A Thing of Beauty
I was reminded this afternoon why I love to live in Wisconsin near Lake Michigan.
After a quick movie (Hart's War), I decided that I didn't want to sit around too much during my four-day pass. So, we packed up the dogs and headed to Kohler-Andrae State Park, which is our new water destination for the dogs because the dog beach that used to be on the south side of Sheboygan has been gobbled up by the Blue Harbor Resort. It's not too much of a hassle, just that State Parks have a leash law, which we conveniently disregard for the most part.
As we pull up, there's a light drizzle in the air. Sara doesn't mind, I don't mind, and we know that Boomer and Trinity don't mind because they're wanting to get into the lake! We climb the sand dunes to get over to the lake and as we crest the top of dune, it was just stunning.
There were rain clouds over the lake and we could see the sheets of rain falling miles and miles away. The grey-blue of the sky mingled and mixed with the slate-blue of rain falling on the greenish-blue of the lake. The tide was rolling, as much as it does in this part of Wisconsin, so there were crashing waves at regular intervals. A few hundred meters offshore was a sailboat at full sail was pushed northward at a good speed. Closer by, Trinity was looking up at me with her soulful brown eyes, with just one word hidden deep inside them: "Throw." The landscape would have to wait; my daughter wanted to play fetch.
It seemed like a hundred times that I threw that neon green and fuscia disc into the greenish-blue sea. And every time, Trinity was more eager to fetch than I was to throw. Nevermind the fact that sometimes she was so eager that she didn't even see where it had gone, which made me wish that I had not worn denim shorts. I don't know if it's genetic disposition, the ability to play, or a desire to see me happy and cheer her on that makes her crash through the surf each time to get that frisbee. Frankly, I don't care because each time we go it's almost as if she's skipping through the waves and having the time of her life. To see her be so diligent in her play makes me want to be more diligent in mine. It's times like these that she's a real inspiration to me. It's times like these that I miss her the most.
Boomer wants nothing to do with fetching; it's beneath him. He's an explorer. He loves to claim and mark new territory for the Vanderbilt clan. Of course. when the next good rain or tomorrow's dog comes around, his claims will be no more. Nevertheless, he wanders around the beach looking for another tuft of grass to hold his mark. He bring Sara in tow as they conquer new worlds for his race. It's one small leak for a dog; one big downpour for canine kind.
The landscape keeps drawing me back. I notice that the sailboat has scooted away and I can't see it anymore. I get so lost in the melding of the rainclouds and the lake that I jump when Trinity steps on my foot wanting another throw. Called away from admiring the mural that God has painted over the water today, I turn back to task at hand: making my daughter happy. My mind drifts to a time in the not-so-distant future when my children will join us. Maybe throwing the balls and frisbees for these of future dogs to fetch. Maybe content to make sandcastles where princesses are held under the control of evil dragons, waiting for their prince to come. But, there's no time to wonder about the children of the future; my daughter is back for another flip. As I watch her bound out over the waves and marvel as she "surfs" them back in, I realize that today may have been the most beautiful day in my entire life and I will cherish it forever.
After a quick movie (Hart's War), I decided that I didn't want to sit around too much during my four-day pass. So, we packed up the dogs and headed to Kohler-Andrae State Park, which is our new water destination for the dogs because the dog beach that used to be on the south side of Sheboygan has been gobbled up by the Blue Harbor Resort. It's not too much of a hassle, just that State Parks have a leash law, which we conveniently disregard for the most part.
As we pull up, there's a light drizzle in the air. Sara doesn't mind, I don't mind, and we know that Boomer and Trinity don't mind because they're wanting to get into the lake! We climb the sand dunes to get over to the lake and as we crest the top of dune, it was just stunning.
There were rain clouds over the lake and we could see the sheets of rain falling miles and miles away. The grey-blue of the sky mingled and mixed with the slate-blue of rain falling on the greenish-blue of the lake. The tide was rolling, as much as it does in this part of Wisconsin, so there were crashing waves at regular intervals. A few hundred meters offshore was a sailboat at full sail was pushed northward at a good speed. Closer by, Trinity was looking up at me with her soulful brown eyes, with just one word hidden deep inside them: "Throw." The landscape would have to wait; my daughter wanted to play fetch.
It seemed like a hundred times that I threw that neon green and fuscia disc into the greenish-blue sea. And every time, Trinity was more eager to fetch than I was to throw. Nevermind the fact that sometimes she was so eager that she didn't even see where it had gone, which made me wish that I had not worn denim shorts. I don't know if it's genetic disposition, the ability to play, or a desire to see me happy and cheer her on that makes her crash through the surf each time to get that frisbee. Frankly, I don't care because each time we go it's almost as if she's skipping through the waves and having the time of her life. To see her be so diligent in her play makes me want to be more diligent in mine. It's times like these that she's a real inspiration to me. It's times like these that I miss her the most.
Boomer wants nothing to do with fetching; it's beneath him. He's an explorer. He loves to claim and mark new territory for the Vanderbilt clan. Of course. when the next good rain or tomorrow's dog comes around, his claims will be no more. Nevertheless, he wanders around the beach looking for another tuft of grass to hold his mark. He bring Sara in tow as they conquer new worlds for his race. It's one small leak for a dog; one big downpour for canine kind.
The landscape keeps drawing me back. I notice that the sailboat has scooted away and I can't see it anymore. I get so lost in the melding of the rainclouds and the lake that I jump when Trinity steps on my foot wanting another throw. Called away from admiring the mural that God has painted over the water today, I turn back to task at hand: making my daughter happy. My mind drifts to a time in the not-so-distant future when my children will join us. Maybe throwing the balls and frisbees for these of future dogs to fetch. Maybe content to make sandcastles where princesses are held under the control of evil dragons, waiting for their prince to come. But, there's no time to wonder about the children of the future; my daughter is back for another flip. As I watch her bound out over the waves and marvel as she "surfs" them back in, I realize that today may have been the most beautiful day in my entire life and I will cherish it forever.
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