Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Cottage memories...

When I was a young girl, my great Uncle Sam had a cottage on William's Lake in Michigan. In the summer, we would head over there almost every weekend for a day of fun in the sun. My great aunts and uncles, cousins and my grandpa would be there. We'd go on boat rides, barbecue and then fish in the evening. My most memorable experiences there:

  • The time I stuck a rock in my nose and they had to take me to the hospital to get it out! (No, I don't know why I stuck a rock in my nose. My family still laughs about it till this day!)
  • When I got a leech stuck between my toes and I was running around like a maniac crying. My mom finally pinned me down and got it off.
  • Building sand castles with my cousins.
  • Fishing with my grandfather. He would always put the worm on for me.

I loved going there and spending time with my family. It was what I envisioned my log cabin would become - a place for family and friends to gather.

*Here's a photo from my Uncle Sam's cottage. My sister is in the driver seat. My brother and I are sitting in the shovel.



Look at all these hens clucking! Ha! Ha! Probably still discussing the time I stuck that rock up my nose!



P.S. My mom and I are headed up to the log cabin tomorrow to celebrate her birthday. Might be difficult for me to post but I will be back soon! Don't forget me!

32 comments:

Ginger said...

What fun memories you have. Cute story about the rock up your nose.
Have a great weekend, and happy birthday to your mom.

reliv4life said...

oh, that is cool, no wonder you love cabins on the lake!! I don't know what I would do if a leech was in between my toes...even today I think I would scream! have fun with you mom!

Anonymous said...

What wonderful and cherished memories of your childhood, except of course putting the rock up your nose :>) I had lot's of Aunt's and Uncle's too. Those were the best times. I love your picture. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Please give your mom a hug and Happy Birthday wishes from Charli and me.

Something Nice and Pretty said...

Love the pictures and you have such good memories of when you were young:)
Rondell

Dawn Fine said...

Wish your mom a happy birthday from your blogger friend.
Your post and memories were fun.
I once stuck a pussy willow in my ear..and had to go have that taken out..My sisters told me to do it so I did..LOL

RobDares said...

Great post Shelley, I hope you have fun with your Mom at the cabin. I think that is a wonderful thing to do!
Rob at www.thecottagechronicles.com

Jane In The Jungle said...

LEECH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would've been running for the hills!!
happy B-day to Mom!!

Dawn Marie said...

what a blessing to have those memories. I have a few also, and they to involve camping, boating, etc.

Happy Birthday to your Mom, I hope you two have a wonderful weekend at the cabin, great food, even greater time together!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh what great memories, Shelley. I love the picture of you and your brother and sister. How NEAT!!!!!

Happy Birthday to your mother... Hope you two have a great time at the Log Cabin... I'm sure you will.

Hugs,
Betsy

grammy said...

Great memories....of not so long ago (o: You are probably a baby of the middle or late seventies (o: I recognize the yellow tinge to the pictures. Have a GREAT time with your mom. How fun is that!

Denise said...

What a fun memory! Just think you will be helping others make those same happy memories!


By the way, I once had to go to the E.R. to have a Chinese noodle removed from my nose!! Don't ask! LOL

XXDenise

Powell River Books said...

My family didn't have a cottage or cabin, but we did go camping each summer and have many fond memories of those days. I am sure that helped me start my love of living in a cabin and the outdoors. Have a wonderful time with your Mom on her birthday. Can't think of a better place to spend it than at your wonderful cabin. - Margy

Anonymous said...

What great memories! Our daughter got a leech between her toys and I had to have hubby get off it was so gross!

Have a great time with your mom!
Sarah

Wall-to-wall books said...

Ha ha! Cute pictures!
You truly are my sister.
My sister Michele (aka Shelley) stuck a pearl up her nose and also got a leech stuck on her big toe! Did you happen to get a fish hook stuck in your foot too?

Cedar ... said...

Great memories, great photos. I know you cherish them. Happy Birthday to your mother! Have fun!

The Retired One said...

I can totally relate! Being with family and cousins are some of my best childhood memories! It is sad now, because most of the uncles and aunts (and my parents) have all passed, and all the cousins have spread across the world raising their own families. We have had a few reunions, but it is so different without the Uncles and Aunts there.
Thanks for the nudge at my own childhood memories!!
The Retirement Chronicles

Shelley said...

Ginger - thank you! And I'm still embarassed by that rock incident! LOL!

Michele - I thought that leech was going to suck out all my blood! LOL! To this day when i come out of the lake, I always check my feet to make sure there are no leeches!

Charli - Thank goodness I didn't put anything bigger up there - ha,ha!

Rondell - Thank you - they were some of the best times of my life!

Dawn - lol on the pussy willow! At least you could blame your sis! I had no one to blame but myself! Ha!

Rob - thank you! My mom is looking forward to it!

Jane - And I was running for the hills - lol!!

Dawnie - thank you! It's suppose to be in the 70's this weekend - yea!!

Betsy - my mom is excited! And her sister is going to visit us for the day on Friday!

Grammy - I was born Dec. 1966 but definitely a fan and child of the 70's! :)

Denise - LOL at the chinese noodle!! I do want to ask....

Margy - I think camping, cabins, outdoors, etc. are one of the best memories you can give to a child.

sarah - I'm still freaked out by them!

Wendy- does getting a fish hook on my arm count???? LOL!!

Cedar - I do cherish them and look forward to creating new memories at the cabin. :)

Retired One - I know what you mean. The majority of my great aunt and uncles on my dad's side have passed and they were the funnest and most loving bunch! I would give anything to spend the day with them again at the cottage!

April said...

I can't think of anything more fun than spending time at the lake! You do have some great memories! Just so you know, I stuck a bead in my nose when I was younger and had to get it removed! Wonder what the fascination is with that? LOL! Have fun with your mom...hope she has a Happy Birthday!

Busy Bee Suz said...

Such cute and funny memories. A rock? Really? What in the world were you thinking???? You are lucky you were not called: 'rock head' for the rest of your life. (That was a nickname of mine from time to time)
Love those pictures.
Have a great visit with your Mom!!!

ps. I was playing(working) with rocks this morning...glad I read this AFTER I was done...no temptation.

Pam B said...

Who could forget you, Shelley! Have fun; we'll be here when you get back.

John Poole said...

You kids look like a tough crowd, sitting on that front-loader! Where are the hard hats?

Karen said...

Well first, Happy Birthday to your Mom.
2nd - I wanna see a picture of you and the leech! lol
3rd - what is it with kids that stick things up their nose? My girlfriend's daughter was 6 and stuck a pea up hers. Take her to ER because they can't get it out, except there were about 12 up there! lol Can you imagine?
Kids!
Great post! Have a wonderful time!

Jen said...

Great pictures stories and memories. Doesn't sound like you've changed too much. :) That's a good thing.

Catherine Holman said...

What great weekend memories! I spotted you in that photo right away.
Hugs,
Cathie

Leedra said...

That looks like me in the driver seat. LOL!

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tincanlily said...

Happy birthday to your mom. I hope you have a wondeful weekend. The weather in Rhode Island is forcasted to be beautiful, I wish you the same.
I hope in a few years someone will be blogging about the good times they had at your cabin in the woods.
denise

Tammy ~ Country Girl at Home ~ said...

Well I guess you always have to have one memory like that among the good ones! I think your log cabin already sounds like a place of hospitality and warm gatherings with friends and family! Enjoy your weekend with your mom and of course, I won't forget you!

Tammy

Cassie said...

Happy Birthday to Shelley's mommy!! Have a grand time together.

The rock up your nose made me chuckle madly. There's always one in the crowd...looks like you were "her" up at Uncle's cabin in MI! (I was the one in PA!)

Constance said...

Your story reminds me of how when I was a kid, we went camping on my Aunt & Uncle's property most every weekend in the summer. They had a big creek and we would swim all day long! In the evenings all of us cousins would sit in lawn chairs in the field and watch the night sky, tell ghost stories or laugh about how we went snipe hunting and so on... Before my folks bought a camper we had an old, canvas Army tent and one night my cot broke while I was sleeping. I woke up in the morning with a horrible backache from sleeping in a "vee" position all night long! Only one Aunt is still living along with Mom and Pop but the memories are wonderful ones!
Connie

Barbara said...

Shelly, I loved seeing your old pictures, memories are wonderful. I hope you and your Mom had a great weekend and please wish her a belated Happy Birthday.

I am sure we don't have to worry about any more rocks up your nose, do we?

Barbara

George said...

It was nice of you to share the inspiration for your log cabin. No wonder you wanted one. Now about that rock...

Knatolee said...

You haven't changed a bit, and wow, you look like your Mom! :)