One of the personal projects I chose to undertake this summer was a book and DVD in anticipation of our cottage association's 50th anniversary. Hard to believe it's been 50 years since my parents purchased the lakeside property and decided to build.
I can't thank my parents enough for their foresight to build and maintain a cottage at Chesley Lake -- so many decades of enjoyment by family and friends. As depicted with pictures in this post, memories of the cottage are clear from my early days as a toddler, through my teenage years and into the varying stages of adulthood. Writing the history of our cottage association and organizing hundreds of photos from family and neighbors for the book sure helped me recall many wonderful moments.
Dad with the neighbors in 1960 clearing a road through the bush so they can start building cottages
One of the first photos of our cottage built in 1961
First neighborhood church service with yours-truly as a 3 month-old sharing a chair with my Mom
My brother (Randy) and friend (Greg) in the early 1960s -- Birchcrest security at its best
OK, I realize this is incriminating but how often does a person get to post a picture when he was 3 years old? Interesting that I remember the picture being taken so many years ago. I loved those red boots.
Dad built a 21 foot raft soon after he built the cottage which we named The Queen Mary; many good times floating around on that oil-barrel contraption!
Years later as a teenager, I'm enjoying a good book with my sister-in-law (Ruth) and niece (Dana)
Niece (Dana) and nephew (Jared) active at the kitchen table
Other nephew (Jeremy) and niece (Kara) enjoying life on the lake
Neighbor (Avery) feeding the ducks who float by our docks faithfully most every day
Another neighbor (Keith) making a splash
Fairly recent pictures of the cottage after a few renovations
Annual ritual of taking out the dock before the winter freeze
My parents with our neighbors the Ramseyers
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of His hands. (Psalm 91:1)
the skies proclaim the work of His hands. (Psalm 91:1)
God certainly hasn't spared any effort on the skies over Chesley Lake all these years!
Included here is a short 2.5 minute video of the finished product, a book I titled Imprints of Birchcrest. As with most videos, you'll need to have hi-speed to see it without interruption.
