Tuesday, October 19, 2010

For My Brother

Memories for my brother
(but others can read this, too)
Do you remember our yearly camping trips, every summer, always the same route, south to Coos Bay, Coquille, Myrtle Point, over to the coast at Bandon, and on to Port Orford and Gold Beach, past Brookings, Eureka, Ferndale, all the way to the Redwood Forests?

Do you remember riding in the back seat peering out the windows stretching our necks to see up, up to the tops of those unbelievably tall, high, straight Redwood trees?


Do you remember stopping, every summer, at the Trees of Mystery and never going beyond the parking lot?


Do you remember driving down the two lane highway, passing logging trucks, pulling the camping trailer, waiting, waiting impatiently until we knew we were almost there, almost to the campground, planning how we could get out of chores or setting up the tent, so we could run down to the river?



Do you remember how carefully Dad and Mom would choose just the right campsite?  There had to be room for both the trailer and our tent.


Do you remember the campfires, the smores, the night Dad made fried chicken and everyone else in the whole camp were drawn in by the smell, sniffing the air, wishing they had fried chicken for dinner too?


Just the four of us, every summer, camping along the Pacific Coast, fishing in the creeks, playing in the sand, splashing in the water.

And finally, every year, every summer, ending up in San Francisco where we'd ride the cable cars to Fisherman's Wharf and drive through Golden Gate Park and the Presidio.

Do you remember?

11 comments:

ellen b. said...

How could he forget that experience! Beautiful, nostalgic post Willow!

Knitting Linguist said...

Oh, what wonderful memories! Thank you so much for sharing them with all of us :)

Sniffles and Smiles said...

I have many of the SAME memories, dear Willow!!!! And I have a brother as well!!!!! WOW!!!! I love it!!! Beautiful post!!!! ~Janine XO

Marg said...

I like this...because you had me sitting on the edge of my seat..I was feeling so similiar because I remember once travelling with my folks down to the Redwoods...and oh yes...those tall trees...and my brother was there also.
Thanks or taking us down memory lane.

Betty Jo said...

Willow I so loved reading this. I grew up in FL, camping a lot, most every weekend. Also my hubby and I lived in Corvallis, OR for three years and I remember so many of the places you've mentioned here. Thank you so much for the link to Sniffles and Smiles. She is one of the best writers I've read, and especially on grieving. I'm sick in bed with a cold this week, so will have much more time to explore her blog. Just looked at some of your previous posts and your knitting is beautiful! ♥

roxie said...

I love that you went back and got photos. What memories!

Dorothy said...

What lovely memories to have! Thanks for sharing them with us, Willow!

Bethany said...

I hope my son and daughter share things like this someday!! xo

Knitting Linguist said...

In follow-up to your comment, infixes? You know how I love infixes! I'm guessing it probably wasn't age-appropriate to mention English's most infamous infix? :)

Ally Jay said...

What great memories to have and to share

Flower said...

Read, laughed and remembers!
I even remember one such trip. :)