summer memories

Three hundred eighty one miles (in today's miles).  Before interstates, over winding mountain roads, endless hours in the car, three kids in the backseat, no air conditioning. How oh how did we survive?

We spent two weeks every summer at my Granddaddy's and Grandmother's home in Tennessee. There were ten of us cousins. I loved seeing them!

Adventures! There were adventures! Playing with salamanders in the spring and wading in the creek and capturing crawdads and collecting cool rocks and walking to the store and hanging out at the wooden bridge. There was a family reunion each summer.  I don't remember any of the extended kin, I do remember the food!

Us cousins slept upstairs.  The boys on the right and the girls to the left. I enjoyed laying in bed each night and listening to nature outside the windows. I loved going there each summer. We made some sweet memories. And then we all grew up, got married, and spread our wings. Many, many years have passed, and still today, something will remind me of those two week visits and make me smile.