Summers On The Lake

Today seems one of those days when my mind is adrift to another place and time.. As a youth at this time of year thoughts drifted to greener spaces far from this concrete jungle I lived in. My Dad had bought a country house, not sure what that meant but I did know it meant a change of scenery. It was only 82 miles north but as we had in a previous year vacationed 95 miles north I felt it had to be similar. It was as now we had a house of our own.. it was like pioneers.. we had a wood stove.. how incredible to me this was as well fun. Everything seemed to taste better even toast. It was a morning battle sometimes for who would get to fire it up.. but once going was on all day.. for we were a family of tea tottlers. It was always cool in the mornings.. fog on the lake till sunlight would rise over the mountains to burn it off. As we were in a valley surrounded by their majesty on the lake.

The lake was not of great size but it was fine no power boats allowed just row boats.. canoes.. paddle boats actually they were all that was required. The lake was spring fed water as clear as glass and as fresh. In the evenings you could watch the otters play or the sunfish jump .. or a clear night with a full moon the waters danced with great fun to the diamond sparkles within their midst. My room on the second floor faced the lake so I could sit quietly without notice and watch the goings on.. be it a deer at lakes edge catching a morning drink.. or ducks swimming by.. it was always with awe that I sat and watched.

There were days filled with berry picking activities and the rewards after that were of blueberry.. strawberry.. or apple pies cooked in the wood burning stove were always welcomed treats.. My Mom was quite a pie lady.. cakes were not her strong suit.. those came from Duncan Hines boxes for birthdays or some such.. I loved that ole stove but as time progressed propane was the new kid in town.. and out went the wood burner sadly. Progress they called it.. to me it was like loosing an ole friend.. Some improvements were welcomed though.. we had a bathroom that was only a sink and toilet.. baths were in the lake with a bar of soap... heart stoppers on cold mornings.. We could heat a kettle of water and take a basin up to our room and wash like pioneers.. but a few years in Dad put in a hot water tank and new full bathroom off the dining room. Propane was handy then but still I missed the stove. It was almost romantic to me. The smell of bread baking especially cinnamon raisin.. mmmmmmmmmmmmm..

There was always fun to be had.. making puzzles.. playing cards.. boat rides.. bonfires on our beach.. even sything the grass on the hill on the hill or working on the garden.. always plenty to do.. Mom and me were avid walkers .. I would leash the dog and off we'd go.. miles at times.. once even 10.. it was dark when we returned but it was a moon lit cool night and we didn't mind. There were several lakes to discover in the area.. as it was all new to us. Yup a city gal with a country heart.

Yes those were the days... Mom is now gone but yearly I drive up to the old house that has a new owner and hope they haven't opened for the season yet. I go on Mother's Day as the cemetary just has no memories of her for me.. so I go and I sit on the old porch and look out on the lake and remember our times.. It was just her and me for so many years as the rest were older and would come for a weekend now and then.. but it was us who's spirit was stongest there..

So many memories so many feeling...