I sent out a newsletter last week with a question asking readers to share a best summer memory. It’s been fun reading about what has made summers special for you all. Some have loved a certain summer because that’s when they met their husband to be. Others have loved summers because that’s when they gave birth to one of their children. Some of you have had the perfect vacation and a few of you are having that perfect summer this very year.
Memories of summer camps ranks high on the list of best summers ever. When I read Erin’s best summer ever camp story, I had to smile and I think you might too. So here’s Erin’s story.
Best summer ever was probably the one between my sophomore and junior years in high school. I’d decided to quit babysitting, but hadn’t gotten a “real” job yet. Our church denomination had several weeks of “summer camp” at the district campground – one for Sr. High, one for Jr. High, one for 5-6 graders and one for 3-4 graders (1-2 graders had a day camp). That particular year, I went to Sr. High camp as a camper and the other 3 weeks of camp as a Jr. Counselor. I really loved camp, lol.
The week of my birthday (I believe) was 5-6 grade camp week. Some of the girls in my cabin had brought rubber rats and cockroaches to camp to scare people with. That night, they had planned to take them to chapel services and I told them no – I didn’t want to disrupt the spirit of the service – they could take them anywhere BUT chapel. So, they relinquished them and I tossed them on my bunk before heading out the door with “my” kids to chapel.
Unbeknownst to me, my parents had decided to surprise me, bringing cake and gifts to camp. They came while we were all at chapel services because they knew no one would be in the cabin and they could surprise me. A friend that they had brought along had planned to get into my bed and jump out to yell “surprise,” but the surprise was on her when she found those rubber rats and cockroaches! So funny! That was my favorite summer because I got to go to camp all 4 weeks and get a surprise birthday.
As a follow up, in order to remember them and that fun week, the girls gifted me with a couple of the rubber cockroaches. I have them in my “memories box” in our basement storage area. When our basement flooded a few years ago, I couldn’t bear to see what had been damaged in my box, so my husband went through it for me. He had a similar scare when he came across those cockroaches!
Thanks for always hosting such fun giveaways! I love traveling down memory lane for these!
And thank you, Erin, for sharing your fun story with us. And before any of you point it out, I do know that bug in the picture is not a cockroach. But I have never had any interest in taking a picture of a cockroach. However, I did like snapping this picture of a June bug. That’s one of my summer memories. We used to catch the poor bugs and tie a string around them somehow to make a buzzing pet. Also, June bugs figure in my memories of picking blackberries as a kid. The shiny bugs like to munch on too ripe berries and give you a start when they buzz right toward you. Those and garden spiders, not to mention snakes, can make berry picking interesting and memorable.
If you haven’t entered the giveaway from getting my newsletter, you can leave a comment here to enter. The three prizes are Barnes & Noble gift cards ($25 each) and your choice of one of my books. Deadline to enter is midnight EST August 6, 2019, and you must be at least 18 years old to enter. I chose those B&N gift cards to celebrate The Refuge being one of Barnes & Nobles picks for their half price Uplifting Summer Reading promotion. You still have a couple of weeks to grab the book at half price at Barnes & Noble online (looks like it qualifies for free shipping too) or in a store near you.
As always thanks for reading and sharing stories with me.
Comments 9
I have many summer memories. I am choosing to share a current funny moment.
Two summers in a row ( so far) I have been enjoying the beach, with my sandwich in hand only to be suddenly sandwich-“less.”( And happy to still have my hand. )
Out of no where,a sea gull swooped in and took my sandwich. He later came back with a giant deposit all over me! It was quite funny. This year I was on my guard, first beach trip was fine. Second beach trip, first sandwich was fine but,second sandwich… In the seagull came, from behind, under my umbrella. It felt like someone whacked my hand! Yup, sandwich gone and the whole flock flew under my umbrella and They were now fighting for my little finger roll of egg salad.! The good news: no deposits back later. Happy Summer Reading and Beach Eating Adventures!
Author
Got to watch out for that Jonathan Seagull. LOL. You must have the best sandwiches on the beach, Karen. But it wasn’t nice of that bird to steal your sandwich and then poop on you too. Glad you have such a great sense of humor to laugh about it.
That’s ” whippoorwills ” …..the computer changed the spelling….obviously not familiar with the bird !!
Many favorite summer memories but the one that is foremost in my mind is the summer when my dad was stationed at Fort McPherson in Atlanta and he surprised us all by renting a cottage on the beach in St. Petersburg, FL! I was 14 and before that summer we spent his two weeks military vacation visiting his family in Indiana and my mother’s family in upstate N Y. That was our first and last vacation spent with just our immediate family—-so very special!!! I loved visiting our relatives but because this was our one and only with just “us” it was very special!!! 😊
Thank you, Ann, for your contests and for taking the time to keep in touch with your readers! Congratulations on your award for River to Redemption—-one of my all time favorites!
Author
That sounds like a great summer memory, Karen. And you were a perfect age to enjoy it and remember all the good moments. Thanks for sharing your story.
And thank for the congrats on my Selah Award for River to Redemption. I’m so glad you liked that story.
Enjoyable memory. My church camp summers were also highlights. I usually went 2-3 times each summer.
Author
So you could identify with Erin’s story, Lisa. Sounds like church camps were an important and fun part of your summers.
I have wonderful summer memories of summer evenings on my grandparents farm . We would sit on the porch swing and wait for the lightening bugs to appear . The old folks would talk softly of the days happenings.. canning beans , getting in the hay , plowing the garden etc. We watched the full moon rise behind the barn and listened to the gentle lowing of a cow with her calf. After awhile grandma said it was time to go in and get plenty of rest for tomorrow’s chores. My sister and I climbed into the old iron bedstead and sunk down into the soft feather bed , listened as the chimney swifts flew down the chimney to their nest , and went to sleep by the call of the wippoorwills. Cherished memories of many years ago.
Author
Love your sweet memories, Nancy. I can practically hear the old folks talking while those whippoorwills sing their names. I’m always putting whippoorwills in my stories because I always loved hearing them when I was a kid and still do. But it’s harder to hear the whippoorwills when you live in a brick house with air conditioning that has all the windows closed. There were some advantages to living in an old farmhouse.