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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: A lake is ...
 
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Dreamer
04/25/2024 10:27AM
 
It's easy to define a lake as a body of fresh water. But to me it's way more mystical than that. I know what I feel when I'm on it...


A lake is a mystery of what's below and a reflection of what's above. It's filled with life and it's life giving. Each one has it's own unique personality - sometimes peaceful and invitingly still echoing even a whisper, sometimes rhythmic and flowing and steady, sometimes cruel and threatening and dangerous! You can immediately sense the song of a lake simply passing through one quick paddle. And then it can take decades to hear it tell you all its hidden secrets. A lake can be seen with the eyes and touched with the skin, but it can also be felt with the deep places of the soul.


Call me flowery or poetic, but there's nothing that connects with me quite like a lake.
 
naturboy12
04/25/2024 11:42AM
 
Dreamer: "It's easy to define a lake as a body of fresh water. But to me it's way more mystical than that. I know what I feel when I'm on it...


A lake is a mystery of what's below and a reflection of what's above. It's filled with life and it's life giving. Each one has it's own unique personality - sometimes peaceful and invitingly still echoing even a whisper, sometimes rhythmic and flowing and steady, sometimes cruel and threatening and dangerous! You can immediately sense the song of a lake simply passing through one quick paddle. And then it can take decades to hear it tell you all its hidden secrets. A lake can be seen with the eyes and touched with the skin, but it can also be felt with the deep places of the soul.
"



That is a beautiful and soul stirring statement.
 
analyzer
04/25/2024 05:06PM
 
A lake is both friend and foe, depending on the wind.


I have one particular lake, that definitely feels like an old friend.



 
analyzer
04/25/2024 05:08PM
 
deerfoot: "A lake is something I can drink from, swim in, paddle on and enjoy the sunsets at."


Ice fisherman would say its something you can walk on, and drill holes into.
 
KawnipiKid
04/25/2024 07:49PM
 
A big enough collection of fresh water to be its own place with its own identity and personality. I'm amazed at how NTL winners on this site identify a lake with just a snapshot of info. It's like meeting someone once and knowing you know them when you see them again years later. On a barely related topic that's a pet peeve of mine, a lake, even one as big as Superior, has only boats on it and only shore around it, never ships or a coast.
 
deerfoot
04/23/2024 06:40PM
 
A lake is something I can drink from, swim in, paddle on and enjoy the sunsets at.
 
Pinetree
04/29/2024 12:36PM
 
So when Minnesota counts its lakes -- all 11,842 of them -- it's only counting lakes larger than 10 acres, or about the equivalent of 30 suburban residential yards.
 
okinaw55
04/22/2024 10:08PM
 
“A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”
~Henry David Thoreau, Walden

What is your definition of a lake?
 
TrailZen
04/23/2024 02:37PM
 
...a long expanse of portage-free water. How about "He leadeth me to portage-free waters"?


TZ
 
okinaw55
04/24/2024 01:23AM
 
For me .. a lake is something that i just know. I guess it could be called home.


I grew up in Hastings on the mighty Miss and my grandfather had a 52 foot Gibson houseboat that we went south down the Mississippi every weekend in the summer. I feel as if I was born on the water.


I love boating, paddling, fishing, relaxing, and sunning on the water. It's in my DNA.
 
SaganagaJoe
04/23/2024 01:00PM
 
okinaw55: "“A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”
~Henry David Thoreau, Walden


What is your definition of a lake?"



That's a pretty good definition. I'm reminded of Psalm 23 - "He leads me beside still waters."
 
YaMarVa
04/23/2024 03:22PM
 
A lake is…both life giving and life taking.
 
naturboy12
04/23/2024 07:55PM
 
deerfoot: "A lake is something I can drink from, swim in, paddle on and enjoy the sunsets at."


I have been on many lakes big and small, but very few that would fit that definition with the “drink from” part. Dreamily it sounds great, realistically though I’m glad that’s not where I draw the line.
 
nctry
04/26/2024 08:01PM
 
A very welcome site after a long winter in the desert… still weeks away for me…
 
deerfoot
04/26/2024 08:07PM
 
naturboy12: "deerfoot: "A lake is something I can drink from, swim in, paddle on and enjoy the sunsets at."



I have been on many lakes big and small, but very few that would fit that definition with the “drink from” part. Dreamily it sounds great, realistically though I’m glad that’s not where I draw the line. "



Try Canada.
 
bobbernumber3
04/23/2024 07:29PM
 
... bigger than a pond, but smaller than an ocean.
 
LindenTree
04/24/2024 07:51AM
 
I see water :-)


I see the developement of resources in MN, WI and Michigan ;-)
 
MidwestMan
04/24/2024 08:07AM
 
LindenTree: "I see water :-)



I see the developement of resources in MN, WI and Michigan ;-) "



Such a great movie. Thanks for the nostalgia trip LindenTree.


A lake is a place where the lunkers lie, patiently waiting for my bait to swim near enough for an ambush attack.
 
MidwestMan
04/24/2024 08:07AM
 
LindenTree: "I see water :-)



I see the developement of resources in MN, WI and Michigan ;-) "



Such a great movie. Thanks for the nostalgia trip LindenTree.


A lake is a place where the lunkers lie, patiently waiting for my bait to swim near enough for an ambush attack.
 
Spartan2
04/25/2024 09:58AM
 
too far away right now.
 
justpaddlin
04/24/2024 10:16AM
 
okinaw55: "“A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”
~Henry David Thoreau, Walden


What is your definition of a lake?"



Seems like this dude needs to spend more time outside.


Lakes are just one of the infinite number of treasures offered by Mother Nature.











 
MidwestMan
04/29/2024 08:17AM
 
nctry: "A very welcome site after a long winter in the desert… still weeks away for me…"


I hear ya. Spend some time in the desert and you'll never again take greens and water for granted.