This Is Iowa: Swimming at the Farm

Hands down, my best childhood memories were of swimming at the pond with my siblings and cousins. We worked pretty hard and a trip to Great Uncle Gerald's pond was the ultimate reward. My brother Troy and I ran barefoot across the gravel driveway and road, raced down the hill and barreled across the rickety wooden dock -- racing to be the first one into the water.

My sister Heidi and youngest brother Bandy took their time getting into the water. Bandy would sit on the edge, dipping first a toe, then a foot, and then most of a leg, getting used to the water temperature before committing to getting in.

Gerald and Great Aunt Ermadale kept all sizes of inner tubes in their shed for swimmers. Sometimes we all piled onto a big one and rocked it back and forth. Other times we'd each get a smaller sized one and rest our legs and heads across it with our butts submerged in the water, just floating and talking and letting the breeze blow us to the north end of the pond where we were sure the snapping turtles and giant catfish lived. We'd paddle like the devil was after us to get back to the center of the pond where it was "safe."

What I never really appreciated back then were the patient adults who took time out of busy schedules to sit at the pond and watch us. For us it was the ultimate summer entertainment, but for them I'm sure it got boring after awhile. So thank you Grandma Betty and Aunt Cindy and Mom and Grandpa Keith and Dad and Gerald and Ermadale who all sat on the dock many, many times making sure none of us drowned. Often, we'd be swimming and Dad or Grandpa would pass by on a tractor or in one of the pickups. Once in awhile, Dad would stop and jump in with us, wearing his cutoffs. Those were the best times!

We don't swim in the pond anymore. But my parents installed a pool at their farm that has become the 21st version of Gerald's pond. My children LOVE the pool. They love spending lazy summer days swimming with their cousins and being crazy and carefree. There's something about swimming that is so empowering and wonderful and exhilarating, especially when you're a kid.

So today's post is a tribute to summer swimming on farms -- whether in ponds or pools they're the greatest place to take a dip and cool off.

Bo chillin' in the wading pool.

Funny-face Mazy

Miss Violet, me and Mazy -- baby girl LOVES the water

Barefoot and racing to the pool!

Kael jumps into the pool amid cheers from the crowd.

Kael and Miss Violet

Summer of Swimming

I grew up swimming in a farm pond. And I loved it. We didn't care that you couldn't see the bottom of the pond -- many times you couldn't even see your own hand just one foot under the water! We had two docks and a diving board. We had an assortment of inner tubes. We had a private swimhole that was far superior to the crowded, chemical-filled community pool in a neighboring town 8 miles away. 

I clearly remember the summer my Great Aunt Ermadale taught the four of us to swim. At the end of our week of lessons, we held an exhibition for our parents, grandparents and close family friends. Not to brag, but I was the bravest and best swimmer among us that summer. I was diving and jumping off the diving board and swimming across the pond. I loved swimming. I loved the exhilaration of jumping in and being blasted by the cool water. I loved diving and slicing through the water like a fish. I loved floating in an inner tube with the back of my head submerged so I was in two worlds -- listening to the water, but feeling the sunshine and breeze.

And I loved the heart-pounding, don't-stop-until-you-drop fun of swimming on a hot summer afternoon, especially if you'd been working hard all morning.

With those memories flooding back to me, it is with great joy that I watch my boys really discover their love of swimming this summer. Grandpa's pool will become their farm pond of summer memories. They'll remember the hours and hours they spent swimming in the pool. The anticipation of driving to the farm and running to jump in. The joy of having an entire pool all to themselves. And the peaceful, fun-filled afternoons of doing nothing but floating, jumping and splashing.

Other News

Bo got a new backpack last weekend. Today he finally agreed to take it to daycare with him. Previously, he told us it was "only for school." Anyway, he was showing it off to one of the daycare workers when I picked him up and he told the guy it was a triceratops and had three horns. The guy was very impressed and said, "Bo, I can't believe you can pronounce triceratops."

And I said, "That's nothing, wait until the day he tells you about liopleurodon." And then as if on cue, Bo piped up and said, "Liopleurodon is BIG! He has little arms and GIANT sharp teeth! And postosuchus is big and scary too! And Utahraptor is little but mean!"

The guy stood there with his mouth open for about 10 seconds and then burst out laughing. He said, "I have no idea what he's talking about but I know he does."

For those of you who haven't been reading dinosaur books lately, liopleurodon is a gigantic marine reptile that kind of looked like the loch ness monster mixed with Jaws, postosuchus was a gigantic marine crocodile and Utahraptor was just a little land dinosaur with claws and teeth for eating meat.


 

 And finally, I've been meaning to share photos of the new room at my parent's house. Mom hasn't put any photos up on her blog yet so I don't think she'll mind that I do it.

I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have this new room for our parties and get-togethers!! And didn't Mom do an awesome job filling it with all her antiques and stuff? We love it!!!

 This is the old living room. Where the white paint starts is where the old living room ended. Now imagine 17 of us crammed into that room and opening a mountain of Christmas presents!!!