Pat Leavy's Blog

Sitting on a Village bench by the shore of Walloon Lake, one looks over the soft ripples of the teal waters. Robins prance and grackles squawk among the rocks and rooftops rimming the Village Green.

Overhead, a silken white moon appears as a distant cloud fading into the southern sky, while the sun rises behind, foreshadowing a glorious day of warmth and sunshine for those currently enjoying their morning coffee on a distant shore on their waterfront home.

 A true harbinger of spring rests along the banks of adjacent properties. Docks are at the ready. Some in the water await bows and sterns with their cleats and ropes, and others sit at the shore, longing. The Melrose Township boat launch is bedecked with its dock and looks encouraging as it shelters resting minnows underneath.

The Hotel Walloon preens and proffers for the Hemingway Weekend at the end of April. The Barrel Back Restaurant’s porches have been unwrapped, and tables and chairs call out to passing diners. The Walloon Lake Inn opens next week and one can already taste the cuisine.

A spring day on Walloon Lake allows for serenity and wonder. It parlays images of fun and relaxation yet preserving the smell of wood-smoke and visions of canvas roaming under ironclad skies.

A seagull arrives to say hello.  Then another. The summer is near, and the docks are at the ready.