Scarlet, nestling with lilac, bleeds into a patchwork of sublime azure as the first blush of dusk creeps through faint puffs of clouds poised over the horizon. The tranquil waters divinely mirror the vibrant kaleidoscope above. Each passing moment leads to a slow yet steady tango of colorful transformation; a shy gold eventually erupts into a fiery orange which, in time, manifests back into a budding rose. Da Vinci, in all his refined glory, could have never painted anything like this. The scene before me, woven with the kind of essence that transforms non-believers, seems to be the sole foundation for the popular teleological argument of design, and rightfully so. It is a magnificent natural wonder, consisting of a beauty that makes one want to shamelessly stare yet tenderly devour. But it’s only Manitowoc. And I’m driving to school. Everyone is driving, focusing rather on the bleak cement. The roads-- so full of commuters-- contrast the empty benches facing Lake Michigan. …show more content…
It is universal, this fascination. Yet, as many tend to be blind to the beauty within themselves, locals tend to be blind to the beauty of this town. My hometown. I am not above it all, though. I have seen the lake in its most ethereal moments, and it is the most beautiful entity I have thus far ever witnessed. Yet why am I not at the lake every day? Perhaps that is unrealistic-- every other day, maybe? Twice a week? Once every fourteen days? Why don’t the 30,000 plus locals flock to the beautiful morning waters more frequently? The sun rises in the east, and that is the lake’s exact location to our town-- as if it were meant to be. Are we all becoming immune to its beauty? What a sickening thought! I appreciate the lake as do my neighbors, yet as one of the biggest lakes in the world should we not notice it
The lake itself plays a major role throughout the story, as it mirrors the characters almost exactly. For example, the lake is described as being “fetid and murky, the mud banks glittering with broken glass and strewn with beer cans” (125). The characters are also described as being “greasy” or “dangerous” several times, which ties the lake and the characters together through their similarities. The narrator explains, “We were bad. At night we went up to Greasy Lake” (124). This demonstrates the importance that the surroundings in which the main characters’ choose to be in is extremely important to the image that they reflect. At the beginning of the story, these characters’ images and specifically being “bad” is essentially all that mattered to them. “We wore torn up leather jackets…drank gin and grape juice…sniffed glue and ether and what somebody claimed was cocaine” (124). They went out of their ...
In the essay “Once More to the Lake,” E.B. White, uses diction and syntax to reveal the main character’s attitude towards the lake in Maine. He has an uncertain attitude towards the lake throughout the essay because he is unsure of who he is between him and his son. On the ride there White, pondering, remembering old memories, keeps wondering if the lake is going to be the same warm place as it was when he was a kid. The lake is not just an ordinary lake to White, it’s a holy spot, a spot where he grew up every summer. “I wondered how time would have marred this unique, this holy spot-the coves and streams, the hills that the sun set behind, the camps and the paths behind the camps” (29). White’s diction and syntax
This vacation spot White describes through memories of his boyhood days always seemed to be so wonderful no matter what had gone wrong. White recalls the time when "[his] father rolled over in a canoe" and another time when "[they] all got ringworm" but none of this mattered in the long run, after all, this was the best place on earth. To White the mountain lake is seen as "constant and trustworthy", and on the trip back there with his own son, White wondered if "time would have marred" the appearance of the lake. Thoughts of the time spent there summer after summer continued to revisit White throughout the trip and everything from thunderstorms to the stillness of the water
"Once More to the Lake," by E.B. White is a short story in which White recalls his annual summer vacations to the lake, and in turn develops a conflict within himself regarding the static and dynamic characteristics of this lake, and their relation to the changes that White himself is experiencing as he is growing older. When White takes his son to the lake, he comes to the sharp realization that certain aspects of both the lake and himself are different, and with a sense of reminiscence, White takes us from the time his father first took him to the lake, and tells the new story of his most recent visit when he is no longer a boy, but a father, showing his son this "holy place" for the very first time. Throughout the story, White comments on how many of the elements of the lake have changed, and how other things have stayed constant with the passage of time.
Mono Lake is a unique body of water lying in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. For decades its water sources were tapped by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) to use for farming because the lake's high elevation would allow them to easily transport the water to the city and because the water was so saline, people believed it was worthless. The normal traits by which people judge lakes were lacking in Mono: fish could not survive in the salty water, the water was harsh to swim in because of the chemicals and salinity, the scenery was unlike other lakes because there were no trees. Mono Lake appeared to be an isolated lake in the middle of the desert, which DWP could use as they wished. What they hadn't known at the time was the rich history of the lake and the important place it held in the biological world. The geological history of the Western United States has shaped Mono and given it the properties it has, while those properties have given it a specific role in the migration of birds.
Nearly everything captured the attention of handsome, intelligent, and charming da Vinci. His dream of flying and pursuit of inventing often compelled him to abandon a project for the sake of exploration. Contrary to the beliefs of most notorious figures of the time, da Vinci comprehended the flaws of humanism and relativism. Rather, he recognized a higher authority, which he strove to obey. Today, da Vinci is most frequently recognized as the creative genius behind the fascinating “Mona Lisa.” “Mona Lisa” herself, was likely quite ordinary. In fact, “Mona” is simply an abbreviation of the title, “Mrs.” or “Madonna.” While the subject’s true identity is debatable, da Vinci’s skillful execution is undeniable. The blurred contours and dark undertones of his own technique, sfumato, pair with intentional fuzziness and purposeful shadows to create a portrait with exceptional depth and rich meaning. Opposed to the preferences of many artists of the day, da Vinci favored pleasant subjects. No doubt his employment of musicians and jesters to entertain his subjects is partially responsible for Mona Lisa’s distinguished smile. Indubitably, Leonardo da Vinci’s achievements set the standard for High Renaissance
The Seven Falls State Park, is a park located in Higganum, Connecticut. It is right along the border of Middletown and Haddam. This side of the town is home to many tree-infested areas and countless streams connecting it to the Connecticut River. The entrance to the park is off of Saybrook Road. The parking lot takes up about a quarter of the land, which makes me think of this as more of a commuter lot than anything. The parking lot is made from black gravel and is gated by recycled telephone poles. As you park your car, you immediately can tell it is Winter. The air is crisp, showing my breath as I cough from seasonal allergies. I immediately throw my hands into the pocket of my hoodie, bow my head, and hop over the fence to the field. As I stop and scan the land i realize how dead it is.
In E.B. Whites essay "Once More to the Lake," he states "none of us ever thought there was any place in the world like that lake in Maine." This adds to the because he obviously had a great time by becoming a salt-water man, and returning to the lake summer after summer. Another detail E.B. White gave about the lake is "The lake had never been what you would call a wild lake." I believe he's saying the lake is a peaceful place to maybe relax or hang out. Another detail E.B. White gave about his essay was "The lake was exactly where we had left it, the same number of inches from the dock." In my opinion, he's saying the undisturbed lake never goes out of it's own boundaries; the lake stays put.
It appears to me that pictures have been over-valued; held up by a blind admiration as ideal things, and almost as standards by which nature is to be judged rather than the reverse; and this false estimate has been sanctioned by the extravagant epithets that have been applied to painters, and "the divine," "the inspired," and so forth. Yet in reality, what are the most sublime productions of the pencil but selections of some of the forms of nature, and copies of a few of her evanescent effects, and this is the result, not of inspiration, but of long and patient study, under the instruction of much good sense…
There is no better feeling in this world than to be outdoors with nature, especially when there are numerous activities to dabble in. Often times people take for granted the sentimental value that they can experience by simply walking through a park. God created the Earth to be beautiful and peaceful, and people need to keep it that way. I have always shared a love of the outdoors with my dad and my brother. We have gone on numerous camping, hiking, fishing, and star-gazing trips ever since I can remember. It was no surprise to me when my dad decided to buy a lake house on Hyco Lake, right outside of Roxboro. We got a really good deal on the house, so my dad decided that Hyco Lake was the perfect spot.
Buckeye Lake is a very important place to a lot of people in central Ohio. After the Ohio Canal was shut down in 1894 the lake became a state park, with the lake itself covering 4000 acres and having thirty miles of shoreline (Buckeye Lake, para. 12). The lake became a vacation spot for families across central Ohio, looking for a day or weekend of leisure, earning it the nickname “Playground of Ohio”, a place close to home where they could swim and play in the water. It became even more popular when cottages, hotels, businesses, and even an amusement park starting popping up along the banks of the
Steuben, Maine remains my favorite place, with its endless span of dark blue ocean water spanning across the horizon and with its lush fields of blueberries. I have never encountered a location where the simple life is appreciated as much as it is there. In no way am I insulting Maine locals when I mention the phrase “simple life”, I only mean that there are very little complications to the ways of life. I often find myself remarking in the beauty of nature and the landscape, objects I rarely recognize enough around me to remark upon. Maine has a way of speaking to me through nature with symbols such as the eagle or sunrise, which have led me to fully appreciate the lifestyle I am capable of living while I retreat to Maine.
The tiles were still dirty from the residue of chlorine and pittle combined into one thick layer of impossible gunk. This gunk surrounded the edge of pool right where the water met the lowest part of the tile and was even apparent underneath the shallow water fountain around the back end. The ring had been worn away in spots where the missus had got so fed up that she was gonna put an end to this "ring of filth" once and for all. A few times she had started, but had always found a broken nail or straying hair to become spontaneously obsessive about when her arm got tired of scrubbing.
The visual surrounding the lake was perceived before the mountains was beautiful and serene. The lavender flowers near the water mirroring the colossal mountains smelled of spring. The sunset illuminated the sky making it purple and orange. The huge rocks were faultless and could be used for sitting and thinking. The warm breeze reassured that springtime was near. The lake was ideal for swimming, it was so clear. The cabins around the lake were perfect for summertime with family and friends. The clouds looked impeccable as they were angled over the mountains, their rectangular shapes resembled fluffy pillows. The snow had almost completely melted off the mountain in the distance. The environment was well needed for break within a busy life.
I think we all have a beautiful place in our mind. I have a wonderful place that made me happy a lot of times, years ago. But sometimes I think that I am the only person who likes this place and I'm asking myself if this place will be as beautiful as I thought when I will go back to visit it again. Perhaps I made it beautiful in my mind.