Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Such a Perfect Day








We went to Mesaba Park's 80th reunion & Juhannus (midsummer) celebration in northern Minnesota. Founded by Finnish progressive socialists in 1929, my mom used to go to summer camp here. She brought us out to Mesaba Park when we were kids, too. I remember swimming in our underpants in this lake, when we forgot our swimming suits. The buildings are mostly gone, or very dilapidated now. We rowed across to the place where the summer camp bunk house used to be, and where she remembered the best swimming beach. The swimming place was all reeds and water lilies, now, and the bunkhouse was torn down in the woods. I remember looking in the windows of it once, before they tore it down. My mother showed us her bunk, where she had drawn a perfect Mickey Mouse in pencil on the bed post. We found what used to be the cook shack, where her Aunt Lempi had stayed and cooked for the campers. We watched a swimming raft with four little kids diving and jumping off, as the sun was setting, while the anchored raft spun slowly in concentric rippling rings in the perfect little lake. I fell for a black and white dog with a crooked ear. Her name was Beatrice. We listened to talks about the political history of the park, and discovered why we are dyed in the wool progressive socialists. Communists? Probably. Oh, such a perfect day, and I'm glad I spent it with you. (Lou Reed)

9 comments:

Joanne said...

How nice to revisit places of old, especially with one's parent. The older I get the more impact this type of trip has on me. We are more then our memories, but we are in great part our past...nice entry.

Susan said...

thanks, Joanne. It was a rare opportunity

Brittany | the Home Ground said...

this looks like such a wonderful place to visit. especially since you learned so much about your parents and yourself.

Susan said...

We are communists! I'd always suspected it. And, yes, it really was sweet up there in the north woods.
Such a nostalgic day. Brittany, are you weaving yet?

Brittany | the Home Ground said...

I don't have a loom! I can't use the ones at school, since I'm not enrolled in any classes. It's a stupid rule in my opinion, since it doesn't cost the school any money for me to weave... Oh well... I think my hands are ready to sew again, though!

Susan said...

I hope you plan to weave and get a loom in the future.
Do you ever get over to Cranbrook? I so wish I'd gone to school there

Brittany | the Home Ground said...

I've been to Cranbrook a few times. All of those times have been to see shows at the museum. There was an amazing textiles show called "Hot House" a year and a half ago. And last year, the "Craft in America" exhibit was there!

riverweave said...

I had to find out about your trip, I thought I would find it here. Looks like a lovely place with special memories. Don't you just love summer and water and being outside?
Kathy

Susan said...

Kathy, or we could get together!
Yes, a trip to the lake in the north woods of Minnesota will sweeten anyone's personality. At least for a day or two

And, glory, glory, my mother decided she didn't need to camp out there in a tent!