When we're back home in Ireland our default dog-walking venue is the White Lough, which is just a hop, a skip and a jump away from my parents' home. It's a firm favourite for an after-dinner romp on bright summer evenings when we need to walk off a few calories.
At that time of the day we usually have the place to ourselves. Maybe a fisherman or two will be hunched over his rod, willing the fish to bite, but they pretty much leave us to our own devices. We walk along the banks, peering out across the mirror glass that is the lake, and in which we admire perfect reflections of the sky above and the low-slung hills around about.
Emi loves to charge out on the jetties, brandishing a stick to surprise bandits or pirates or whichever type of imaginary bad guys are populating his daydreams at that particular moment. My mother follows after, never quite understanding exactly where her grandson's imagination is leading him. The dogs come next, never totally trusting these strange walkways that lead out over the water, and finally I bring up the rear with my camera.
Sometimes we see a trout coming up to catch a fly and forming the epicentre of a circle of ripples that will fill the space when he moves on.
Other times we see gigantic dragon flies that always move too quickly for my camera to keep up.
And more recently we've been seeing a lot of water weeds. They bob about on the lazy ebb and flow. When the light catches them they look like they've grown in Monet's garden, but I worry that they're out of control, and that they're going to take over and choke up our little lough.
The neighbouring cows don't seem too bothered, but then, having no great interest in either fish or water weeds they just don't care.
It's a grand place - as they say over here. And the amazing thing is that we see something new and different every time we come.
Síochán leat - peace be with you - the perfect peace of a summer evening on the White Lough,
Bonny x
Oh, Bonny, I would love to walk there...it does look like the perfect place to be. And I would love to fish there, too.
ReplyDeleteHow great pictures, Bonny! I wish I could be there! It is divine! Kisses, my friend.
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