The light fantastic.

My two favourite times of day at the cottage are the morning and early evening. I think it's because of the light. The lake is usually calm and the sun creates images with the light that are pretty tough to beat. I shot these two pictures from inside the living room to see if I could capture the light.

In the morning, since we face south east, the sun comes over the tree line on the other side of the lake and creates amazing patterns - first on the water - and then on the deck when it pokes through the trees on our frontage. In the evening, as it sets in the same spot, the island trees are flooded with soft evening light and then the shadows from the trees on our side of the lake creep up from the water and cover the trees like a blanket. The shades of green are delicious.

Whenever I see this light, it makes me want to hook it. The problem is that there are so many things at the cottage that would make a great rug. For example, yesterday morning on our first canoe ride of the summer, I looked down at the bow of the canoe, my hands on the paddle, the water below and saw an awesome rug design.

Does that happen to you? Does everything make you think "What a great rug that would make."?

I will never live long enough to sketch all these things, let alone hook them. But I love how my brain is constantly whirring with the possibilities. Sort of like my computer when I have too many temporary internet files stored on it.

I still have sketch books from my painting days that are filled with all the things I tried to capture then, so I know this is not a new phenomenon. But I will continue to take pictures and make sketches and see which ones make it to the pattern stage.

And I will still marvel at Mother Nature and her lighting. Let's face it, she's pretty tough to beat.