Kawagama Lake, ON

My Watermark is Lake Kawagama, ON.

When I was young at the lake I would dive into the calming and chilling water and would float there for hours at a time. I would run over to our sturdy, handmade rope swing and would jump off in my snorkel gear to seek the places unknown.

When I was young at the lake I would lay on our dock and soak up the hot rays of the sun. I would pick ripe and plump and juicy raspberries and eat them as I hung my head over the edge of our tube and searched for treasures in the pure, shallow water.

When I was young at the lake I would kayak to a linking river and enjoy the view of the wildlife. I would arrive at a beaver dam and wait to see the occasional moose. I would thank the canopy of trees, creating a shield from the beating sun.

By the time night fell, I would sit at the end of the dock and eat soft and sweet and cold ice cream while my feet dangled in the water. I would sit with my family as our fire crackled, illuminating the black sky speckled with luminous white stars.