When we were much younger ....

It seems that time and opportunity as always moving against me and this blog! It seesm but a brief moment since last I logged on, but I have been reminded again of the illusion of time and the great reality of life. Please forgive me for my tardiness.

I thought that I would share some memories of summer from many past years, and give you a sense of how my long days away from my school books would be kept. Summer was always a magical time - magical and ever lasting to the youthful spirit!

Lake Tahoe would generally see the thaw sometime in May, though it has been know to happen in June too. Spring, I believe, is the shortest season in the mountains, mostly because it is winter for so long and the chill of snow lingers upon the ground much longer than at lower elevations. Spring in Tahoe was likened to a time-lapse video, though, in truth, the flowers actually blossomed just as quickly. We would have snow and frost laying about the branches of the trees, and then, in 2 or 3 days, the snow would melt and the first, brave leaf buds would begin to unfurl. The daffodils would stupidly believe that if the sun was shining overhead, the hour for springing out of the ground was at hand! The long, green spear-like leafs would come charging out of the ground, all eager for sunlight - only to fall prey to the next frost, which usually came ten days afterwards. Summer, then, is usually delayed by 3 weeks, because of the foolishness of flowers.

Mid-to-late June, things really started to happen. Trees would garb themselves in leaves at an alarming rate, and all the perennials would come to petal at blistering speeds, knowing that the days of summer were short lived in Tahoe, and they had better make the best of it. The grass would change practically before your eyes, green flooding over the brown in nearly no time. Mowing and weeding would become a weekly, if not daily, chore. Water fights and spinkler chasing were the games of the hour, and on special days, we would even go to the beach .... ah, the beach! What a memory! Tahoe is one of the purest, cleanest, fresh water lakes in the world. We did not have seaweed or pond scum or algae or any other filth, but rather enjoyed nature at its finest - clean and powerful. Just a little ways out, the rim of the lake would suddenly veer down and you would be swimming in 15-25 feet of water. Sure, the water was a staggering 52 degrees, but once you became numb, that didn't matter. :-) It was worth it just to jump headfirst into the water, just so that you could adapt that much faster. When you came in to the beach to dry off, the sand was so warm and cozy, and the speed at which one became dry was unbelieveable.

Most years we would attend the Fireworks on the Lake show that came with the 4th of July. It was spectacular, as they were sponsored by the Casinos that lined the Lake on the Nevada side. You can see the 2009 highlights can be seen with the link. Let me know what you think!?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNM1vo0z1Ss

Mostly I remember warm nights, the smell of freshly cut grass, and the promise of many hours given to the pursuit of manhood. Ah, but that youth should be wasted on the young, for I would go back today and relive those moments - if only I had the energy!

Until my next time and opportuniy collide!

Jinxedy