While sitting at an ice rink watching hockey practice and without any warning my mind wandered back to summer days as a child living in Maine and felt compelled to make a list of my unforgettable summer memories . . .

~ The slam of a wooden screen door at the farmhouse.

~ Catching fire flies with my cousins at my Ohio grandparents’  lakeside cottage.

~Snapping green beans with my grandmother

~Early morning fishing with my grandfather (grandma fried them for breakfast in cornmeal and my favorite part was the crispy tail — don’t think I could eat those now!)

~ Playing in the woods with my brother and floating things down the creek for hours.

~ Skunk cabbage

~ Whipporwills

~ Making trails in the tall grasses . . . spit bugs

~ Necco wafers and horehound candy

~ Strawberry shortcake suppers

~ Gramp perched high on the tall red tractor

~ Billowing curtains in the breeze

~ Winning an AM radio

~ Nights in White Satin

~ Sharing homemade rootbeer with our neighbors

~ Hiding under the covers when late night thunderstorms struck

~ Ice cold lake water

~ Rhubarb pie with ice cream

~ Bike rides on country roads

~ Pungent smells of bread & butter pickle preparations

June 20, 2011 . . . thankful for the rich childhood that I had.