Lake Quinault Lodge in the Winter Months

The last time we visited Lake Quinault Lodge, it was summer, and the day was warm, and the breeze off the lake was fragrant with summer smells.  There were swimmers and walkers everywhere, and the summer chairs lined the shoreline.

Today, in mid-winter, we were the only ones outside in the light drizzle, walking along the lake, and peering through the mist.  The furniture had been put away, and the canoes were stacked together, their bright colors reminding me of crayons emptied from their box. The Adirondack chairs were lined up in quiet rows, waiting for visitors to spend summer afternoons whiling away the time, talking and gazing at the lake.

Soon spring will emerge from the winter slumber, and the Lodge will once again come alive.  However, even on a wintry day like today, you can feel the promise of summer and all it holds in the air, waiting.