I am sitting in the front patio of our cottage on Lake Wawasee, Indiana as I am writing this post, listing to the birds sing their morning serenade, the soft breeze blow through the trees, blue lake waters gently lapping the sand beach, and the occasional distant boat motor. It is Monday morning and I am enjoying our family’s 33 foot slice of heaven on Earth.

My parents, namely my mother, astutely purchased this 1909 cottage 30 years ago. It may not be the largest cottage or lot on Lake Wawasee, but it is indeed a sweet slice of heaven…a place to relax, rest, and unwind, particularly during the week or offseason, as things get a bit hectic around here on summer weekends.

Some may say, I didn’t know Indiana had any natural lakes. To me, that’s a good thing…staying under the radar, so we can enjoy the peace and tranquility here in the northeast part of the state without intrusion by hoards of funseekers.

In reality, there are approximately 1,000 lakes in the northeast quarter of Indiana stretching from near Rochester to the Michigan line at Angola. They continue into the Irish Hills of Southeast Michigan and eventually west and north of Detroit. At approximately 2,900 acres, Lake Wawasee is the largest natural lake in the state.

Each time I see a Great blue heron standing at attention on our dock; see the steady stream of monarch butterflies fluttering southwest across the blue waters; hear the V-formation flocks of geese fly overhead; fall asleep to the light chop of the lake waters; enjoy the company of family, friends, and neighbors; paddle a kayak along the shoreline; or see the regatta of sailboats on summer Sunday mornings, I am reminded how very lucky we are to have such a sweet place of respite.