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TEN MILE LAKE

An Essay by Shelby Oelschlager, April 2008

(14 Yrs., Granddaughter to David and Doris Hite)

When you go to Ten Mile Lake in Minnesota, there are many things that you notice. Is it the air? Is it the surroundings? I will tell you more about the lake.

When you first get there, you will see two cabins. One is brown and one is white. Past the cabins are birch and pine trees. They are really gnarly. Past the trees is Ten Mile Lake. Most days, the lake has very few ripples on it, but when it is really windy you will see white capped waves on the lake. When you wake up, the lake is extremely calm. You rarely see boats on the lake at that time. Sometimes you will see ducks and loons. Once in a while, you will see a snapping turtle, deer, eagles, squirrels, and sometimes even a porcupine! That is what you see when you are at the lake.

You will hear many things when you are at the lake. One sound is the sound of waves crashing up against the shoreline. That sound is very calming. Another sound is the sound of boat motor’s running. That sound could be alarming if the boat isn’t working properly. Sometimes you will hear loons calling to each other. That sound puts everyone in a peaceful mood. Once in a while, you may hear a big splash. That’s probably someone jumping or being pushed off a dock. Sometimes you might hear my grandpa yell, “GET THE NET!!!” That might mean that he has caught the enemy. We call the Crappies the enemy. Those might be some of the sounds that you might hear at Ten Mile Lake.

You will probably taste some things too. One really yummy thing is fish. My favorite types of fish are Walleye and Crappie. You might taste s’mores sometimes too. I don’t like them burnt, but I like them to be gooey. Those are just a few of the things that you will taste in Minnesota.

At Ten Mile Lake, you will probably feel many things. The grass is most likely pokey, unless they have had a lot of rain. The lake is always cold, unless the weather is really nice out. If you don’t wear shoes outside, you might get sap on your feet. Sap is really sticky. Once in a while, those evil mosquitoes will take your blood and then you will have a bug bite that itches a lot! Sometimes you will feel a light breeze. It feels good, especially when you are hot. If you accidentally get a fish hook in your finger, that will hurt. A LOT! Also when you put minnows on your hook to fish with, you can feel the slimy texture of that bait. It is weird! The dock might also be warm on your feet. Those are just a few of the many things you will feel at the lake.

When you are at the lake, you probably will smell many things. The fresh air is one of the best things up there. You may also smell smoke if you or your neighbors are grilling or having a campfire. You could also smell rotten fish if they wash up onto the shoreline. That really stinks! So does the smell of skunk if it sprays its odor in the backyard. Sometimes you will even smell motor oil if the guys spill a little in the boat on accident. Most of those smells come and go, but I love that the fresh air is always there.

I really enjoy going to the lake in the summer because you are really calm and everything is peaceful and carefree. I hope that you have received some knowledge on how I feel when I am at Ten Mile Lake.

Shelby Oelschlager

April, 2008

This was an Eighth-grade class project for Shelby, who has been coming to Ten Mile Lake all her life. Shelby's grandparents, the Hites, have been coming to Ten Mile Lake since 1965.