The Cottage

     So we spent last week in one of Beth's favourite spots in the world: Harp Lake, about 15 minutes west of Huntsville. We've rented the Wiseman cottage there a number of times over the last 6 years and always enjoy the peace and beauty of the area. The cottage isn't huge but it has all the amenities and is very well-maintained. We had the first few days to ourselves and then our friends Bruce and Carol joined us for a couple. David and Rachel went interior camping/canoeing in Algonquin Park and then came to the cottage on Tuesday. Alison also arrived that day, and brought along our dog Josie, who loves the water (however she isn't allowed inside the cottage because of the owner's severe allergies - she stays out on the front deck and sleeps in the car). Josh was able to come up Thursday evening, but unfortunately Joel couldn't get time off of work.
     Beth enjoys sitting out on the dock reading and catching some sun - sometimes she even goes in the water;) Actually we swam across the bay (for the first time I think) and back one day. We also walked around the lake once (about an hour and 20 minute trip, with some major hills) and took a couple of canoe rides. We were able to visit and host meals with my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Gordie (who live in Huntsville) and Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Don (who drove down from North Bay). We always enjoy spending time with them all. We played lots of games - the new favourite is a card game called Wizard (well it's a favourite of everyone's except Beth I think). Josh, Rachel and I completed a 1000 piece puzzle.
     A couple of mornings we were awoken by the sound of a small bird banging repeatedly against the bedroom window. I think it saw its reflection in the glass and was making territorial attacks. Eventually I taped some newspaper over several of the windows and it stopped. We had to feed the fish bread and the blue jays peanuts each day as well. We had a bit of a war with a chipmunk who decided it liked the sunflower plant on the deck. We used water and chili powder to scare him away, and even though he got soaked (and scolded Bruce from a tree quite vociferously) he eventually got all of the flowers off of it.
     I also read 4 books, listened to about 20 albums, and we rewatched all 24 episodes of the first season of Modern Family - I guess you could say I had a good, relaxing week!
     Music: Larry Norman: In Another Land, Something New Under the Son; Paul Clark: Hand to the Plow, Aim For the Heart, Change in the Wind; Sting: Soul Cages; Parable: More Than Words; Michael Card: The Final Word, Scandalon, Known By the Scars, The Beginning, The Way of Wisdom, The Word; Petra: More Power to Ya'; John Michael Talbot: The Lord's Supper; Josh Garrells: Love & War & the Sea In Between; Phil Keaggy/Jeff Johnson: Frio Suite; Jason Gray: Everything Sad is Coming Untrue; Chuck Girard: Glow in the Dark
     Books: A New Kind of Christianity by Brian McLaren (very thought-provoking, world-view changing even, need to reread and discuss further), Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (nice old illustrated copy at the cottage), Church in the Inventive Age by Doug Pagitt (picked up after his talk at the Wild Goose Festival, lots of great ideas, need to pass it on to my pastor), Mr. Popper's Penguins (classic children's book with new movie release, book given to me as a gift by a student at the end of the year).