Underwater Thoughts

Bears make good neighbors.

Our strange and strained summer weather continues. Mosquitoes and muggy air have returned. Both are rare in the White Mountains come August. Usually, we are getting peek-a-boo glimpses of the coming autumn. But today, the air conditioner is on once again.

It’s now a daily practice to let lose my clothes and walk unadorned into the swirling waters of the secluded watering hole. Emily is thrilled to have a skinny-dipping partner in crime, while Samwise notes our joy and has taken to spending more time afloat than he has in all his past summers.

I used to fear open water, mainly the murkiness of the north Atlantic. It was the idea of not knowing what was beneath and around me. God forbid anything brushed up against my leg! But here in the mountains, the rivers are crystal clear iced tea. No secrets are lurking out of sight. The current is swift enough to keep most slimy plants from taking root, and snakes and snapping turtles prefer ponds. So, I walk along the s…