Carolyn Wilhelm’s Bookshelf
Jon C. Stott delightfully described the many joys of lakeside living with the unchanging activities of summer. Deb Le Blanc’s many photographs are stunning, enriching the text. Readers will feel like they are right there at the cabin next to the author. Stott says calendars are not required; just note the active fly type until summer is over and time has flown. Fireflies? Not so much, however. Light pollution, habitat loss, and pesticides make precious sightings few. Excerpts from the author’s father’s published writings show how lakeside living was the same for several generations that spent summers at the lake. Often locals will not reveal where their prized blueberry picking spot is, but we find out where the author found his spot. Famous poets and authors are quoted concerning flowers and typical sightings of the Upper Peninsula. Encounters with hummingbirds, loons, blue herons, and ducks are recounted. Dealing with older appliances, including televisions, meant adventures with fire and explosions. Lakeside clothing such as printed T-shirts, beekeepers’ hats, and treasures are sorted according to events. Read about when Stott paddled his canoe four centuries into the past on a quiet morning. Take a trip back into the summers of your childhood and reminisce as you read. Nostalgic, melancholic memories.
Summers at the Lake: Upper Michigan Moments and Memories
Jon C. Stott
Modern History Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-9627
https://www.modernhistorypress.com
B09YDNKM6R, $5.95 Kindle
9781615996704, $19.95 PB, $34.95 HC, 177 pp.
