Through The Narrows

When hot afternoon breezes blow through the woods on either side of the Narrows, the scent of pine needles fills the air. The trees are dense and leafy, hiding the sun. When the water widens again, the sun reappears, lighting the tips of reeds in the shallows along the shore. Deer lean into the water to drink. Bugs hatch and swarm. Dragonflies buzz among the foxglove on the banks.

Rowing through the Narrows during the day is beautiful, but at night it is magical. This night, the air is soft as velvet. We are on black water, in black rowboats with black oars under the black rise of mountains that surrounds the lake. "I love the dark," whispers my mother. As we glide through the water lilies, I trail my hand in the water trying to snatch the slimy stems.