Mid-September on Long Lake. Lots of docks are already out. For many, Labor Day and back to school call a halt to lake activities. The Dog Day afternoons of August do seem far behind us. It was 37 degrees near dawn on Sunday morning.

These quiet times are often some of the best days of the year to be out on the water. Tubing and jet skis are rarely seen. But this can be the prime time for kayaks, the occasional pontoon, and even a paddle board for the wet-suit equipped.

The adult loons have left for their wintering grounds. Our lake’s adolescent chick will be here for at least another month. The chick is flapping its wings and seems to be trying to figure out how to take-off. We haven’t seen any flight yet, though.

Recently we’ve seen eagles, blue herons, and even a three foot long pike moving lazily in the shallows of Ghost Bay. In the lower lake, three river otters put on quite a playful show one afternoon. A doe is regularly bringing her two fawns onto our property. They seem to be enjoying our bumper crop of acorns. We’ve watched an adult pileated woodpecker feeding what must be a young offspring.

And the sunsets. My, the sunsets. We’ve had show-stopper reds and oranges, for sure. But the subtle grays and yellows, those are the calming ones that currently command our full attention.