Friday, July 1, 2011

Drought Relief

Dry spell, parched, nothing going on in blogville.Until now. Let the vacation begin!

We (the royal we and my loyal subordinates) left bone dry Texas and the crunchy grass at the beginning of the week and are currently basking on Lake Pomme de Terre in lush and green southwestern Missouri. DSCN1811

When you haven’t seen any measurable rain since the New Year even an overcast sky on a wet morning the first day of your vacation is a beautiful sight.

And when the temps at home have been in the triple digits for weeks the thermometer in the 60’s, even if it is just in the morning, is a relief.DSCN1819

We’ve been making this trip for the last several summers – staying for a month or so at some property that has been in my family for five generations now.

This is THE spot. The only place in my life that has always been here. The first place I ever swam or skied or tried to keep an ice cream scoop in the cone on a moving watercraft. The first place I ever held a fishing pole or a fourth of July sparkler or ate a green apple off the tree.. THIS is Gramma’s house. And when I walk in the door and down that dark hallway that was originally part of the garage it still smells like Gramma’s house, even though her pie making days are part of the past now, there’s no question she’s been here. Although now she just visits in the summer like I do.

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I remember picking flowers from this flower bed and playing wedding in this yard, and the late fall when my dad helped put in this fireplace.

I’d swing for hours in the swing my Grampa put up across the street in the black walnut grove, pull locust shells off the trees, collect little acorn men and their little frenchy hats, and chase down lightening bugs for my jar.DSCN1804

I rode my first motor bike here – just a little Honda trail 70 – there were once four of them – one for each of my grandparent’s kids. The rides I remember the most fondly were sitting on the front edge of the seat with my feet on the handlebars and my Gramma taking me down the gravel road, avoiding the potholes, to the “bubble-gum store”. I’m sure they carried more than hard pink bubble gum and candy necklaces, but that’s all that mattered to me.

And now we’re gearing up for another holiday weekend. The quiet of the week is gone and boats are starting to arrive. The water is already getting chopped up with skiers and tubers and kids just seeing who can make the biggest splash and accidentally get mom’s sunglasses and hair soaked.DSCN1907DSCN1901

My cousins have started to arrive now and I’m currently the “old person” here but that will change soon and I'll slip into acting like a kid again myself. Our children are running around barefoot , playing and asking for popsicles and firecrackers at 10 in the morning and the smell of sunscreen is in the air. They’re making their own memories now. If they’re just half as sweet as the memories I have of growing up here they’ll be fantastic.DSCN2190

I’m off to another rough day… I hope you’re making some great memories with your family this weekend.

I’m linking up to…

Sit Relax and Read

6 comments:

  1. So sweet. I love seeing pictures of the place and reading about your memories. You should link this up to Cha Cha's Sentimental Sunday party. It's perfect. Lisa~

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  2. Hi there!
    Just wanted to stop in and say thank you for the fabulous choclates that arrived in the mail today. Again thank you! That was a great giveaway! I had a couple choclates with my coffee this afternoon, very yummy:D

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  3. Oh yay! I'm glad it wasn't one big mass of chocolate by the time you got it. But with where it was headed I figured it had a chance of going mostly by plane and staying cool on the trip. :0)

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  4. How fun! It made me think of my grandma's house. I sure miss her, and the many things we did at her house. Have a great week!

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  5. It reminds me also of my grandma's and my cousins and all the fun times we had together playing and making memories.

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  6. Perfect, I love everything about this story!!!! I was walking around the old (falling apart) house on my grandparents land, I loved going thought all the memories in my head, I am going to have to write them all like you did so I have the memory forever. Thank you for inspiring me.

    Cha Cha

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Thanks for stopping by. It warms my heart that you would take the time to comment. Well... If you said something nice it warms my heart...

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