Summertime and the Living is Easy

In between the set up for the rummage sale and the actual sale, which starts early tomorrow, I had today to wander around for awhile in the gorgeous area where the sale is taking place. Despite our lot being only a few miles away, we’ve never really taken the time to investigate the Chain of Lakes so I felt like getting out for a drive this morning.

Clearwater Harbor is perhaps one of the best known bar and grilles on the Chain due to outdoor and lakeside dining. I also noted that the Chain boat tours depart from here and they have several specialty concert tours which depart in the evening. Blues on the lake or jazz on the lake; either one sound like great fun! Clearwater Harbor is located on Taylor Lake in the small village of King. King is also home to the 1867 Veteran’s Home, one of the oldest in the country.

None of the Chain lakes is very big and a few are either non-motorized or low wake speed limited, so by far the boat of choice in these parts is the pontoon boat. Every house seems to have one hanging from a rear yard dock and there were some weekday party-goers and fisherman out and about today. In addition, it’s possible to rent one by the hour, day, or week which is also highly popular.

Although there is a nice naturally wooded swath of Harman State Park which runs alongside one of the lakes for some distance and features hiking trails and a campground; for the most part they are highly developed with an eclectic mix of vintage cabins, log homes and cabins, and modern McMansions. Since the area is heavily wooded with a mix of conifers and deciduous, the winding lanes and streets appear quiet, quaint and very resort-like this time of year. Other than the obvious elevation and topography differences it reminded me a lot of the older sections around the western and northern shore of Lake Tahoe and the way it was in the 1960’s and ‘70’s. Homes and boats snuggle the shore and every one of them has a dock or a deck to enjoy it from. Obviously, real estate in this neck of the woods is all very high dollar.

Boaters of all sorts were enjoying time on the water today; I caught these two gals at a small riverside park less than two miles from our lot as they just launched and took off for an afternoon of kayaking, which is another big sport around here given both the Crystal and Waupaca Rivers, which meander throughout the area and downtown Waupaca. With all this backdoor recreation it just makes me sad that Marc has to always be gone and miss it. Maybe someday we'll be able to enjoy this beautiful area we now call home.