By Margaret Moshier

Special to the Express

I open my eyes and gaze out the window. I see the blazing sun peeking over the horizon and feel a cool breeze glide up my arms and shiver down my spine. Rays of sunlight reflect off the still lake water, causing it to glimmer like a seas of a thousand minuscule gems. I walk down to the water’s edge where the modest waves crash gently against the wooded shores. I dip in my toes to test the water and a refreshing chill surges through my veins before I dive directly into Fourth lake. The sturdy pine trees towering overhead are a true sign of the beauty and strength of the Adirondack Mountains. Hours later, the golden sun has dipped in the sky as it spends its final waking moments sending an iridescent glow across the horizon. As the night crawls in, I look up to see billions of stars dance across the endless black sky, like sparklers set ablaze. Across the campfire past my marshmallow toasting near the embers, I see the smiling faces of the ones I love and I feel warmth fill me up inside, not only from the blazing flames flickering against the blackness of night, but from the kindness and love from the ones surrounding me. I wish that this night, these feelings, this moment in time, would never end.

Everywhere, signs of fall have crept into the Adirondacks. All of the trees have undergone drastic and stunning transformations. The leaves are an exquisite array of vibrant oranges, deep reds and brilliant yellow. One by one, they slowly descend from their treetop perch and lay gently on the forest floor, now a mosaic of brightly colored foliage. We spend our days hiking the colossal mountains and fishing in the creek down by the lake. The feelings of pride and happiness fill our bodies when we reach the peak and look out at the beautiful landscape below or feel a nibble on the end of our lines and reel in a glassy trout or sunfish. By this time of the year, the bears and other wildlife have begun to build their dens, ready to stow away for the frigid months ahead and so have the residents. Unlike the bustling summer season, in the months ahead the human activity will be scarce.

Before long, the first snowstorm of the season has come and gone and now the lake is frozen solid, a thick layer of ice and snow covering the once effervescent waters. The peaks of the rugged mountains are concealed by a thick layer of freshly fallen snow. Towering overhead, the sturdy pine trees are gathered together as if they are trying to  huddle to keep the cold out, which is exactly what my family is doing as well.

The whole family is huddled together, under countless blankets in the lodge, shivering around the fireplace and drinking hot cocoa, as the snowstorm outside rages on. The lights flicker out and we are sitting there in darkness listening to the burning logs crackle and the wind whip across the barren lake. I look to my left and right and see the six of us curled up together and secretly I am thankful for the stormy weather. There is a soft glow dancing on the faces of my parents, brothers and sister from the dim lanterns, as we take turns rolling the dice and hoping for a Yahtzee. This is one of those moments when I think how fortunate I am to be able to be in such a beautiful place, spending a nice quiet quality night with the ones you love. I gaze outside to see flurries of icy snow, then I turn back and focus in on the warmth swallowing me up inside the lodge.

The sun wakes, bringing with it the joys of the day and the sounds of life reentering the  desolate wilderness. Birds chirp lighthearted tunes as they swoop about collecting food for their young and the sounds of children laughing while chasing ducklings across the beach, once again enter Eagle Bay. The looming peaks in the horizon are lightly dusted with the remaining snowfall from the months prior, just the memories of a brutal winter for all to gaze upon. All around, the wilderness awakens. Bears and their cubs emerge from their dens. Loons have returned to ride the waves as they crash against the shoreline once again.  Sunshine is cast over the lake and it once again begins to glisten. The sight brings a smile to every face that lays eyes upon it.

Eagle Bay, New York, in the Adirondack Mountains, is a place that I have held in a special place within my heart for my entire life. Each season brings a new personality to the remote paradise and a new joy and adventure to experience. Not only is the wilderness breathtaking, but it is also a place that immediately fills you with happiness and love and the joy of spending quality time with the ones dearest to you. It is exactly as they say, “I would rather spend every rainy day in the Adirondacks, than a sunny day at work”.

The writer’s grandfather submitted this essay she wrote for school. Margaret is an eighth-grader from New Jersey. Her family owns a camp in Eagle Bay.