My Watermark is Lake Huron, Ontario.

When I was young at the lake with my family we always had picnics. We’d buy ice cream from the vendor and eat it slowly making it melt down our hands. When I finished eating I’d run to the rock beach with my cousins and brother. I would search for skipping rocks then see my cousins skipping ones from the sandy area. We’d search for the remains of glass bottles left in the sun to turn to smooth beach glass.

At the lake, I would always go swimming. The water was cold when I first entered the lake, it was refreshing to swim in the clear lake water. Whenever I finished my swim I’d always fish for my bucket in our beach bag to catch minnows. I never had much luck, for when they heard the splash of my feet sinking into the water, they would always swim away.

It was always hot, the sand and the rocks and the air itself. I always ran to the sand hills to cover myself in hot sand after catching minnows, and I’d always see my cousins and brother do the same. It turned to mud as soon as it had contact with our wet skin. When I returned to the adults I would make sand castles with the wet buckets. I would always see the sand stick to the inside of the buckets then it would turn to mud.

When I was young at the lake, I loved to explore the beach. I found fish and rocks and driftwood too. I saw bumble bees and ladybugs and seagulls in the sky. I saw mermaids and castles made of sand. A mummified fish with sharp pointy teeth was horrifying yet fascinating so I ran for my Nana and my camera too.

I cherish the pictures of my adventures at the lake. They bring me back to my favorite time of year and if I think really hard I still feel the hot sun on my skin and the sand under my feet and the ice cream in my mouth. I always loved going to the lake and I always will.