This weekend I took my third swim of the season. Actually it was probably the first--the other two times I just biked out to the ocean to hop in and run the hell out. This time I was in a lake. We walked out on a long, long, dock that was inches above the water and then jumped into the shiny gray waves. There were these enormous rocks jutting out of the lake like turtles, and we swam out to sit on them and watch the sun set. I felt like Maine was romancing me, but dude! Maine! I'm already smitten.
I learned that the lake actually does have real turtles--snapping turtles. They are crazily prehistoric--their tails even have spikes, and I'm told that their necks are so long they can reach all the way around and up the back of their shell to bite off your toe or whatever else they're after. But the most fascinating thing--they lure fish into their open mouths by making their tongue waggle around like a juicy worm. !!
All this and more nature nerdery--watching the alewives swim up the rapids of the Presumpscot! Listening to a friend talk about grabbing his fish by the mouth to haul them into the boat! Has me thinking about all the things living in the water I'm keen to keep jumping into. With all that in mind, I was completely delighted to come across this book cover, by Pennsylvania artist Jim Tierney. Check out more of his work HERE.
