This morning, I woke up before Ivy and decided to go back to sleep, but before I could, I heard her stirring and quickly got up with her and got both she and Fern outside. When we were outside, I scanned the lake, and I noticed the heron was back. The heron was perched on the bow of Ely boat exactly where it was two days before. The heron didn’t seem fazed by the commotion of our morning routine and fortunately, Fern didn’t notice our visitor as she had Tuesday when the heron first appeared.

Tuesday morning, I snapped a photo and sent it out on the family chat. Moments later W replied with a photo which he took the day before, on Monday.

Tuesday morning, my photo

Monday morning, W’s photo

Our Ohio friends are visiting this week. They arrived Monday afternoon well after our kids returned home after the race this past weekend. The race weekend was busy, and before our kids left, we took a family photo on the front steps. A family photo is something I have wanted to begin for a while, but I hadn’t done anything about it. There was a bit of grumbling, but we came together, and we have a family photo at the lake, the next time we take one it is going to include three generations, not two.

Tuesday afternoon, when we went out on the lake, we discovered evidence of the heron’s Monday visit to the Moomba on the tarp. Fortunately, it was a one-time visit.

This morning, after the dogs had finished their morning routine, I came inside and told my wife about the heron, and she got up to see it.

Normally, my morning routine is solitary – it’s just me and the dogs with my morning coffee. This morning, I had company.

It wasn’t long before H was down. I pointed to the heron, and we started talking about our visitor. While we deliberated, I remembered I had a copy of Sibley’s Guide to Birds. The guidebook was published in early 2020, and it helped us navigate the pandemic and I have a copy here and at home. It’s a great resource to have.

I grabbed the guidebook and got a pair of binoculars. We looked through the pages in the guidebook about herons and after some debate, we decided our visitor was a grey heron.

Then my wife joined us. Before long we were debating again. Binoculars, guidebook, and referring to the photo I took this morning and after much study and debate, we revised our bird identification as a Great Blue Heron.

Today is day 60 of my summer break. There are 16 days remaining before I go back to school, aka work. I remind myself school is called ‘school,’ when I start to call it ‘work,’ I should stop. I am not there yet, but my retirement is ahead. Each summer break is simply an audition of sorts.

This morning as I helped H pack for his trip home, he made a remark about retirement, and we laughed. Someday, soon.

Before they left, we took a photo together before they left.

Later, I was sitting on the deck, I heard a loud splash. I looked up to see the heron flying off. Fern had seen the heron.

It’s midday and Day 60 is in full swing.

When I began blogging in 2010, every post was titled “Day xx” followed by a descriptor. For the most part, those first posts were largely unread. Summer breaks vary – though in general the begin in early June and finish in mid-August. The number of days change from year to year.

This morning, I went back to 2010 on the blog and re-read Day 60 post and the post for August second, fourteen years ago. Here they are if you are interested.

·      Day 60: SLA and Cornbelter Baseball
·      Day 65: Our last Sunday at the cottage

When I go back and re-read, I smile when I realize how far our family has come and how much we all have grown. I have a school friend, or two, who follow along with the blog. A few weeks ago, I got a text, and it made me smile… here is our exchange:

Today is going to be an amazing day and in so many ways it already is, but I have a lot to do and see, so I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time making time to be enjoy the lake, looking out the window to see something new.

What have you seen through your window that got you off on an adventure?