THE FAR SIDE OF THE RIVER

The far side of the Columbia river is where I grew up. If the ship were not blocking the view you may be able to see the old barn roof on our farm.
I spent many a summer day down at Goble beach or Prescot beach. This time of year always brings those special times back to me.

My Mother would pack a picnic basket with yummy sandwiches, or perhaps fried chicken and potato salad, always there was fresh fruit and a home made desert. My Dad would load tubes, hula hoops, buckets and shovels and on and on into the car depending on how old we were at the time. Mom would spread a quilt out on the beach that was soon filled with sand. What kid with sandy feet can ever stay off a quilt?
There is actually movie film of me hula hooping on the beach at about 14 years of age with a blue and white one piece swim suit with a white ruffle at it's top and bottom......oh how precious. So the summer afternoons passed by with strolling on the beach looking for whatever we could find and then a wade or dunk in the edges of the river. My Dad was a strong swimmer and would go out a ways but that river always scared me and still does so I lingered quite close to shore. But always it was a great way to cool off. Mom would open the basket and out would come lunch that was my favorite part. The air was filled with river smells and the sweet sticky scent of overripe blackberries and plumbs. 
So those summer memories are nested very deep inside me and always will be and I am thankful for they are part of who I am.
Off I go to enjoy this summer day. Though I am not at the Columbia River or any river for that matter I will still enjoy this warm luscious summer day.