×

Summer Activities

With the beginning of summer last week I thought about what I liked best about summer. Through the years that has changed I realized as I formulated my thoughts. As I was growing up I longed for the lazy hazy days of summer that brought summer vacation. No, we did not always go anywhere, it was just the idea that there was no school.

My grandmother was not one for allowing me to sleep in. Sleeping in for me was getting up before 8 a.m. There were always things that needed to be done around the house and I was expected to be part of that.

Monday of course was wash day. Once my chores for the day were finished I was allowed to go play. There were several girls in the neighborhood that I liked to play with. There was a set of twins that lived two doors up. Often we watched cartoons for a while on television. I think they were still in pajamas when I got there.

Sometimes we played horseshoes in a pit they had out back. I got pretty good at that. Sometimes we played board games. They had a wonderful inside porch that was perfect for games. We could set up our game there and leave it for days. Monopoly took many days to play.

My grandma taught us how to do Swedish weaving. Sometimes when we got together we brought our weaving and did that. Indoor play was reserved for those terribly hot days when it was too hot to do anything else.

Often we took our dolls for walks. We all had doll buggies. If we were not walking the dolls we were just playing house with them. Grandma’s front porch was a favorite spot for that. I am sure grandma could hear us as we played but she never bothered us.

If one of the mothers decided to take us to the beach that was a real treat. On those really hot days we often waited until late in the day when the sun was on its way down to go. At the beach we swam in the water and we also skipped stones into the waves that were breaking onto the shore. We counted how many times the rocks skipped and aimed to get the highest number.

As we got older and were allowed to go somewhere on our bicycles we often went to a little park that was down on Park Avenue and Washington. We packed our lunch and ate it at the park. We played in the fountain. There was a statue that spouted water and we sometimes waded in there. We did not take any toys with us. We played other games like Mother May I and Button, Button. Sometimes we played hide-and-seek although there were not a lot of spots to hide.

We rode out bikes to the playground too. I liked to do the crafts so I liked to get there in the morning. The other girls did not like the crafts as much so they rode the swings, the teetertotters, and the merry-go-round. When we were finished playing we rode our bikes back home. Often we stopped at one of the corner stores for a popsicle on the way home. We stored the money in our shoe so as not to lose it. I remember that was a bit uncomfortable but it beat losing the money while we were playing.

The other thing I liked about summer was the fair. Although when it was on we were once again beginning our school year. We were allowed to go on Tuesday afternoon on our own. It was children’s day and the rides were ten cents each. Usually I went to the fair with another one of the neighbor girls. She and I paired up because neither of us played the games. We rode and walked around to see the exhibits We also saved enough money to eat our supper there. We always ate at the Lion’s Club booth. My uncle worked there and so did a man who worked with my grandfather.

It was at the Chautauqua County Fair that I saw my first calf born. Paula and I hung around the barn that day because we did not want to miss what was happening. It was exciting to see the new calf and watch how quickly it was up and about.

When our children were small we enjoyed summer as well. When they were out of school our schedule changed. The children no longer had to get to bed early. Some nights they were allowed to catch fireflies so they could watch them. I remembered doing that when I was growing up as well. They went into a jar to be observed for a while before we let them go again. It was fun to follow the little blinking lights around the yard. Lat night as I let my dog out for the last time I watched the fireflies or lightning bugs. They were all over the yard.

The Fourth of July was no big deal to us. Often there was hay to be taken in. In that case we put together a family picnic and ate it wherever we happened to be haying. Sometimes the women and children went to the fireworks. We could park at the high school and see all of the aerial displays.

As the children got older they went with friends to the fireworks and carnival. Sometimes they went to the parade too.

By then I was teaching school so once again summer meant time away from school for me. Summer was busy. There were things to be canned and hayers to feed. It was not a vacation as such for me. It was simply time away from the classroom. Several summers I had to attend college classes to complete my degree work. It was good for my children to see me study for tests and complete assignments.

Once my children were on their own I began volunteering. My first volunteer activity was for the Warren County Fair. I worked with another lady on the publicity. I ended up doing that for 19 years. When I no longer felt I could devote my full time to it I left the board and turned my duties over to a committee.

Now summer is simply a time to relax and do whatever I choose. I go to Chautauqua Institution for a week and stay at the United Methodist House. I go to the fair to camp. I continue my volunteer duties for Hospice and at the hospital. Retirement is good.

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell, Pa. Contact at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today