grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

L is for Lake

By

Lake Norfork, Arkansas. Ahhhh!

In my family, we count down to our annual lake trip as though we are jetting off to Bora Bora.

Those not born into our family (i.e. husbands*) do not share in our delight. Oh, they are supportive of our lake love, and once every five years or so even accompany us, but they see little charm in the rustic cabins with fickle plumbing. Finding no thrill in worshipping the blazing sun, they prefer to stay inside and read until their talents are requested at the grill.They just aren’t big boat people, we say about these landlocked husbands, even as our crippled boat is being towed into the nearest dock. Our vintage boat with her smashed bow and tired motor is no beauty, but we love her anyway. Being towed by a sympathetic boater is all part of the adventure, we say. We don’t need no stinkin’ new boat, we say.
They humor us, these dry-land men, but try as they might, they don’t get it. And, how could they, really? Lake water doesn’t flow through their veins.
Grace Grits at the Lake
They weren’t around when we watched and watched for the first peep of the lake through the Ozark Mountains, then waited and waited in the long line to ride the magical ferry across. They missed the thrill of climbing the cliffs for the first time, the first time we JUMPED!
 Norfork Lake, 1970s
They never shot bottle rockets under a globe of stars. They weren’t lucky enough to taste Daddy’s melt-in-your-mouth ribs or hear Uncle Ted’s hilarious rendition of Blue Moon broadcast along the streets of Mountain Home. They weren’t part of the family when 80-year-old Aunt Virgie jumped in the lake and lost her wig.
They never fished in the foggy cove before sunrise or roasted marshmellows at midnight.
They weren’t there…
Lake Norfork, Arkansas
with my sister, 2012
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
P.S. Since this was written in 2013, we did buy a new boat and she’s FABULOUS.
[tweetthis]L is for Lake. Party in slow motion… #arkansaslife[/tweetthis]

*current, ex or pending

Musical Pairing:
Little Big Town, Pontoon

A to Z April Blog Challenge. L is for Lake:))

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Comments

  1. You’re so good at descriptions, Talya. Love your recollections about time at the lake in your childhood. I can see it all so well.

    I am not much of a boater but hubby is since he grew up going to a cottage right on the St. Lawrence River that borders Ontario and New York State. He has some old boats that he loves to take out, motor and sailboats. I just watch and wave from shore and take photos. I enjoy going for an occasional boat ride but get seasick easily so am no sailor. Too much time living on the prairies in my childhood, I guess. I’m a landlubber!

    Cattitude and Gratitude

  5. Hi Talya, thanks for visiting my blog and following me. This post is delightful! I love the old photos and your writing is very evocative. I can see why you are so excited! I’m really glad we connected. 🙂

  7. Like and Love it! Once again, you’ve taken me back to my childhood.=) As a kid, we’d usually go to Ozark Acres, but these days we go to Cherokee Village where my parents have a lake house. Yeah, we’re all enjoying my parents retirement.=) We used to go there on the 4th of July and float out on their pontoon to watch the fireworks that evening. It was quite a sight see as the fireworks lit up the nightsky and reflected in the water. As the fireworks were shot from cannons, I suppose, the loud booms would echo through the mountains…Anyhow, boats and pontoons, I like, and I enjoy watching the swimmers and skiers, as well as taking the occasional dip, these days, but the sun and I are at odds with each other. Anytime I mess with the sun, I always get burned…literally, dadburnit!!!=) I’m still waiting for the ‘get-a-tan-skin-transplant.’ Thank goodness for the 70 proof sunblock lotion, or I’d live like a hermit in the summertime.=) Anyhow, great choice for the letter “L,” and thanks again for bringing back some awesome memories.

  13. Water people share memories, but I, unlike you, remember the spiders more than the midnight swims. Mosquitos tortured my attempts to star-gaze. My cousin grew up on Lake Hamilton and my family has shared and enjoyed barge adventures and tubing, also jet-skiing. But, she’s the lake person. I am the pool person. I long for summer and the imaginary “Prissy” who brings my iced tea with a sprig of fresh mint.

  14. I wrote my blog about a lake memory as well 🙂 Not so much the lake itself, but we took an annual trip too.

    Thanks for sharing your story- you write well and it’s fun to get a little inside look. Great pictures!

  16. Ahhh…I totally get it. I spent every summer at Rose Lake camping with my grandparents. Later, in my early thirties, I spent summers at Lake Michigan helping my parents manage a campground at a park near the beach. It was the best time, I think. Now I live on a hill overlooking Greer’s Ferry Lake and I am in love with it. I don’t necessarily like being on or in the water but I love being near. Crazy?

  20. I would love every minute of that lake! What a wonderful post…and old photos to boot!
    happy Sunday!

  21. I love the L for Lake. My family, too, has a lake, but it’s in the far northeast. I need to find out more about Arkansas lakes since I live closer. Great post & pictures!

  22. Hi Talya, What fabulous memories, written and in pictorial. I felt like I WAS there even when Aunt Virgie lost her wig in that jump in the lake. And in all the laughter and expectation of yearly returning to the lake. Wonderful. God bless, Maria at Delight Directed Living

  23. Oh Talya!!! What a wonderful, wonderful post! I wanna come to the lake!!!!!

    These memories are what shape us, I am hoping my children feel the same about our camping trips to the lakes in Gran Canaria, I wrote about them for my L is for Lovin’ Life post.

    http://www.losingmylemons.com – full on plug right there! lol

    *current, ex or pending – God I loved that, brilliant! LOL
    xxx

    I am following now, why wasn’t i before! Duh
    Sarah x

  24. Lake Norfork or Norfork Lake is a very special place. My grandfather had a house on Mallard Point and our family would spend the entire month of August there every year. That was a time when school didn’t start until after Labor Day. I learned to water ski and fish on that lake. I remember early one August morning when my grandfather and I slipped away, leaving the rest of the family asleep, and went fishing in his boat out on the lake. Very special memories. Thanks for reminding me….

  25. Your footnote got a chuckle out of me. 🙂 I, too, must be counted among the “they just don’t get it” set. I’d rather sit inside and read than be out there with the bugs in the hot sun, getting eaten one drop at a time.

  27. Brought back memories of camping at Wilderness point and the time I was fishing and saw a mountain lion and had some PDA (prairie dog action!). Awesome!

    • Bryan, Wilderness Point is where my family camped, too! That was our Arkansas camping experience (Yosemite in my earlier years). My cousins and I loved taking the ferry. Good times, good memories. Thanks, Talya.

  28. Ohhhh fun! You know how I LOVE the lake – esp when we got to spend time TOGETHER as a family. What wonderful memories! I loved jumping off the cliffs with you guys and all the “blue moon of Kentucky” renditions by my daddy and Johnny Rodriquez 8 track tapes your daddy played – could do that all day long 365 days a year! And his ribs were TO.Die.FOR! Do you remember when my mom slipped off the raft she was floating on and your daddy jumped in and saved her life? She remembers that to this day….thats something else when she is getting where she doesn’t remember hardly anything short term but her long term memory is very sharp other days. Ohhh how I long for those carefree, innocent, days at “the” Lake. I don’t plan on being cremated – but if I were to be – that’s where I’d want my ashes to be scattered. Remember when Freddie Joe jumped off the high peak near the ferry – in April! As always, thanks for the memories! I wish I could get a cabin and go with ya’ll just OneMoreTime……xoxo Talya’s cuz

  30. July 1964 Mack and Velma Cagle, Eddie and I went to Reven and Frances cabin in Norfork they had a white Pantoon boat I think we must have camped out on it cause we all came home with the worst sunburn ever, ahh young and foolish…we had so much fun that wk. end. I’ll never forget it as long as I live.(( Reven and France’s Creecy )) two of the most gracious and loving people I’ve ever met.. Still think of them a lot…… Now we have our own place at GREERS Ferry Lake with Pantoon and ski boat,, GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO US…….Talya I so enjoy all your post……Love you and your family……

    • I think I have a picture of me on that pontoon!Thanks!!! Love you too.

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