I have plans to make an “Opening Up” bible for this lodge. As minimal as I think I have kept this summer home, there is so much to do! (Will my kids know what to do if we are gone?)  Not only the cleaning but un-storing all the summer stuff. Cushions and porch furniture washed, bootstrap benches and camp tables vacuumed for spider webs and nests, boat paraphernalia carted down to the boat and bedding back onto the many beds for future guests. And then there’s the garden, filled with weeds and lost plants that did not survive the frost begging for replacements and tidiness.

I am not complaining, because my soul is in this lodge and on this lake. We arrived early this year, so I was able to smell the lilacs on my walk and see the irises bloom. I had no idea that Hale’s main street had flowering trees bordering each side because I am never here this early. A fluffy little woodchuck (or are they gophers?) keep peeping their little selves out in my garden to nibble on whatever looks good. The boat went into the water early, and the weather has been perfect for cruises around Loon Lake to view the new homes. (The old Camp Mahn-go-tah-see is now home to some substantial new year-round homes.)

Three of my four children and seven of my grandchildren, plus one great-granddaughter, will be here over the summer. I can’t wait for the mayhem, the joy, the fun, and the memories of the campfires, weenie roasts, and marshmallow toasting. The beach has new sand, an endless leveler of all ages, as is the shallow beachfront. The boathouse is filled with floaties, beach chairs, and toys waiting for them. In the lodge, the ping-pong table is ready, as is the trampoline and all the old sports toys leftover from camp. Rainy days bring crafts, games, and hours of photos in the albums from 1987 to the present of our family fun.

The porch is our porch of dreams. No matter what the weather brings, we can still have an indoor campfire with candles, watch movies, play darts, board games, or Euchre. If it’s cold, we wrap up in blankets. If it’s hot, we turn on the fan. If it’s just right, it’s just right. It means coffee in the morning, meals on the camp tables, and endless laughter and stories.