One of my favourite walks is to a nearby lake with a very marshy edge. Full of water plants, fish, ducks and birds this lake is a wonderful quiety sanctuary. This lake has a fishing dock which is is always in use, people hopefully casting for some of the trout with which the lake has been stocked . . . with lots of catching of perch which have taken over and which thrill the kids who fish for them. There are often boats of various sizes and shapes - inflatables, rowboats, small boats with electric motors, canoes - anything to get out on the water.

The edges of the lake are full of things to investigate as well; may types of ducks nest around the edge, swans and geese land, herons fish the edges and hawks and eagles circle above. For such a small body of water there is an amazing amount of life depending on it.

My painting of the lily pads was inspired by a recent visit and was done from memory - the next time I was there I took my camera and took these photos. I also took a video to capture the sound of the redwing blackbirds, other songbirds, frogs and other life forms, things we don't often get to hear when we are closer to home and traffic.