MEMORIES WRITTEN

Common Loons        Tyson Lake        Pencil Drawing

Memories written,

but never read,

are only words

    that 

                    fade 

                                        away.

We recently spent a few days up in Algonquin Provincial Park. We’ve been going up there at all times of the year for several decades. In summer it’s more to meet with friends, and and catch up on events that have occurred in each others lives. Lately, it’s been more about learning about health issues as we seem to all be sailing off into some voyage of unknown consequence, called old age. In the early fall, or autumn, whatever you prefer to call it, we go up to the park to enjoy a bit of quiet, and to watch the leaves change colour. After Labour Day, with the children having returned to school, the park is a bit quieter, more the place of solitude that we’ve come to enjoy. Although, with Canada’s changing demographics, the park seems now to be frequented with many persons from away, and the various hiking trail parking areas, even at this time of the year, seem busier than in years past. Sometimes we go up to the park just before the first snow, late October, sometimes in November. It’s that time of the year when Nature seems to pause, and take a deep breathe, before the arrival of winter. It’s cold that’s true, and the leaves are off the deciduous trees, but at the same time it’s peaceful and very quiet. Out on the lakes we sometimes see and hear Common Loons that have chosen to linger, reluctant it seems to give up this place of quiet solitude, before heading south to their wintering grounds.

Common Loon     Photograph by Sandra Somers

Years gone by Sandra and I did a lot of paddling on northern lakes enjoying countless encounters with Common Loons. Sandra was quite into photography at that time, and exhibited professionally.  We'd encounter a loon, and paddling quietly, watching them dive and anticipating where they would surface, we managed to get quite close enabling Sandra to get some very good photographs. On one occasion, as I recall, a loon surface so close to the canoe that we had to back up in order for Sandra to focus her camera. 

The Common Loon was the subject of some of my work during the years that I exhibited my wildlife paintings and etchings. Memories of wonderful moments experiencing Canada's natural heritage.

Common Loon  Etching & Aquatint

Still Waters - Common Loon    Coloured Etching & Aquatint

The etching Still Waters came about as the result of an evening paddle on a northern Ontario lake. It was one of those evenings when the setting sun caused a dramatic reflection on perfectly still water. While paddling a Common Loon surfaced directly in front of our canoe. Years later I wrote a poem describing the experience.

STILL WATERS

On a northern lake,

the twilight’s quiet is broken

by the haunting cry

of a Common loon.

Our canoe floats,

between sky and water

in the twilight’s reflection.

Paddling silently,

we drift,

anticipating.

The loon surfaces at our bow,

aware,

undisturbed.

Its reflection

fills the ripples of its forward motion.

It dips its head,

dives,

and disappears

into the dark,

deep,

still waters.

                                                         EAS.

Common Loon - Disturbed   Etching & Aquatint

Common Loons    Pen & Ink Drawing

Still Waters - Common Loon   Etching & Aquatint  

On one occasion very early in the morning, before  the rising sun had dismissed the morning mist, while paddling down Whitefish Lake in Algonquin a Common Loon flew across the bow of our canoe. I made a quick sketch and later made an acrylic painting.

Common Loon - Whitefish lake, Algonquin       Acrylic Painting