A bird does not sing because it has an answer. 

It sings because it has a song.  

Chinese Proverb

Not so far away............is a get away of sorts.........

a lake........that I often visited with my parents when I was young......... and now do not live too far away from. I am not into fishing.........but I love the winding road and pretty countryside drive to get there. When I get there...........I love to just walk and enjoy .

This lake...........being in Texas........like many of the lakes........has been extremely low........

but with the unusual amount of rain that we got in this area earlier this year, 

it  filled so much at once that it flooded a lot of areas. It has now gone down a little but is still so very pretty and full of water.

What I love the most about this place is the old lake cabins that are on one side of the lake

Many have broken windows.......no doors.........and are swaying with age..........

left behind and forgotten

once the dream of a perfect summer day

sitting.......in rust..........but as if waiting for the owner to return

I am really fond of this little cottage looking cabin with the large windows in front.......

all broken out.......with no door

I found myself wishing I was 30 years younger.......and had the energy and know how of  Nicole Curtis of  Rehab Addict .......

and I would be brave enough to rescue this place and

"make it beautiful again"!

It still had some of the pretty paint on the outside

the inside was in need of work........but still in pretty good shape

considering how long it has been abandoned.

One side of the lake has a residential area that  is landscaped, mowed, and controlled.

But I love the side that has a natural wildness still to it

where the wet soggy bank has sunken prints from early morning deer and other wild creatures that have come for a drink.

the moss covered , red clay rocks

that have such a striking beauty at the waters edge

and to be able to sit in the stillness and watch a graceful large blue herring glide quietly over the water

to catch it's dinner for the day.

Such a serene and peaceful place to visit............

I often feel this way about my own home.............until..........

this crawled from underneath the water cabinet onto my kitchen floor the other night.

Out of all of the years we have lived here.........we have never had a snake in our home.

The snakes are certainly on the crawl at this time of  year.........but I have no idea how this tiny bull snake got into our house. Thankfully.........it was small enough to scoop up and it is not poisonous. 

Still...........I am now very jumpy when I see an electric cord lying on the floor.

So tell me...........have you visited a favorite or new get away this summer?

What kind of snakes do you have in your area?