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Lake Superior Memories

January 30, 2010 by Margaret L. Been

One of the many joys of a long and bountiful life is our treasure trove of memories–ever present to bring smiles.  The above scene depicts a day in 2005, at Madeline Island on Lake Superior.  We shared this day with our grandsons, Joel (standing on the rock) and Nathaniel (on the driftwood).

Nathaniel is now 13 years old, and Joel is 10.  The boys live in Colorado, and they are accustomed to high mountains.  But the many waters of Wisconsin are a novelty for them when they visit us each summer.

When Nathaniel and Joel visited in 2005, I asked Nathaniel if there was anything special he would like to do on his vacation.  His eyes got dreamy as he said:  “I’d like to see Lake Superior.  I read about it.  It’s the largest fresh water lake in the world.”

My heart did a “whoopee” over Nathaniel’s wish.  We lived less than 2 hours from Lake Superior, and it is one of my most beloved places on earth.*  So we packed a picnic lunch and our dogs, and off we went for a day on Madeline Island–accessible by car ferry from Bayfield, Wisconsin.  That day–and others on Lake Superior with children and grandchildren–are etched so deeply into my soul that I sometimes go to sleep dreaming of clean sand, cool winds, birches and pine trees, and big water. 

How I pray that our grandsons will remember the day on Madeline Island forever!  But I believe that our rich experiences imprint us all our lives–even if we don’t actually recall the details.  Here is where photography does a great service.  With photos, memories are preserved.

When I gaze at the photos taken that day, I tend to believe the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.**

Margaret L. Been–All Rights Reserved

*Of all the Great Lakes, Superior holds the most fascination for me as it is a gateway to unspoiled wilderness.  We stand in awe of unconquered places, and Superior–the lake which “never gives up its dead” is one of America’s last outposts remotely resembling a frontier, although it is not really that due to the area’s history of extensive mining and shipping.  Yet we remember the EDMUND FITZGERALD.  There is a mystique about Lake Superior.

**Who first said, “A picture is worth a thousand words”?  Searching for an answer to this question can be a bit hilarious.  The assumptions range from an ancient Chinese proverb, to Napoleon Bonaparte, to a Japanese philosopher–among others. 

Having consumed a lot of French way back when, I especially love “Bonie’s” version:  “Un bon croquis vaut mieux qu’un long discours.”  🙂

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Posted in Good times with grandchildren, Lake Superior, Memories, Nostalgic Reflections, Wisconsin waters | Tagged Big waters of Wisconsin, Lake Superior, Madeline Island, Memories, Times with grandchildren | 4 Comments

4 Responses

  1. on January 30, 2010 at 4:23 pm darlenemb

    I have been enjoying sifting through my grandparents slide collections and sharing them through Facebook with my cousins. I have many precious memories of summers with my grandparents and the outings to parks and lakes, the holidays all gathered together. Now we are all at an age where our children are grown, getting married and having children of their own soon. Through the photos we can share much of where we’ve been and share the family stories. I am so happy we “saved” all the slides and photo albums my aunts did not want.


  2. on January 30, 2010 at 4:44 pm Margaret L. Been

    What treasures! 🙂 And you’ll re-live the memories with your grandchildren!


  3. on February 2, 2010 at 3:52 am alicia stokes

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE lake Superior! Daniel and I enjoy driving the old highway. We find we have the best conversations and the best “quietness” on that drive. And thank you for the beautiful pictures. I do believe a picture is worth a thousand words and i love to walk through my home and see all of the books mounted on my walls.


  4. on February 4, 2010 at 6:41 pm Margaret L. Been

    Alicia, you are a gem of a kindred spirit! 🙂



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