I know, it's summer and it's supposed to be hot, but, really. It's isn't Noon yet and it's already 98.1 degrees in my neighborhood. It's been hot all week, but we managed to escape the heat on the 4th of July by taking a trip to Lake Erie.
Just about every year, since I was a teen, my parents have spent a week (or two) at Lakeside-on- Lake-Erie. As a young married couple, we used to try to go up for a day or two in the middle of the week for the first few years we were married and while our kids were still little. But for the last several years, schedules haven't worked out, or cars have been broken and we haven't been to Lakeside for about 12 years. This year, our opportunity happened to fall on Independence Day - so we took it!
Although it was still hot at the Lake, it was clear and beautiful. I could see Kelley's Island and Put-in-Bay quite clearly from the shoreline. The shoreline itself was dotted with spectacular gardens of perennials - daylilies, hollyhocks and daisies.
All along the beach teenagers were building rock towers and seeing how intricate and how high they could make them. It was like being in a time machine. There were no cell phones, no kids texting at the beach (mostly because cell service is pretty spotty at Lakeside) and smiles all around. At the dock there were 'tweens selling flat rocks that they had decorated with paint as mementos of their trip to Lakeside. I remember my brothers and sister doing this when I was a kid. They'd save their money up to buy candy at the little candy store in the Business District or to pay for Sailing Lessons.
My daughter, who was very young the last time we made it to the Lake, didn't remember having been there and fell in love. She was so relaxed that she fell asleep shortly after hitting the beach and napped in the cool shade all day. That's the best thing about Lakeside: the restfulness. It's a great place to rest, collect your thoughts and recharge.
Just about every year, since I was a teen, my parents have spent a week (or two) at Lakeside-on- Lake-Erie. As a young married couple, we used to try to go up for a day or two in the middle of the week for the first few years we were married and while our kids were still little. But for the last several years, schedules haven't worked out, or cars have been broken and we haven't been to Lakeside for about 12 years. This year, our opportunity happened to fall on Independence Day - so we took it!
Although it was still hot at the Lake, it was clear and beautiful. I could see Kelley's Island and Put-in-Bay quite clearly from the shoreline. The shoreline itself was dotted with spectacular gardens of perennials - daylilies, hollyhocks and daisies.
But, this year, I noticed something different along the shore. People were building towers and sculptures out of the rocks and driftwood along the beaches. Some of them were quite spectacular. I found one garden that had several structures incorporated into it.
All along the beach teenagers were building rock towers and seeing how intricate and how high they could make them. It was like being in a time machine. There were no cell phones, no kids texting at the beach (mostly because cell service is pretty spotty at Lakeside) and smiles all around. At the dock there were 'tweens selling flat rocks that they had decorated with paint as mementos of their trip to Lakeside. I remember my brothers and sister doing this when I was a kid. They'd save their money up to buy candy at the little candy store in the Business District or to pay for Sailing Lessons.
My daughter, who was very young the last time we made it to the Lake, didn't remember having been there and fell in love. She was so relaxed that she fell asleep shortly after hitting the beach and napped in the cool shade all day. That's the best thing about Lakeside: the restfulness. It's a great place to rest, collect your thoughts and recharge.
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