Last time I blogged, I was looking forward to the end of my day job with a school district and the start of my summer break. Now, hard as it is to believe, a week of that precious time has already passed. How can that be?
When I was a kid, summer vacation seemed to last forever, filled with trips to the park and the sprinklers, days at the local pool, long bicycle rides around town, and even longer trips to visit Grandma and Grandpa.
For the times we felt lazy, we chased butterflies and fireflies, played box ball, and balanced on homemade skateboards more likely to tip us off than to take us anywhere.
And on those sweltering hot days, we had cold foods and drinks that felt sooooo refreshing: Lemonade. Kool-Aid. Popsicles in red and orange and purple that turned our mouths and lips and tongues all those same colors. And juice-dripping watermelon loaded with seeds we could spit across the yard...or at each other.
Sometimes, I miss those carefree days. Don't you?
Feel free to post some of your favorite summer memories. I'll be back to read them—as soon as I get my hands on a Popsicle.
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
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24 comments:
I remember spending the evening hous eating watermelon and then finding a jar to collect all of the fireflies. My sisters and I would set up a home in the jar for the fireflie "family" members that we collected and watch them glow for hours.
I remember long summer days swimming in the lake, with potato salad and hot dogs for snacks--and an occasional popsicle.
My favorite memory of summers is when I used to bike to the library and come back with a ton of books in my basket. Then curling up in my room with the likes of Judy Blume, Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and the gals at Sweet Valley High.
--Jazzgirrl
Walking about a mile to the public library to participate in the summer reading program. No concept of distance so I didn't mind. Going to the public pool and jumping off the high diving board into 15' of water. Never did learn to dive but ooh I loved that cool water. A dog following me home who went unclaimed and became one of the family pets for the next ten years. Picnics, fireworks, hopscotch, kick ball.
You're right, Barbara. Summer was forever.
I love summer and I sure do miss those days
Every year my family and I would go to Ocean City Maryland for Vacation I love the beach
The Fourth of July parade in my hometown (we don't have one where I live now) and those red/white & blue Rocket popcicles!
Swimming in the above ground pool in our backyard every day.
the fireworks they used to do in my home city at the fourth of july; until "safety" became a problem.
Some of my favorite summer time memories from childhood are playing outside all day and only coming in for cold drinks and popsicles and in the evening catching fireflies in a jar.
The one vacaction I remember was when I was about 9 or 10. We went to British Columbia to visit relative. My cousin (close in age) and I spent most of the time in their trailer and read teen Mags and talked. The only damper was about two days before we had to leave. We were having fun showing off on the trampoline and I kind of got tangling in the spring on the side and fell off and sprained my ankle. I'm just thankful it didn't happen at the beginning of the trip.
The library stands out in my mind the most. Once a week my mom would take us (unfortunately it wasn't within walking distance or I would have lived there lol) and getting to choose from an endless supply of books. All those days of reading for pleasure and getting to do it into the night and not worrying about getting up early. Reading has always been my greatest pleasure.
I remember going to the Tasty Freeze with my girlfriend. We'd ride our bicycle there and pool our money together and share an order of fries or a strawberry sundae. It was a guilt-free treat!
Now that I can afford to buy them whenever I want, I can't afford the calories.
I remember going to beach and doing barbecue picnics alot. I remember my grandparents taking us to the amusement parks. I also remember enjoying ice cream from the ice cream truck. I also remember eating watermelon and having fun spitting out the seeds.
My favorite memories are all the neighborhood kids getting together for a game of kickball, then having a popsicle afterwards to cool down. I loved the sunny days when there would
be a short rain shower and then we would see a rainbow. I don't seem to
see many rainbows anymore. Or maybe
I just don't take the time to look for them like I did back then.
I'm gonna show my age, but here I go.....I remember going out in the morning and not coming home till dark and if Mama wanted to know where I was all she had to do was start calling neighbors until she found the one whose yard we were playing in; I remember endless hours of Red Rover, Red Light-Green Light and Hide & Seek; I remember home-made ice cream on my grandparents back porch; I remember the entire family(grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins, and any neighbor who could get away) going "on vacation" and renting one big house to do it; I remember catching "lightning" bugs and frogs; I remember searching the neighborhood for empty Coke bottles so we wouldn't have to pay a dime deposit at the store and then 5 of us sharing that one Coke. I have so many wonderful memories, I hope my children will be able to write a blog like this someday!!
OMG ABamaBecky you summed up my summer life too. We would play Red Rover until our arms hurt! Kick ball was another biggie for us. The homemade ice cream at my grandparents house with my grandfather using the old crank machine. I loved to sit and chat with him while he sat and turned the churn. We use to get big pieces of cardboard and slid down the huge hill on my grandparents farm. It was sleigh riding. We would pick Queen Ann lace flowers and put them in colored water and watch them change to the water color. Oh the popsicles we ate boxes and boxes. Does anyone remember when the sticks were plastic and looked like chain links? We saved them and would connect them together and build things. All these wonderful memories bring joyful tears to my eyes. Thanks Barbara for starting us on a trip down memory lane. :)
Aargh!!! I typed a lot of replies and somehow lost them all! So now I'm going to do them in batches.
I came back to the computer from a day away and found lots and lots of messages. Nice to "see" you all.
Kathleen, I couldn't create firefly families, because as soon as I went to put one in a jar, the other one would fly out!
Jazzgirrl and Patricia, I'm SO with you on the library! Even today, it's my favorite place to be.
Jazzgirrl, I never got into SW High or much of Judy B (except Margaret) but when it comes to Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden, I'm your girl.
I still have all my original Trixies (about 17 or 18, I think) and then was thrilled about 15 years ago to find they'd come out with all new stories--maybe another 20 books or so. (The originals are still the best, though.)
I've been warning my husband all school year that I'm doing a Trixie Belden binge something this summer! Thanks for the reminder. (grin)
Barbara http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Estella, funny how a lot of the summer memories center around food, huh? Come to think of it, that's true for me with most memories. LOL
Jennifer and Dominic, we used to have a great 4th of July parade AND fireworks. But I seem to remember the firewords being so much more spectacular back then.
Christa, what a way to end a vacation!
Catslady, another library gal! I was so happy when I was finally old enough to take the bus alone to the uptown library. I'd read everything in our local branch by then.
Sue, I'm groaning along with you about the calories.
Cherie, I forgot about the ice-cream man. I'd swear we could hear that music from a mile away.
Barbara
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
cas2ajs - not long after we first moved to the Southwest, I actually saw a DOUBLE rainbow. And in seven years, I've seen one or two more since. Pretty good, since it only ever rains about 3-4 times a year here.
abamabecky - I don't think you're showing your age, because I remember Red Rover and Red Light, Green Light AND collecting Coke bottles. (Well, maybe it was cans by then....)
And don't forget Freeze Tag and Simon Says!
Miss Reader, you're very welcome for the trip down memory lane. I should have polled you all BEFORE I wrote my blog entry...I'd have had a lot more thoughts to add in.
Thanks for the memories, everyone!
All my best,
Barbara http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Every year when I was a kid we would spend a week in Ocean City Maryland. I love the ocean and the beach. Summer is my favorite time of the year
Bethre...
I have friends who always went to Ocean City, too. And I was always envious of them. ;-)
Best,
Barbara http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Summertime memories: homemade Fudgsicles that Mom made; watermelon and salt and yes, the seed spitting contests; ice cream treats in the deep freeze after a long hard day's work(lived far from town).
anonymous is robynl, sorry.
robynl,
Thanks for sharing the memories--especially about the watermelon and salt. Every time I eat watermelon, my husband thinks I'm crazy.
I thought that was the way everyone ate it! LOL
Best,
Barbara
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
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