I spent many summers when I was  a young child at Kilarney Cottage in Shawbridge (Prevost) Quebec in the Laurentians.  My great grand-father O’Donnell immigrated to Montreal from Ballybunion, Ireland before the Irish famine; he  built this cottage for his family of seven children.

My great-aunt took over hosting when her father passed. There was a creek where we spent hours hopping from rock to rock until we reached a pool of water and where I first learned how to swim.   There was always something to explore in that creek. The cottage had 15 rooms and my great-aunt always hosted many friends and family that came from Montreal.   Thank goodness the sound of the creek at night buffered the loud sounds of adults partying until the wee hours.

My aunt (father’s sister) did this painting of the creek years ago and I am so happy I still have this as the photos never gave it justice. This painting is only a glimpse of this long creek that led to mini cascades of water falls and one huge pool of still water. I still hear the sounds of that creek and the ice-cold water, brrrr.

hear the rapids
foaming swirls
creek

~

jumping rocks,
dodging frigid water
splash

~

lazy days
lying on our big rock
fingers paddling

~

fall asleep,
water flowing
white noise.

© Cheryl-Lynn 2014/06/19

Submitted for Carpe Diem Haiku Kai #494 Creek