Sunrise at Osage Beach, Lake of the Ozarks
It's hard to believe, but school is beginning for many students this week. That means summer activities are winding down. Pools will closing in our area around Labor Day. A swimming pool was the place to be this very hot summer.
My childhood home on the farm.
When I was young and growing up on a farm, the swimming pool was about 10 miles away. In those days, my parents were too busy to run their kids to the swimming pool so we made do with what we had...a pond. We were lucky in that the pond that we mostly swam in was located right by our house. This pond wasn't just for swimming and fishing, it was also the source of our drinking water. With a filtering system, of course. We had other larger ponds on the farm and in one of those is where I was bitten not once but twice by a snake. I was a teenager at the time and decided then and there that swimming wasn't as fun as it used to be. I remember those teen years and how I always wanted a great tan, so I would go fishing and stand for hours (it seemed at the time) by the water hoping the reflection of the sun would result in my getting a nice tan. Not. I didn't realize then that fair-skinned people like myself just don't tan that easily.
Back at the pond in the photo above...I'll have to share how I learned to swim. I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone, though. My dad took me out to the middle of the pond and let me go. I flailed about and swallowed some water, but I got those arms and legs moving and made it to the shallow side. After that, I took to the water like a duck. It can't be seen in the photo above, but just to the left was a dock that my older brother built and on the right was a diving board he also made. The dock lasted a long time, the diving board didn't. We also made use of some inner tubes to float on. Ah, the good old summertime. After swimming, we were always hungry and then ready for a nap. Fast forward to today, some things haven't changed. I may not swim much, but I'm always hungry and ready for a nap!!
Until next time...
Yikes! Bitten twice????? That is the reason I DO NOT swim in water that has those "no-feet" things in it! A pool for me...that's it! I did fish in a pond adjoining our property though...spent many hours there with a cane pole, some worms and my faithful kitty cat. Thanks for the memories today!
ReplyDeleteDitto for me!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of snake? Oh that would've cured me from swimming as well.
Oh the things we did for a tan. Every time I see an age spot I scold myself.
I love that rock house.
ReplyDeleteMy dad tried to teach me that way; it didn't take. I still can't swim and am scared to death of deep water.
2 snake bites??? One would have been too many for me. Glad you survived!
ReplyDeleteI remember getting crawdads in my rubber boots because I swam with them on. No way was I going to touch the bottom.
ahh sweet memories, a beautiful home and pond to be raised in.
ReplyDeleteOh how nice to have a swimming hole right out your back door. I bet you weren't allowed to pee in the pond... LOL... kids do that anyway.
ReplyDeleteWe lived about 12 miles from town so we didn't get to go to pools either. We had creeks and small rivers near us that my Mom would drive us to once in awhile. Mostly, we just had water fights to cool off.
I forgot to say..... If a snake bit me .... I would not only have peed in the pond but.... you know what else I would of done.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos!
ReplyDeleteBut yikes!!!!! Your father dropped you in the lake? Eeeek. Nice that you took-to-water-like-a-duck, after that. If anyone did that to me, I'd have been traumatized-for-life. -sigh-
Gentle hugs,
"Auntie"
i learned to back float in the creek near my childhood home - because beavers had built a dam and made the water deep enough. my sis held onto my ponytail so i wouldn't drown. :)
ReplyDeletep.s. that top shot is beautiful, but the bottom shot warms the heart. :)
ReplyDeleteThe sunset at Branson is beautiful and I loved seeing your childhood home.
ReplyDeleteIf I had been bitten by a snake I would have gone nowhere near that pond. I learned to swim in a pool and don't like to swim in lakes. I made good use of the pool here this year. But it is closing the end of the
week. :0(
Funny how summer reminds us of being kids and swimming, taking awesome naps, eating great food and for me reading my favorite books. Oh and playing hide and seek when it got dark. Those were the days!
ReplyDeleteWhat great memories!
ReplyDeleteYou have some wonderful memories of your summer time swimming fun.. except the snake bites of course.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely Monday, Cheryl.
i always say "back in the day"...
ReplyDeletememories are funny, the things that we remember from our childhood are interesting. the many things our parents wish we would forget!!
love the beautiful colors in that first image!!
I never learned how to swim....the only water near me while I was growing up was the ocean and the waves were too rough and scary. I made sure my kids had swimming lessons, however, as I always regretted not knowing how to swim.
ReplyDeleteI also love eating and napping....lol...perfect summer time activities!
Love the memories, Cheryl. Not sure I'd want to swim in that pond --with snakes---but as children, we just did what was available... Not a good way to learn to swim--but you DID (which is good).....
ReplyDeleteI don't swim much these days either ---but also love to eat and sleep.... ha
Hugs,
Betsy
Those days do sound wonderful! I hope today's kids will have such great ones too.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about being so busy and finding it hard to even read favorite blogs. I was also finding it hard to blog so jumped on the a 2 z to motivate me and make me think :o) School started up here today. This has been the fastest, HOTTEST, summer I ever remember.
ReplyDeleteEating and napping sound good...
ReplyDeleteSummer in the city was a park sprinkler. There was no pool anywhere near us but we did take the bus to the beach on Lake Michigan a few times a year. Got sunburned every time.
I always loved to swim so when my kids were growing up, we went pretty often. We always came home SO tired....hungry and sleepy!
ReplyDeleteSWEET memories of your childhood. Gorgeous Ozark view. had a bad experience learning to swim. Still gives me nightmares.
ReplyDeleteOh, to think of being bitten by a snake scares me to death!
ReplyDeleteYour dad's swimming lessons seemed to have worked but I'll bet it was a little scary!
It just doesn't seem like school should be starting already. This year is flying by!
Oh, I love the pictures. I loved growing up in a farming community and the town did have a swimming pool. I think I went swimming there everyday the entire summer. I loved to swim. I also went swimming in a large lake that we went to often. I thought I could swim across the lake; but that was not realistic at all. Thanks for some memories today and I am not sure I would have learned to swim the way you were taught. Fun post and blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteHaha--always hungry and ready for a nap--that is me...
ReplyDelete