Paddle on Osgood Pond


My husband and I are alone. My daughter is worried as she goes off to a play date that we will be lonely. We are soon in the middle of a pond, completely alone. There are no young voices yelling to see a cobweb, bug, rock, or floating stick. There are never long moments of silence. The dynamic children bring to any activity can fill the air and allow one to see things differently. The enthusiasm for the simplest of things is refreshing.
That said, they also have the ability to vacuum the positive energy right out of a given situation with life altering decisions like they no longer like bread while dramatically claiming starvation at the same time they wave a sandwich overhead. Another way is when is when they have to go to the bathroom only after being life-jacketed and paddling in the middle of a lake no matter how many times they are asked before to take care of business. It happens and we survive but during all that I am not always tuned into the hermit thrush’s call.
I don’t want to get philosophical on the joys of parenting. It is a pleasure and a joy. Still, there is a part of me that wistfully listens to the wanderings of my childfree friends. So for today I enjoy a few hours of quiet while my children are invited elsewhere. Today the only constant stream of chatter is that going on is inside my head. It is a unique situation for us to be surrounded by still. Even the wind is taking a reprieve.
An easy entry to Osgood Pond is the Osgood Pond Waterway Access on White Pines Rd. on Rt. 86. This pond does not allow personal watercrafts (Jet Skis), which only adds to our quest for quiet. We put in the canoe and hit an easy pace that is unmatched with children. We glide through the shallow weedy water startling a mother merganser. She attempts to lure us away from the shore. We are happy to oblige. Later we will describe the snapping turtles, calm water and gentle call of the hermit thrush to the kids. It will be some time before my daughter understands the difference between being lonely and being alone.

Comments

Anonymous said…
We should make room in the world for places that do not allow Jet Skis.
Diane said…
I couldn't agree more. Here are other lakes/ponds that do not allow jet skis. Lake Placid: the ban on Lake Placid applies to that section of the lake that is in the town of North Elba. Brighten (St. Regis Lake and Osgood Pond), Johnsberg (Garnet Lake, 13th Lake, Hudson River), Chester (Loon Lake and Friends Lake) and Webb (Fulton Chain of Lakes). I'll post more as I find them! Thanks!

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