I didn’t picture myself here. When I had a media badge hanging around my neck not long after we first moved here, people gave me directions by describing what used to be on such-and-such corner or where Mr. and Mrs. So-and-So lived. Parades go down Main Street at least for times a year and we can walk to our unofficial parade-watching place from our house that faces one of the two parks here.
Even when I settled into this small town, somewhere I said I’d never be, I still wasn’t sure about the lake. Snakes and fish live in lakes. I wasn’t going to swim with them. “I’m a beach girl,” I’d tell my husband, who once majored in fisheries biology before opting for a radio-television degree on his way to law school.
Then I gradually fell in love with The Lake.
This week Kristen at Chasing Blue Skies prompts: Tell me about a place that surprised you by how much you liked it. Write about how you didn’t expect to love it and why you now do.
{This week is almost like a continuous of last week’s Out of the Blue post for me.}
The Lake. Kentucky Lake. It’s the largest man-made lake in terms of surface area {160,308 acres} in the United States east of the Mississippi River.
It’s big. And yes, there are many fish in it. I still am geographically challenged when I’m out on the water in a pontoon boat someone else is driving. But I’ve found a home there. It may be created by a man who decided to damn a river, but I still see the beauty of the Creator there.
Reading and rest come easily from the back porch that overlooks the quiet bay that I’ve decided isn’t so bad to swim in. The kabobs my husband grills over charcoal out there taste better sitting on that porch. Several years ago, I first went tubing, holding on tightly with my arms intertwined with my dear friend Holly’s arms. This act of being pulled swiftly on top of the water, knowing I could fall off into The Lake has become my favorite activity out there.
We make memories there with friends. And we invite others in. {Seriously, you could fall in love too. The Gathering Place is available for rent.} We’ve lived here almost a decade. Yes, this small-town life has surprised me over and over again, but falling in love with The Lake is one of the best surprises of all.
I’m linking up with Kristen at Chasing Blue Skies. Her Out of the Blue series on surprises has been so good for me. Want more? Subscribe to get “Insights” in your inbox. Like 152 Insights on Facebook. Or follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
My husband's family has a lake house and we *love* it. It is one of our favorite places on earth. {Although I'm with you ~ what's under that murky water makes me nervous!} Lovely writing, Kristin, as always!
I'm enjoying a look into your small town, Kristin. Sounds lovely! Growing up we had a home on the lake in Wisconsin and I so miss that place. There was a period of time my husband and I considered small town living, but we ended up back in my home town. Smiling over both you and Kristen with fear of the murky water…I'm not so quick to jump in either. Enjoyed reading as always! Thanks for stopping by my page as well. Love these "Out of the Blue" Thursday's!
I love that we all have lake house love yet are more reluctant about the murky water! I'm quite fond of this Out of the Blue series. It's been good for me to tell these stories and think about how surprises are often blessings.
I'm glad you have a place like that too. So wonderful. Thanks for your sweet encouragement.