8-8-14 “Azurific” - There is not a morning that I don’t look forward to making the turn around Split Rock in my kayak and having the panorama of the south end of Lake Ozonia and Mt. Azure beyond come into view. Some mornings the scene is better than others....none are ever a disappointment. This one made me put on the brakes...set down my paddle....take a few photos to get the camera settings I like...then just lay back for a few minutes and watch....it doesn’t take long for this scene to change...not at this time in the morning. I know it looks cold...believe me it isn’t....especially when one is sitting on the source of much of the morning’s heat and steam....the lake. Once the air temperature in the still night air gets lower than that of the water...steam will appear. When the sun rises in the morning, it first heats the air in the upper atmosphere causing even colder air to sink...we all have felt this phenomenon in the winter right about when it is time to go start up our cars. So the air over the lake gets particularly steamy in the early morning....but soon the sun’s rays will burn off the mist with the aid of the wind...the sky will transition from gray to white to blue...the lake surface will begin to tremble and no longer reflect like a perfect mirror...the sound of small waves lapping against the shoreline begins to replace that of dew falling from the surrounding forest canopy striking the ground below...and the robins will begin to sing their special happy morning song....I hum along because I know the message... I just don’t know the words.