
Some days I drink my first cup of tea at the lake, with a vessel and a paddle.

Everyone has a favourite time of day. Mine is the liminal time around dawn when the cool morning air is perfumed with creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) tinged with a faint floral scent of Chilopsis Linearis (Desert Willow) who just keep on blooming in spite of the prevailing excessive heat and paucity of monsoon rains.

On this full moon morning, the open water on the lake is a bit bumpy, rippled and rumpled by a slight breeze which transforms the satin surface into a mesmerizing play of light and colour in constant motion. Out there on that water, I am inside a lava lamp

As the light comes up on the day, I paddle the eddy line, following sand pipers and cottontail rabbits busy along the shoreline.

Even with irrigation drawdown in full spate, lake levels remain high thanks to record spring runoff, making for interesting explorations. I dip into sheltered coves of satin smooth water blooming marvelous with what I think is native Persicaria amphibia water plants. (Correct me if I'm wrong - I've not met these aquatic beauties in full bloom before)

Though they are not lotus, I could be on waterways in Kerala or Kashmir in these magical shallows.

The lovely pink flowers are abuzz with insects and elusive (to my camera) blue dragonflies. Photography of small, flying creatures from a bobbing kayak is not the easiest thing and I wasn't inclined to stress the moment on this particularly peaceful paddle day.

Perhaps all roads should end in water.

After my paddle, to dry out a bit, I take a small stroll around the desert botanic gardens which surround the lake and parking lot. Today I chose the red Emotion Spitfire sit-on-top kayak from my stable of water horses. It might be more appropriate to call it a sit-in-a-puddle-of-lake kayak. In my opinion, this is the best way to paddle in a Chihauhauan desert summer but, in consideration of the cloth seats of Janis truck I like to dry off a bit.
Changing clothes in the state park toilets was not an attractive option on this day. It was too early in the morning for rangers or their volunteer camp hosts to have cleaned up after some inconsiderate person/people had left an unpleasant mess.
Some days I think rather grumpily that admission to state parks and recreational facilities should require a four year degree in civic responsibility. Judging from the volume of litter and abuse of public facilities which I see in my wanderings, the great American public does not seem to know how to recreate responsibly.

This spring saw a wildflower superbloom across the desert southwest, cactus included. The abundance of swelling ruby jewels of tuna on various opuntia are testament to all those flowers a few months back.

Life balances briefly on the razor’s edge of near perfect.

I drive back to the Shala with The Rolling Stones song playing in my junk attic head "...if you try sometime, you might just find you get what you need..."
You can't always get what you what
I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometime you'll find
You get what you need
And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't we're gonna blow a fifty-amp fuse"
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well, you just might find
You get what you need
I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescription filled
I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy
And, man, did he look pretty ill
We decided that we would have a soda
My favorite flavor, cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was "dead"
I said to him
You can't always get what you want,
You can't always get what you want.
You can't always get what you want,
But if you try sometimes you just might find,
You get what you need
I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art of deception
Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands
You can't always get what you want,
You can't always get what you want,
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need
Songwriters: Keith Richards / Mick Jagger
You Can't Always Get What You Want lyrics © Abkco Music Inc.
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