It’s always hard to take our final walk on the beach at the end of summer. Labor Day Weekend was beautiful and the waves were fun, but today it’s cooler, and we have time for one more walk. We’re always looking for beach glass, but today we were skunked! We didn’t find a single piece, even after huge waves that usually drop lots of treasure.
Walks on the beach always make me nostalgic, which doesn’t take much because I have a huge memory library that’s never far from my thoughts. I think of walks on the beach with our kids when they were little. I recall the first time I came to the lake with Mary, fifty-three years ago.
Today I determined to experience our walk on the beach again for the first time. It’s easy to look without seeing, so I tried to take in all the things we have seen dozens of times before. After all, every time a wave hits the shore, the beach changes.
We called this the palm tree. We could see it from our beach as it marked the half-way point on a walk to the big rock. Just last week, the tree was still standing. It finally gave in to the wind and waves. Someone used a piece of ribbon to tie a carnation blossom to the trunk as a memorial. We will miss this familiar sight.
This is my favorite spot on our walks. When our kids were young, we often talked of renting one of these cottages. The log cabins on the left look cozy with their tip-out windows with a view of the lake.
This old post has always fascinated me. In fact, one time I was looking at it and a cottage owner said, “What are you looking at?” I explained that I found the old lamp post interesting. She shrugged and walked away. The lamp and the wooden pulley are antiques. I don’t think there are any fish in Lake Huron large enough to need a pulley to lift them. I wonder what it was used for.
An empty boat hoist can mean one of two things. The captain is out on the lake with family, pulling kids on a raft, or trolling along waiting for a trophy catch to grab a lure, or just enjoying a ride on the beautiful lake. It can also mean the boat is out of the water and the hoist will soon take it’s place on the beach to ride out the winter. The old rigs on the left lost their job years ago.
A wave of nostalgia washes in whenever I look at an old wooden dock. Most now are aluminum and they just don’t have the same appeal as a good old fashioned wooden dock. It won’t be long and this one will again take a rest on shore for the long icy cold months ahead.
I wonder what these little guys are thinking. Their eyes look sad. They expected to be scooped up with all the other sand toys, thrown into a big bucket and stashed in the shed until sunny beach days roll around again next summer. Instead, they were forgotten and found themselves lying on the beach, alone. Maybe a beachcomber will grab them up and give them a new home. I hope so.
We made it to “the big rock” one more time. It actually has a name but I can’t remember what it is. The rock has changed drastically over the years. It used to be pretty easy to climb up on top, but not any more. Now it takes mountain climbing skills. It’s a shame this beautiful rock is covered with spray paint graffiti.
There are footprints large and small, some from shoes, others bare, all heading to or from. I wonder how long these footprints will last. They may already be gone, the wind and waves making a clean slate for new footprints in the sand.
A Coffee State of Mind 
Dale, thank you for taking us on the walk with you and Mary. I love how you see “life” and the things around you–nature and non-living! I enjoyed your pictures, the waves of nostalgia,….your smiles. THANK YOU! I appreciate you so much!!!
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Thank you so much, Karla. I’m happy you enjoyed the post. I first heard about “seeing with new eyes” in a master’s class several years ago. It stuck with me and I try to remind myself of it often. It takes effort. Best to you!
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It’s my blessing, Dale. I enjoy “seeing with new eyes”–I understand very much! All of you take care, too!
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What an interesting story. It’s amazing how different things look when you take a different perspective. Thank you for the walk on the beach! Lake Huron is one of the great lakes we don’t get to very often. The rock is very cool!
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Hello Denise, nice to hear from you again. I remembered your name from my post about your grandparents, Les & Kitty DeClerk. By the way, we were in Houghton Lake last summer and rented a pontoon with our family for some swimming and fishing on the lake. I tried to find your family’s resort from the lake and I wasn’t sure. Come to find out, the resort is no longer in operation. The cottages appear to have been sold individually and are in process of being remodeled nicely. I have to admit, the Houghton Lake area looks a bit run down, lots of closed businesses. Anyway, thank you for your comments, I appreciate you taking the time to send a note. Choosing to see and not just look makes a real difference. Best to you.
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