Anyone Excited For Summer?

I consider myself very fortunate that when I was a kid my summer involved the beach at Cassie Cape, the Washademoak Lake, the Amherst Shore and the occasional trip somewhere in the Maritimes.  With the beautiful weather yesterday and today I got thinking about summertime and reflecting.  I also wondered what other people do with their summers, in terms of leisure and get away, not just now but as a kid as well.

My mom's family had property along the Amherst Shore in Nova Scotia and so there was always grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins around.  We stayed in a little tiny trailer that most people couldn't imagine staying in these days.  One of those old fashioned looked like half a circle on wheels trailers.  I was pretty young and don't have a lot of memories of those days.  I do, however, remember the softball games.  These were played at low tide out on the giant sandbars.  At my age I didn't do very much but was in awe that I was part of this big game with the older cousins.  I was the baby of all our cousins.  Being around our family was really great.  

My best friend, who lived right next door to me, had a cottage in Cassie Cape and so I spent much of my summer listening to Psalty the Song Book driving there and back.  We had so many adventures.  And there is nothing quite like the beach first thing in the morning.  And, of course, we had to venture to Tony's Place around the point for treats and sweets.  Hands down though was exploring the salt water world of all the many creatures you would find below the surface.  Of course, we had the occasional jellyfish sting, razorfish cut, and always sunburns.  Yesterday's fun could easily measured in how burnt you were from the sun.
 



My parents would also take us from time to time on trips around the Maritimes.  P.E.I. was a common destination, which was a tourist's paradise back in the day.  I know it is still a common travel destination but to me it is not the same that it once was.  So many great memories of trips with friends and family and the magician at Rainbow Valley whose trick failed and literally did almost chop off his finger.  


Truro was also a common destination as a few of my Aunts and Uncles lived there.  I even had the great joy of several times taking the train to Truro by myself and staying with them for awhile.  It was a different time when we didn't have so much fear of every bad thing that might possibly happen.  The Aunt and Uncle I stayed with had a ballfield directly behind their house and I loved watching the games while rolling down the giant hill.  And my cousins were all older than me so I loved being around them as they were all so cool.  


                             

The Washademoak Lake, though, was the pièce de résistance where I couldn't get enough time there.  We stayed in a trailer till the cottage was built when I was around 3 years old.  We had the forest to explore finding salamanders, toads, frogs, and much more.  Then the lake was wonderful clear water to fish, swim and explore.  Nightime was perhaps the best with campfires under the night sky.  I really can never thank my parents enough for the amazing summers they gave me or allowed me to have at so many wonderful different places.  


So that's how I spent my summers as a kid.  How about you?  What did you do in the summer as a kid?