We had a slide at the cabin...and here we are, posing by the slide. Doug, me, Dave, and Diane... I love this photo...
Here's another slide photo, taken about a year later... with Dave about 2 and Doug about 7 years old.
Here we are, going for a boat ride...the kids have their life jackets on...and almost everyone is smiling (Dave looks a bit concerned about all of this being on the water in just a little wooden boat...but as he grew older, that was going to be one of his favorite places to be...)
....just Dave and Vern... Boat rides are pretty good 'family' time...
Another boat ride shot...this time Dave looks like he's ready to enjoy the experience!
This was as close to wearing a bikini as I ever got...always had the 'baby fat' tummy, and was always trying to 'disguise' that... The kids are enjoying the water, and it looks like Diane has taken one of her dolls for a swim...Doug may be taking a photo...
And, here's Dave with his little 'floatie'.... just enjoying the cool, clear waters of Potato Lake.
Sometimes, even I got in the water... looking pretty soaked!...
The kids enjoyed having little boats of their own for playing in the shallow waters of Potato Lake... Here are Diane and Doug, with Doug as the boat 'captain!' (You can see, that in spite of all of the rocks Linda and I hauled out of the lake, and my dad and uncle stuck into cement to make all the steps, patios, and rock retaining walls...there are still plenty of rocks left in the lake! Maybe they work their way up from the bottom, and in Potato Lake, there are some 'holes' that are 80 and 90 feet deep!)
My folks' cabin...such a peaceful place to spend summer vacations. The whole family loved getting together up there. We had several family reunions there over the years...what fun!
This shot shows Doug and Diane when they were quite small, exploring the red cabin...
The Brookners were at the lake when we went up for our vacation that year. Here we are, enjoying the warm weather, and putting in 'some dock time and some swim time.' On the dock are Al, Margaret, Julie and Jeff. In the water is Diane, Doug, Susan and me.
Al has taken Susan and Jeff out fishing...and it looks like Jeff caught a 'big one!'
Here are the Brookners, enjoying a visit to Itaska State Park. Left to right - Al, Margaret, Tommy and Julie (Holt), Susan, Jeff and Steve. Nice family portrait...
Here are Julie and Tommy Holt...at the Headwaters of the Mississippi River...Itaska State Park.
Here's another boat ride, with Al getting the motor ready, Julie and Tommy in the center seat, and Jeff and Susan at the front... We just had way too much fun at the lake!
Here in a photo from an earlier vacation at the lake, I'm taking Diane and Doug for a canoe ride... I think there was water on the bottom of the canoe, and neither of the kids looks too happy about needing to sit down in it... (makes you wonder if the sensation of having 'wet pants' was an embarrassment to them, no matter what the reason...)
Here, when they were a bit older, are Dave and Diane playing with their stuffed animals at Potato Lake.
And, when they were younger, and Dave was still using a crib...are Doug and Diane with one of their books, enjoying a nice day in the hammock at Potato Lake...(need to work on this slide!)
(Another slide that needs some work...) Here they are with their bears and other stuffed animals. Have I told you that they had names for each of their stuffed animals, and that they had an entire story woven around these toys? For example, they all lived in Bear River City, Utah (a real place...) and there were stuffed animal couples & families, and when they got a new toy, it got incorporated into this story. My kids were really good at entertaining themselves!
Yep...they are 'grounded' and not going anywhere, but when you are a kid, all you need is your imagination, and you can go anywhere!
Here's little Dave, playing in the sandy part of the shallow water, near the dock, with one of the many inner tubes we always had in abundance at the lake!
And, here's Dave, a bit older, enjoying floating with his air mattress...a great way to learn the basics of kicking in the water...
Here we are, wading in the lake near the old boat ramp by my folks' cabin. Dave, Diane, Doug and me...and beautiful Potato Lake!
Diane had an air mattress too, and I think my kids must have learned the swimming kick, doing this very thing...floating around on an air mattress, and just kicking to propel themselves!
This one was taken that day when the Brookners were enjoying the dock and the lake with us. Left to right - Diane in the yellow hooded robe, me (soaked, but with a 'cover-up' to help keep warm), Steve reclining on the dock, Jeff (doing a push-up??? or getting out of the water...), Al, Margaret and Julie, all on the dock, and Dave and Doug in the water...
One great thing about the lake...no one called you out for splashing! Here Diane and Dave are getting 'into it!' (And the little boat is about to sink...full of water!)
Here's Susan and Steve, taking Diane and Doug for a row...notice the folks on the Kozy Kove dock in the background... They may be going fishing, or just coming back...
Some of us at Rapid River Logging Camp...Susan, me, Jeff, Dave and Doug... (and, there are those familiar flowered bell-bottom slacks!)
The Brookners and my family, having breakfast at the Logging Camp...what a spread!
Here we are, dressed and ready for church. Doug, Diane, Dave, Susan, me, and Wilma (my mom...)
Dave, Diane and Doug pretending to go on a boat ride...no motor, and no oars...just pretend...
We were at the lake, and a nun from the summer retreat compound on the south end of the lake came over with her pontoon paddle wheeler, and asked Diane if she wanted a ride. So, she went... now that she's grown up, I'll have to ask her if she had fun, or was just scared (since this lady was a 'stranger!')
About this time, my folks were about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. The sisters all agreed we needed to do something special for this occasion, so we planned a reunion at the lake. I'll extrapolate on that with my next blog... Our reunions were silly, raucous, and often noisy, but we had a great time, and everyone outdid themselves with 'talent' performances, good food, and lots of laughter. Come on back, so you don't miss out!
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