Late in the morning I was standing on the porch gazing down at the dock. The lake was still, the sunlight was bright, and the water so clear that even from a distance I could've counted the rocks on the bottom of the lake. I noticed a shadow. Then I realised it was swimming.
It was my first sighting of Walter. My pet fish had returned!
He's a smallmouth bass, and he nests in the same place every year. Last summer I took pictures of him with Mrs. Walter...reproducing.
His missus hasn't turned up yet, but he's getting ready, brushing aside the pebbles to make a circular clearing. The spawn will be deposited in its centre...whenever Mrs. W turns up.
Isn't he handsome?
I jumped into the car and drove up to the little local store to buy live worms. Not to catch Walter...to feed him. He seemed very hungry.
Another first occurred after the girls and I had a nice walk. We wandered down to the dock to visit the fish. Jewel, on her leash, was walking the edge and lost her balance and fell in the lake. (Practically on top of Walter!) I dropped the leash and she swam round to the stepping stones and climbed up onto the dock. Ruth, who was off-leash, realised that swimming season was open, and trotted down the rocks and swam a few feet before coming back.
At sunset, the next first--a loon calling in the Bay.
Today has been much the same. Checking on Walter, walking the dogs, Ruth swimming. No loon cries yet, but here's hoping.
It's a very hot day. As the mercury heads towards 90 degrees, I'm tempted to follow Ruth's example and take a plunge in the 59 degree water.
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