The Toy Ships Melt

I put in on the big lake on a cloudy and humid day with a moderate SE wind. On and off it rains some, weather that I find desirable as summer nears - the toy ships melt in the rain. I have a new birch paddle in my hands today and it feels good, although I might like to have a bit more area on the willow leaf shaped blade. My cherry beavertail works better in today's waves.

The clouds are moving quite fast. There are no ducks on the big lake. The buffleheads have gone north and the mergansers, which gathered last year in a flock in Union Bay, seemed to have left without my noticing - they are just gone. As I round the floating island, I hear a strange bird call and spot something I do not recognize being pursued by a redwing blackbird. Possibly, it is a green backed heron, but I do not know why a blackbird would need to chase one.

It rains a bit, stops, rains some more. It seems a melancholy day and I just sit. And it starts to rain light, then a little more. Then the sky opens and dumps water with a fury that is lacking only in thunder and lightning and for several minutes the distance disappears in gray.
It is wonderful.