When I was young my father took us on vacations in West Virginia, he found this old farm that the owner rented out lots and people built house on or placed trailers. The first time we went we stayed in his friend’s cabin, the next time we rented an old three family house. It was very old I would say it could have been built around 1900. My grandmother came with us and she said she felt like a kid again. The beds were very old and the kitchen in one of the places had an old potbelly stove which my grandmother wanted to on. We had to bring everything with us as if we were camping. My mother would often say those vacations were the only ones she had to bring the kitchen sink. As for water, it was running. That is I ran down the steps and filled up buckets of water for us. The bathroom was an old outhouse, and did it smell bad. There were no TVs for the week, only a radio. And you know what those were the Greatest vacations.
In the mornings we would hike up the mountain, one time I even saw a bear on the next mountain eating berries. This was truly my only time deep in nature to explore and image life in the past. When we finished our hike, we came home had something lite to eat. As soon as we finished our lunch we went to the river to bath and swim. Yes…no baths, so we washed up in the river. My parents like this one location along the river, so we hiked over to it each day. A few times I would float back down the river to where are cabin was located. It was such a treat to just float down the river, look at the fish swim below you and enjoy the peace.
At night we all ate together, all my family came on these vacations and we would all come together for dinner. We sat at a long table and laughed about the day and enjoyed a wonderful meal. When it got dark we all sat around the camp fire and told stories. I would hear stories of my parent’s youth or my brothers and sisters younger days. The night was not over yet…we went in and played cards and listened to music on the radio. For the most part that is what we did each day, sometimes I would visit the old man who owned the farm and buy his homemade candies and listen to his stories. Sometimes we visited the county store, which was very much like Ike’s from the Walton’s.
Some of my family will tell you how bad it was on those vacations, but I only remember the good times and joy and love we shared during those vacations. I have heard the old house is gone and I truly have no idea where that spot was, but it was great. Oh I forgot to tell you on the way to the farm there was another farm with buffalo and I forgot to tell you how I found a fossil. Oh you got the point I could go on forever telling you joys and love I had on those vacations.
Take some time today and remember a great time in your life. It’s really fun.
Much Joy and Love to you and yours