Summer has officially begun at my house. No, it isn?t June 20th. But, it is the day my granddaughter, Emma gets out of school for the summer. I cannot believe another school year is over. And, in only eleven weeks it will all start over again.
When I was a youngster summer vacation began sometime in mid May and lasted until after Labor Day. Now kids are going back to school as early as August 9th. In my day that would never have worked. The bottom leaves of the tobacco crop had barely been pulled by then. My grandpa?s goal was to always have his last barn of tobacco curing by the time school started. If poor old grandpa was still around, he?d be hard pressed to accept the shortening of summer vacation.
What will you be doing this summer? I, for one will be enjoying every minute of it. Fishing on the banks of the New River. Fishing in my husbands new, second-hand 14-foot aluminum boat at Lake Norman. Cat fishing in the Yadkin River, and maybe even fishing a bit in the big old Atlantic Ocean. You don?t have to wonder if I like fishing or not, do you?
I?m not sure if it?s the fishing, or the water that is the draw factor for me. Needless to say I love water, especially rivers. I can simply float the days away in an old canoe, or just sit on the bank and watch the water flow. Yesterday my husband and I took his aluminum boat down to Lake Norman. We launched, and then just rode around for a couple of hours. There are some gigantic houses on that lake. I don?t think my little eleven hundred square foot house would fit in down there, but who cares, my 14-foot water vessel didn?t either, but I had a load of fun anyway.
I guess I?ve never been one to have to keep up with the Jones?. When you?re raised poor, you learn to appreciate what you have, and it doesn?t have to be the finest either. Who cares if shiny motorboats and party pontoons surround you? There will always be people who have bigger houses and boats than I do. But, at the end of the day the peace that my simple life brings makes me one of the luckiest people in the world.
This summer, I?m going to spend time with my family. I?ll enjoy the sunshine, the water, read a few good books, can some vegetables and finish writing my next novel. If you don?t see this blog every Monday you?ll know I?m fishin?.
I?d love to know how you?re planning to spend your summer. Hopefully you?ll enjoy some of the simple things God has given you. Don?t take for granted the things that are right in front of you. Family, the outdoors, a small fishing boat, a cooler filled with Mountain Dew, and a good book. And, if you get a chance to take a boat ride… go for it!
