Fall in Muskoka....

I know it's not really Fall yet, but it sure feels like it!

There is nothing like a Fall weekend in the Muskoka's.........the leaves are turning, it's still warm, yet there is a definite something in the air. Could it be the smell of bears rooting around for blueberries? Nooooooo........even though the neighbors reported bears being sighted, we didn't see any on our walks!

This was a girl's weekend at Karen's cottage. We usually don't get out in the boat (because there's normally 5 of us but Dar couldn't make it this year) -- so we fearless four decided to venture out into the lake in the small boat that Karen's girls use as their "runaround".

That's Karen at the helm, with Sue (on the left) and Nancy.

Here I am in the bow -- enjoying the wind in my hair!

It was great -- and even though Karen had been hesitant about taking the boat out on such a quiet weekend.....did you have your cell phone with you Anne? Who could we call I ask? I don't know -- take it anyway, just in case! In case of what?

Well, you know what happened....we're cruising along, full bore as Karen says, and she slows down to show us something.......putt putt putt, the motor stops and we can't get it started.

Don't panic........when from across the lake comes a voice.....

Do you need help?
Karen - well, maybe
Have you run out of gas?
Karen - I don't think so
Pump it
Karen - I have, and it's hard

well, the rest of us are cracking up by now......and sure enough, we hear way off in the distance, a motor starting up -- and look what happened!

Our hero! Ewan Cameron -- came out to rescue us!

Karen is explaining to him that she can drive her Ski Nautique boat blindfolded, but she isn't used to this little runaround. You can just tell that behind those sunglasses her eyelashes are batting away. He's checking us out too -- that we aren't a bunch of crazy women and to make sure we aren't drinking and driving, and that we do have lifejackets!

To cut to the point -- turns out that she had raised her hand to point to something for us and the safety rope threw the kill switch (so that if you fall out of the boat the motor stops and doesn't run you over) -- well, how embarrassing! Anyway, all is well and off we go down the lake. We came back by a route that takes us around the back of the island that our rescuer came from!

Back on the dock, we're having our afternoon Pineapple and Peach cocktails.....when who drops by on his seadoo -- you know those little personal water thingies -- yes, it's Ewan -- making sure we got back ok. What a gentleman! Unfortunately, the camera wasn't handy to document this.

He told us that after we left, he recognized Karen -- when he was a young lad of 16, him and some other kids used to come up to Karen's cottage early in the morning to watch her bare foot ski! Yup, Karen is a great snow skier, and a fabulous water skier! You could tell that he was still impressed! Should have asked him to stop by for a drink -- our social graces abandoned us -- I think we were too amazed that he'd come by to check up on us!

Although I didn't get a photo of Erin in Shetland, I did get this shot of Erin at the lake.

Great weekend all round -- goodbye to the lake for another year!