a beautiful riddle, Ginny. Would the Hudson River serve as an answer? Let me tell you about its head. It's located just below the summit of Mt Marcy in the Adirondacks, and it is called Lake Tear of the Clouds, at elevation 4346 ft. If you want to go there you could take the Calamity Brook Trail. Let me quote from my trail guide:

'At about 8.8 mi. the grade begins to moderate and finally becomes level just before reaching the outlet to Lake Tear of the Clouds, the highest pond source of the Hudson River. Across this little body of water, fringed with spruce and balsam, the rocky dome of Mt. Marcy rises in full view.

Nothing prettier in this world than the many lakes in the Adirondacks, seen from  its mountain tops. Lake Colden from the top of Mt. Colden was on the cover of NG a few years ago. Heart Lake from Mt. Jo, is pretty. Lake Marie Louise from Rocky Ridge is a bright shining jewel. Lake Ampersand from its namesake mountain is just that. And you should walk in to Avalanche Pass and Avelanche Lake beyond.

Joan, what an experience you had with the swimsuit malfunction. The 'precious lake of my memory...' isn't that beautiful. The town, Lake Placid, you're right, is on Mirror Lake.

BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #31 on: September 01, 2015, 03:48:44 PM »
Never heard of it - lovely poetic name for a Lake - and to think this small bit of water is the headwaters for the mighty Hudson river and with all the History that has taken place on that River - amazing.

Found this photo - of all of them I liked this one best
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

PatH

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #32 on: September 01, 2015, 03:55:05 PM »
The lake JoanK remembers with mixed feelings is Newfound Lake in New Hampshire, a beautiful thing.  We went there several years.

http://www.lakesregion.org/RegionalInfo/OurLakes/NewfoundLake/tabid/184/Default.aspx

The place we stayed, a bunch of cottages with a hall for recreation and dining if you chose to, isn't there as such, but the hall seems to have been divided up into private units:

http://www.vrbo.com/3684856ha

The cottages were up the hill, starting about where the photographer must have been standing, and you just walked downhill to a nice little beach.

ginny

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #33 on: September 01, 2015, 04:09:29 PM »
What can run but never walks,
has a mouth but never talks,
has a head but never weeps,
has a bed but never sleeps?

Yes it would, Mr. Jonathan, you're too smart. hahahaha

The answer is "a river."

I thought that was appropriate for this discussion. 

Super job! :)


BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #34 on: September 01, 2015, 06:04:02 PM »
Pat the town nearby pictured in the first link appears like the quintessential New England town that we often see photos. With the woods to walk in and the leaves will be turning what a wonderful spot however I do not think I could take the winters and they are long. But what a lovely place to live.

I have to compare these lakes to the acres on the lakes I know nearby to get an idea of size - photos sure can fool you - so far the only real monster of a lake that we have is Lake Michigan and to think the lake that Darby Nelson speaks of, Lake Agassiz, describes in the book is 4 times as large as all the Great lakes combined - it must have been really inland sea - I don't think you can see across some of the Great Lakes to Canada so surely you could not have even imagined where you would be sailing off to if humans had been there to explore the lake.

The wonders of nature - I keep thinking and do not mean to offend but I still believe in a higher power and to think that as we were developed as humans with hands and fingers to make things, so to we had been given the gifts of wind, the cycle of rain, clouds, snow, ice, the seasons as we circle closer and further each year from the sun. All these natural wonders not just to look at or be at times inconvenienced by, but like our hands and fingers they do things to this earth - they became glaciers that over time carved and pushed rock and dirt and in other places seeped underground, they widened rivers and carved through surface and bedrock to form other rivers, the wind sculptured, the rain allowed things to grow - on and on - it is really a magical place we live in, this place called earth, the cycle of it alone is a marvel but now to learn how a cycle of snow and ice is a system that carved and sculptured the land forming lakes and mounds and beaches - no wonder some people see church in the woodlands. 
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #35 on: September 01, 2015, 06:15:32 PM »
Jonathan, makes you curious doesn't it how a pool of water can become a huge river - its like you want to find out how any of these rivers and lakes we take for granted had their start - what caused the water to collect at a certain point and then as Derby Nelson points out rivers all travel downhill looking for a way out to the sea or ocean. Seems to have captured mankind so that both Rivers and Lakes appear over and over in Literature as symbolic messages.
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

bellamarie

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #36 on: September 01, 2015, 07:00:20 PM »
Barb,  I am drawn to water even though I do not swim.  We always had some sort of swimming pool in our backyard.  I did indeed teach not only my three children how to swim, but all my grandchildren and many other children.  Because I fear the water, I also respect the water and was determined all my kids would swim.  We just never had a pool over my head.  We got lucky and bought a home with an in ground 24 ' round, gunite pool, that is 4 ft deep around the outside, and 4 1/2 dead center.   We have lived here since 1984, never an incident, and I can not begin to tell you how many children have learned to swim in my pool.  You don't have to know how to swim to teach others, you just need one other adult swimmer in the pool for safety purposes. 

We have so many beautiful lakes within 20 - 45 minutes from our house either in Ohio or Michigan and even Indiana, if we want to drive a bit further.  We owned our own cottage on Little Long Lake, near Angola Indiana for years, while the kids were growing up.  Every vacation we have ever taken has been near water.  My biggest enjoyment was when I stood on Clearwater beach, and for the first time looked into the Gulf of Mexico.   

Cute riddle Ginny, of course our Jonathan would be the first to guess the answer!
“What on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book, and a cup of coffee?...Was ever anything so civil?”
__Anthony Trollope, The Warden

nlhome

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #37 on: September 01, 2015, 10:13:36 PM »
Ice fishing! I think we all seem to prefer our warm weather memories of lakes, but yes, I did go ice fishing with my father often, when I was young. There were several lakes within 10-20 miles, and he had favorites for different types of fish. We'd sometimes drive out on the lake and use the car as a shelter. He had a special ice chisel, and he'd use tip-ups and set a couple out, then have one little pole he held on to. He also had a shack, yes, like the movie, with a heater and windows, and he set that up, usually on Big Green Lake. We'd play cards, eat, watch out the window for the flags on the tip-ups to fly up if we got a bite. If the ice was clear, we'd skate. There is a whole ice fishing culture on certain lakes. Yes, we cleaned the fish, and we ate them. My mom would deep fry them usually. Mostly panfish, like perch, bluegill and crappie.

And my husband also fishes on the ice, although he has a portable shack. I don't join him, unless it's just to walk out for a bit - sitting around in the cold waiting for a fish to bite is not my thing. He has an ice auger, but it's a manual one. People use power augers too, I think.

Fishing and lakes go together. Growing up in an area of so many lakes, we did a lot of fishing, ate a big variety of fish, including trout and sturgeon and bullheads. Now, of course, it's not wise to eat too much of certain kinds, because of mercury in the lakes.



BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #38 on: September 02, 2015, 01:02:28 AM »
You sure make ice fishing sound exciting - even if it is cold and dull waiting - but playing cards and looking forward to some fried fish that you caught - and then all the do of getting the hole in the ice and watching for the sign that there was a fish on the line - must say I had no idea what tipup was so here it is - found one for sale with a photo.



And then too you know all the various fish - what a great legacy you have - really - as you say, we think of lakes when the trees have leaves but so few of us have had the opportunity to enjoy time on a lake in the dead of winter.

Yes, fishing and lakes do go together don't they - I am struck how some of the lake website feature birds and the surrounding plants and even the geological history where as all I can find about any of our local lakes is the type of fish - the history of fish in the area including any stocking where and when - the current and historic water levels - amount of water in storage - height of the dams - the number and size of the turbines and the megawatts of energy generated.

So far anything that talks of the geology of the area is in reference to land-use limitations and protecting the aquifer that runs from southwest part of Austin down to San Antonio.

Far different than these wonderful websites about lake areas in the northeast and north that go into so much history of the land itself but then they do not talk about fishing being the most important aspect of the lakes which leads us right into the chapter in the book called, Deep Heart's Core where Darby Nelson speaks of how those who live next to the lake are seldom seen playing in or on the Lake but rather they are just sitting and enjoying the lake. I am thinking there are all kinds of ways to sit and enjoy a lake including on a frozen lake in a shelter playing card waiting for a fish under the ice to bite.
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe

BarbStAubrey

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Re: For Love of Lakes by Darby Nelson - Sept. Book Club Online
« Reply #39 on: September 02, 2015, 05:50:11 AM »
We start reading from our book and for those who do not have yet their book - my library does have 12 copies spread through out the various annex locations - in the meantime or if you cannot get a copy of the book we have linked in the heading the preview from Amazon that is amazingly inclusive of most of the book.
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ~ Goethe