Last night, after a grueling softball practice in the city (if grueling
means 'laid back and fun'), I busted out to the country. Driving
through the summer, country night roads of Lanark County
and the Ottawa valley is an experience that has always given
me a bit of a natural high. There is something about the
darkness of county roads at nightfall that lets me feel serene -
normal.
I drove through the SF (Smith's Falls to you non-lingo types)
at about 11 pm. Highway 15 swerved and curved through the
sleepy, seemingly empty town. The traffic lights worked but
it seemed like an uninhabited village. I could almost hear
the click of the lights as they changed from red to green. I
bolstered through the SF and pressed on to meet my friend
Scott at his cottage for a late night rendezvous.
I made it to his cottage at about 11:20 and stepped out of
my grass-embanked vehicle to be met with one of the fullest,
starriest skies I've seen in eons. A few yards up from the
car, there was a fire roaring and a familiar face there to
meet me. Scott informed me that due to a long day, he had
already 'passed out' three times while sitting by the fire.
The hot burn of freshly cut elm cracked and shot sparks
about. I sat in a chair, with a frosty beverage in my hand,
beside Scott and we chatted. Mostly, though, we both just
stared into the fire and reclined and stared into the sky.
Scott passed out a few more times...but I was just happy
to be there. I can vividly remember staring into the hot
coals...thinking of nearly nothing...and just taking in the
moment.
Before we packed it in at about 2 am, I stepped back from
the fire and could see a massive star (most likely a planet)
glimmering off the surface of the lake. A coyote howled
somewhere miles across the bay. I took a deep breath
and sucked in the fiery, summery air.
It's now 8:44 am and I left the cottage at 6 this morning
to get my car back for my mom. I had to get this written.
There is a deep communion that happens with me during
certain seasons in the right outdoor setting. Like Joel
Plaskett said 'I am not one to be wowed by nature, but
when I am...it's big time'.
Thank You for always showing up.
