Lake
Being Lakeside, any Lake, is definitely my Hygge jam. I grew up visiting Lake Michigan at the Schlitz Audubon Center, and along the lake side in downtown Milwaukee. I remember going to the Milwaukee Art Museum, and although I loved the art, my favorite part was the gallery that overlooked the Lake, it had floor to ceiling windows and I would stand next to them, forehead on glass, gazing out at the lake. Another aspect of Lake Michigan that I loved is Green Bay, which I would visit on our yearly pilgrimages to Door County. We’d love the Lake both on the usually calmer bay side, then drive over to see the wilder Lake side.
Another Lake that looms large in my memory that I love is Lake Lucerne outside of Neshkoro. I worked for two summers at a summer camp (Camp Lucerne) Which is a haven. Pine and deciduous woods with a variety of groups of cabins, a center with kitchens, a retreat center, a chapel and a dock with boats to use. A pier juts out into a sandy swimming area, of course with a platform float. The Lake is so beautiful, calm and inviting. I learned to paddle a canoe there, and to row a rowboat, but I was not terribly good at that. I’ll take canoe.
My favorite lake absolutely was Big Cedar Lake where my Grandparents lived (maternal… the Atwoods of Atwood’s Anchorage.) When I was young and grandpa would put out the big white pier I would run down in my swimsuit and towel and ease my way in to the sparkling, clear water. That’s where I learned to swim like a fish. I would also catch sunfish, which I would carefully unhook and let go. I remember looking down from the pier to the lake bottom where the sunfish hovered over their eggs. The sailboat races were so beautiful to watch. From the shore it always looked so peaceful… I’m guessing being on the boats was a bit more frantic. My all time favorite memories are of fourth of July celebrations, when all the boats would go out on the lake at sunset, and the Yacht Club would shoot off amazing fireworks. After each sky blossom the boats and party barges would all blow their horns. I remember to this day the jaunty little tune that one of them would blast. The house was amazing, a bizarre construction that grew over the years. There were four stories and a basement, and almost all of the top floor was Grandma and Grandpa’s room with huge windows on two sides so they could always see the Lake. I guess I harbored a childish fantasy that it might be my house someday. They had to sell it when they downsized. But I still have Big Cedar Lake… my parents moved to Cedar Community, a retirement campus, and there’s a beautiful walk down to the Lake. They are Lake Living… Someday I hope to Lake Live as well.
We live in Madison, which is DEFINITELY a city of Lakes. I murmur the names as meditation…
Mendota
Monona
Waubesa
Wingra
Kegonsa
Madison sits on the Isthmus beween Mendota and Monona.
I highly recommend this article about our five lakes all joined in a chain on the Yahara river.
I am definitely a Lake Woman. Any time someone asks what my favorite body of water is I always respond Lake. My husband is a River Guy, and my son has become an Ocean Dude, living out in Olympia, Washington where he can visit the Pacific when he wants to. I like Rivers, I love Wayalusing State Park, and visiting the River Museum on the Mississippi in Dubuque, Iowa. A gurgling stream discovered when walking in the woods is always a serendipity. I have not had much experience of Oceans. When we visited Sam a couple of years ago we went to see the Pacific (my first time) and it was so amazing… but almost overwhelming to the senses. No, I’ll stick to lakes.
Sometimes I’ll tell Nathan, “I need some Lake” and he understands me. I don’t claim to have any knowledge of what Multiverse we dwell in after we leave this one, but I hope there’s a lake, and woods, and a campfire, and a sunset and a Hygge cabin full of books and cats.
