Remembering Gull Lake near Minden, Ontario.
Cottage on Gull Lake. Photo: Janis Kravis.
When our boys Leif, Nils and Guntar were small, we rented an old lakeside cottage for a number of years, where they learned to swim, fish, windsurf and run a motor boat. It was a primitive, charming place which we kind of made our own as we had it for the season year after year.There was a small dock among the rocks, Helga my wife, made a flag from one of the multicoloured marimekko fabrics and we erected a flag pole. At the beginning of each season, we covered most of the dock with a new marimekko fabric.
We often joked that Armi (Ratia) would have no difficulty spotting our cottage if she came flying by in her helicopter. Armi was known to appear in the sky in her helicopter to visit Bøkars, her country place, and to pay a visit to her guests who might be having a pic nick on the outer islands.
Nils, Leif and Guntar. Photo: Janis Kravis.