Relax

Forget the phones,
Forget the screens,
Forget the media,
Remember yourself.

Signs of Autumn begin to arise in late September.
One of the hallmarks of the Canadian backcountry
Is the changing of leaves.
As the broad green leaves begin to undergo a metamorphosis,
Turning into reds and oranges of the sunset.
Gradually falling along the dirt roads and forest floors.
Warm eighties air, transitions to cool fifties,
Smooth morning dew becomes a silky frost.

The long Lake is silent, glasslike
It is a mirror to the mountains and sky that surround it
As the sunrises, so does the mist from within the Lake,
As it slowly exhales solace steam.
The purest of waters;
A cup of it and you feel enlightened, refreshed, calmed.

Moderate weather soon turns bitter,
For Winter is coming.
Sunlight is scarce as the days are more dark than light,
The darkness entraps anything and everything.
Except for the warm glares of light that can be seen from cabins along the Lake,
As snug fires are lit to keep those inside inside warm.
But beyond the warmth from within,
Lies bitterly freezing winds, that howl in the darkness of the night.
Exposed skin gets bitten at by chillingly sharp air.
By now the Lake is frozen over several feet thick,
It blankets the great expanse of the long Lake.
Mounds of snow body lengths high encompass everything in view. 
It seems as if the entire terrain has been painted by a white brush,
All color desolated and replaced by a thick white cover.
The forest and world around the Lake looks barren,
Grey, white, and black are the only natural existing colors during winter.
But within these times of seemingly despair and solidarity,
Rests peace, and a calm state of mind.
Free of becoming overwhelmed by the many colors one may see.
The cold air during these times clears the mind.
Upon each breath the body becomes more at eased,
Upon each breath of the crisp air, you feel more released.
The winter months are extensive and rigid,
But also light hearted and calm.

Months pass, snow and ice melt, and the colors of spring begin to show.
The smell of fresh maple and oak travels the air.
The Sugar housed host their final feasts,
As families gather to roll up the last of the fresh maple toffee for the season.
The days gradually increase in length.
Small stems of green arise from the soil,
Where frozen grounds, and feet of snow once lay.
Buds of flowers and plants pop up all around.
They begin to canvas all across the forest floor,
Also in the small humble gardens of the homes edging the Lake.
Temperate weather returns in good time.
As winds now merely whisper in blow against the chimes.
Cumbersome amounts of rain falls against the plastic covered roof of the deck.
Creating a tranquil unrepeated rhythm,
That sooths every muscle,
And every joint within the body. 
The rain brings more color back into the landscape.
Flowers of all colors notable to the eye begin to bloom.
The flowers and regrowth of plants lead to the return of birds.
Blue jays, goldfinches, robins, and hummingbirds,
Return back from their trip to the south.
They return with joy, peace, and excitement,
Singing songs minutes in length, and harmonized to perfection.
Together a chorus is reborn, as they all unite into one serene song.
No headphones needed to listen, no phone or speakers.
There is no need to use such devices.
When it can all be found or listened to through the songs nature.

Now, the blackbird sings in the dead of night,
Waiting for its fruitful bites of summer to arrive.
Wild raspberries and blueberries are copious in number,
As they border the perimeter of the Lake, and its most fertile soil.
Fresh upon the time of picking,
The larger the berry the sweeter and more ripened it is.
A natural candy in a world of manufactured food. 
Plants and flowers have reached full bloom,
Creating a rendition of extravagance in all color.
No longer fierce winds, but an affable breeze sweep up off of the water,
Creating low, rippling, and cordial waves, brushing the rocky beaches.
The Lake once again mirrors the cloudless blue sky that looks down upon it,
It offers a place for cool and collective swims,
To all those who are overheated with life’s stress.
Soft rays of the setting sun streak across the Lake,
Causing an iridescent glow in both the sky and the surface of the Lake.
It sheds light of first fiery red and yellow,
Then a faint pink and purple.
Finally, a silent glow before the sky turns dark.
The lake is a place where, but the simplest of things can make the biggest difference in one’s life.
Close your eyes and think of a place that is free of stress or the worries life ushers,
That to me, and many more is the Lake.