2014 -View from Amtrack – somewhere between New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta…
In the summer of my sixth-grade year I traveled by train from Mississippi to an all-girls camp at Tallulah Falls Georgia. The price of food on the train was a shock, but the rest of the visit provided a new and inspiring experience. The formal tennis lessons were easy and fun, as were the canoe instructions. Riding horses ‘English’ style was new, and I can still recall the owner chuckling when I – the barrel racer – asked if we could ‘lope.’
Cabalgata in San Vicente Ecuador 2012
A new friend Sally and I cherished our free time, and we often explored the wilder areas, scrambling up the cascading streams and picking wild blueberries. I remember the letters from home – and chuckle that my mother said that my somewhat new horse had thrown my brother-in-law when he tried to ride her bareback. Her letters almost always had interesting news, and I still recall those stories with a wistful smile.
Isla Corazon/ Ecuador 2015
Art projects were fun, as were the campfires and group singing. Although I could swim pretty well, I appreciated the formal lessons to master the American Crawl, the Butterfly and the Sidestroke. I don’t remember one thing about diving lessons, but perhaps I blocked that experience out because of a backwards-flip accident in my past! The ability to tread water and lifesaving exercises were greatly appreciated.
Purple Gallinule swims without disturbing the water
The experience that still burns strongest was “Parents’ Weekend.” My parents lived far away, but Sally’s parents drove up from Florida. The camp instructors selected Sally and me to display tennis skills. They also selected me to participate in synchronized swimming. We trained for the latter event, and I thought that I might drown during those practice sessions!
Do you see the adult Purple Gallinule and the baby?
The baby gallinule followed its parent, but the short outing turned into a marathon of swimming!
I remembered a time when I also lacked grace in the water – and was wistful to be back on dry land!
On Parents’ Day, I did not drown but suspect that everyone spotted the lone swimmer who struggled from start to finish! Transport her to the horse arena, por favor – English tack and all!
Relief!
Holding to that swimming-performance memory, I share a video that my friend Dady shared with me. You will understand why I am reminiscing about my time at summer camp!
So calming, and in these times we need a lot of ‘calm.
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
Wow, what an interesting bird – I don’t think I have ever seen legs like that on a bird! Very cool. Gorgeous photos as always. I owe you a big newsy email (I know!!). One fine day…. Hope you are well ❤
Pat, just knowing that you’re happy and safe and well is enough for me; You’re always near thanks to the Wonderwoman effigie that perches in the kitchen! Thanks as always!
The Purple Gallinule is quite something, Lisa. When I was growing up, I was a decent swimmer, but about all I feel comfortable doing now is a back stroke. Doesn’t matter much in Arizona. I feel much more at home on horseback although Western is my preferred style. 🙂
janet
Janet, I marvel at how many loves we have in common; your move to Arizona has ignited your love for the birds, and wow, you continue to share some amazing images. An image cannot capture, however, the one-on-one with that specific moment, and you have had some lovely moments in harmony with nature. Soooo needed in this crazy year of 2020. As always, thank you for your long-time support
Lisa, thanks for your support as well. I think we may be kindred spirits in a number of ways and it’s always enjoyable to connect with someone like that. Those one-on-one moments are so amazing, aren’t they? I try to pass that feeling on with photos and words, but it’s never quite the same as in-person.
I hope all’s well with you.
I loved reading about your past experiences Lisa. What fun you had. My daughter spent all her teenage and early adult hood with horses. She had a Quarter horse and rode western style in barrel racing and cutting comps. Then she went into the cooperate world leaving horses behind, and just recently, now in her late 50’s she has been given an old quarter horse to look after and she is in 7th heaven.
How is your country coping with covid 19? I hope you are keeping safe. Lovely to see you pop up in my reader. That video was amazing. How do they create that beautiful flowing, under water effect, so calming and peaceful to watch.
It was lovely to move to the Neotropics and have friends who had horses; I could borrow the horses for a few hours, especially when friends visited, then ‘give them back’ and not have to worry with vets and maintaining the health of the animals!
All is pretty good in Ecuador, a country that has many drills on being compliant – first during that horrid dengue/chikungunya epidemic and the next year the earthquake. “just wearing a mask and being respectful of others’ is an easy task! I sense absolutely zero frustrations, which is refreshing.
I used to be a decent swimmer, but once I was in Lake Michigan and went underwater and got caught in seaweed. I almost drowned. After that I was afraid of lake water so I‘d only go into a pool. And I didn’t really want to swim in it, just splash around in the shallow water. Today I can still only go in to pool water or into a pond that is extremely clear. My swimming days basically ended after that incident in Lake Michigan.
To have been caught in seaweed must have been a horrible experience! I think it would have ‘broken’ me of ever wanting to put foot in water where I could not see the bottom. With so many other equally-lovely ways to spend time in nature, you’re fine not spending lots of time immersed in not-so-lovely waters!
The laptop battery is now very weak so I stay behind and have not opend the browswer with WP posts… Next week I hope to catch up, and most likely you have an update. Hope all’s well in your area – or as well as can be expected…. positive would be the better word!
All is well here since the election is finally over with. But Covid is running rampant again so it’s time to hunker down. I am still able to get out and see friends with good social distancing. Keeps me sane.
Wow, what a wonderful experience at the camp.. the Gallinule is beautiful
Sometime maybe you can plan for a few-hours’ timeout in Portoviejo.. I could meet you at the museo (zero people there, but they close at 2) and we walk to the park and i’ll introduce you to the gallinules!
Love your stories!
and i love yours! especially loving your art series – vangogh, audubon – as if all are selected for my very own personal pleasure!
This was such a delight to hear stories of your childhood! I too have (a few) memories of being at a summer camp at about the same age. I remember a girl went home on the second day because she was homesick. I was flabbergasted! I had such a great time. Sounds like you did too. Apart from the synchronized swimming of course lol.
Alison
Flabbergasted! You made me laugh, yes, some just were not born with the same inner intrepid spirit! Aren’t we lucky, and didn’t that sprit guide us on amazing journeys? Perhaps those timid folks are now wistful for the ‘what ifs-‘ in life…. for people like us, no regrets, except to hope for more hours in each day to squeeze out even more!
Your posts are always a joy..
Isla Corazon. I remembre that trip. Great to hear from you Lisa.
I think that Isla Corazon never ‘recovered’ after the earthquake… That area is now being razed/desecrated… Do you have any plans to visit Manabi in th enext six months?
What a story, Lisa, and I love seeing all the gallinule photos – such cool birds! I have to say the Julie Gautier film made me anxious, not calm – the space seemed foreboding and I wanted her to hurry up and get to the surface and breathe! 😉
My, did this bring back a memory. I was in grade school when my parents signed me up for swimming lessons at the Y. On the first day, I was supposed to be in the beginner group, but I accidentally was placed with intermediate swimmers. When the instructor told everyone to jump in the pool, I was too shy and embarassed to admit I couldn’t swim, so I jumped in. Of course I went straight to the bottom drain, and had to be fished out.
Needless to say, it took a while to get over my fear of the water. By high school I was able to go swimming with my friends, but when I was cruising the Bahamas and Virgin Islands, it all came back. I was able to snorkel, but I stayed mostly on the surface. The one exception was at the Thunderball grotto in the Exumas — site of the James Bond film. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Hi Lisa: Hope all is well. Thanks for the pictures and update.