Summer fun in the Good Old Summer timehttp://hubpages.com/hubtool/create/name/#

I love summer time in the Beautiful State of Washington. Because, the trees are green and beautiful to look at or set under. I love the creeks, and lakes to swim in. I will never tire of swimming in the lakes. Washington reminds me of my childhood and growing up in Michigan. I used to get homesick until I moved to Washington. It is so much like my Michigan and has so much to enjoy.

I grew up in The Winter Wonderland State of Michigan. I used to go with my sister and brothers to the creeks to swim or wade. We would walk down the road to the nearest creek to cool off in the water. Mom would drive us down to the lake to go swimming. She would always take us to the lake after 3 o'clock so we wouldn't get a sunburn. She would tell us it was best not go out to swim from 11 o'clock until 3:00, because that was during the heat of the day.

Our favorite lake in Michigan was called Wolf Lake at Porter's Landing where my family would have family reunions and a picnic. I miss the family getting together each year, after a long, hard, snowy, shut in the house winter. My Grandma and Grandpa, and Aunts and Uncles would bring my cousins to the lake for our reunion. We would all have great fun. On the 4th of July we would have a picnic and watch fireworks over the lake that night. Or we would all go to Lake Michigan and watch the fireworks there.

Here in Lakewood Washington we have American Lake. It reminds me so much of Wolf Lake. My son Larry, his wife Evelyn, her Mom Edith, son and my grandson Corey like to go with me to have picnics at American Lake or Spanaway Lake in Parkland and so does my daughter Bonnie and her two son's, my grandson's Daniel and Cory. Both lakes have a place to swim, but Spanaway has trails to hike and places to walk covered with trees. and a big lake to boat, swim and fish in. My son and his wife were married there 5 years ago.

I love Wapato Lake in Tacoma. Years ago people could swim there, but not today. I love what I call the wedding trellis, the covered rustic picnic areas. I love to take a nice brisk walk around the lake with my friends that we take there sometimes.

I love to go camping. I have been to several camp sites with my friends at Alder Lake, Westport, and others. I love cooking on a Coleman stove or baking a aluminum wrapped potato and corn on the cob in the coals of a open fire on the ground.

I love fried chicken packed in a picnic basket with potato salad, baked beans and chips made from home. I love to put marshmallows on a stick and roast them until they are black all over, blow out the flame and eat them.

I love the night sounds, except if someone is snoring loudly in the camp to close to me. In Michigan the sound of a Whip-o-Will in the early morning. In Washington owls in the trees above my head. Going hiking on the wilderness trails leading to waterfalls or bubbling creeks. Camping is fun in the fall too, when the air is crisp and cold.

I enjoy sleeping in a tent or outside by an open camp fire. Now days I need a cot, so it is easier to get off the ground. I've tried blowing up a air mattress that only ends up with all the air coming out during the night. It's to cold on the cold ground to enjoy a good nights sleep. The sounds of the night and warm fresh air of summer, lulls me to sleep. Or the brisk cold air and warm sleeping bags with extra blankets in the fall helps me sleep like a baby.

I must not forget Westport beach and playing in the sand, making a sand village with driftwood and stones, looking for shells along the beach and seeing lots of jelly fish and sand dollars laying in the wet sand when the waves roll back into the sea. Oh! what fun I Have here in my Beautiful State of Washington