On Golden Pond…
There’s something magical about being outdoors and experiencing nature. My daughter, son-in-law and their three children recently built a new home in a beautiful setting surrounded by trees and a huge pond. My daughter planted water lilies last year and presently 40 of the exquisite flowers are in full bloom. I love to walk down to the pond and gaze at them, they dance in the water and sparkle as the sun’s rays shines upon them.
Pap Steve and Uncle Dan have been taking the kids fishing and while they may have not caught “whoppers”, the excitement of the girls as they reel in what they believe is “the big one” is contagious and we all rush to the dock to offer congratulations and document the catch with tons of photos.
Geese make their home on the pond and it was fascinating to watch as fourteen little goslings learned to swim and then take flight over the spring. The mama and papa geese glide over the pond as they swope down for a landing, much like a seaplane, causing ripples in the water that, for an instant, remind me of glass shattering.
In the cool of the evening, the family gets their kayak and paddleboard and go for rides. Fish leap out of the water in protest that humans are visiting their domain, while bullfrogs belt out a tune about some dude named Jeremiah and the crickets chirp LOUDLY in the hopes of finding someone to love. The sun dips lower and lower to the ground, kissing the pond with her golden touch. Some nights the sun displays a fiery red protest that it’s time for her to go to bed so that Mr. Moon can have his time to shine in the sky with thousands of illuminating stars.
Deer come out and run playful laps around the pond and curiously take a peek at the kids’ sandbox and swing set. Raccoons and fox cautiously sneak up to get a refreshing, cool drink from the pond’s water.
Two very tired girls rub their eyes and protest that they don’t want to go to bed, while a cuddly little baby boy is already sound asleep, nestled in his Mommy’s arms as she carries him upstairs to his crib.
I think for once, I really understand the meaning that “this is a little piece of heaven on earth… on golden pond.”