I woke up at 5:30 to a view that was sky-blue-pink, a color that I once thought my grandma invented. I had to get up, because I LOVE LOVE LOVE to paddle in the mist.

Since our kids have been little, we often do a high-point, low-point review of the day. It has always been a pretty good conversation starter, but also—it has reminded me to try to create high points for every day. This time of year I can forget to do that, but I made the obvious choice this morning. The sky was calling. By the time I made my coffee and filled my partner’s dish, the pink was leaving me, but luckily the canoes and paddles are handy, and we were on the lake shortly.

How lucky are we to live in this corner of the world? How lucky are we for the beautiful places? Some scenes are so beautiful that they hurt my heart. It was my lucky day.

There are times I long for the feeling I had when I “discovered” the BWCAW in high school. There was no nostalgia involved, just delight. The world was fresh and open. I remember a commercial jingle back then that went “today is the first day of the rest of your life” (start it right with Total). I don’t think that way anymore—is it motherhood? Is it age? Is it experience with loss?

I was absolutely full of joy this morning, but even as I looked at Denali—(She’s such a loyal girl) …. I was fully aware of the gray hairs around her snout. The temperature was perfect, the coffee was tasty, but I realize moments are fleeting like the morning mist. It makes my heart swell in a different sort of way than when it was ‘the first day of the rest of my life.’

I also know I savor it in a whole different way than our kids do. I love it that Denali knows how to look in the water and also keep her weight centered so the boat is steady. I love it when the water is so calm that the reflection is as sharp as reality.

I love it that the “black” of the Ham Lake fire is charming green young forest and meadow.

I love the solitude of the early hours.

And I love paddling back to Tuscarora hearing the quiet sounds of people waking up, a screen door, a little girl fishing in her jammies-talking to her dad.

I guess I just love the morning.