it was a hot and muggy day today, one of the hottest of the year, i’d bet. and likely one of the muggiest. even at work where the AC was running, the humidity crept in and made everyone sticky, and woe to those who had to do some work outside.

when i got home, i pulled out my paddleboard after taking it to a week-long lake excursion and inflated it, sweat flinging off my forehead (the electrical airpump is looking better every minute).

tossed that baby in the back of the truck and headed to lake sag at st. john’s.

the water was glass.

and only one fishing canoe on it – where were all the people?? not that i was complaining.

i slipped my sup into the water and glided so easily across it. the water was wonderful – not chilly or cold that would shock your body if you jumped in. i paddled to the middle of the lake and slipped over the side into the water. (made kind of a ruckus as i did and definitely disturbed the smooth surface.)

the water was lovely, with small sections of colder water as i swam around my paddleboard, floated on my back, and enjoyed not being hot.

and if i thought i made a ruckus getting in, it was even worse hauling myself onto the board! i made it, even after my calf cramped up.

then i took a paddle around the lake and found the loon family. they were floating in the lilypads, rolling onto their backs so their white bellies showed with feet flipping around in the air. the loon pair had two chicks this year, and it seems they are about young adult age. their brown fuzz isn’t completely gone, but their bellies are white and you can tell they are loons and not a fluffy brown blob.

then one of the young loons did the thing that loons do when they’re looking pretty in the water: flapped its wings and stretched out, like the photo below (not my pic!).

i left the loons to be solitary and then paddled over to the stella maris chapel and then back into the middle of the lake for another dip in the water before i headed out, creating a few more ripples on the flat surface of the lake.