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A POETS POINT OF VIEW

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Friday, August 17, 2007 THOSE AMAZING FLO >
Thursday, August 23, 2007
August 2007
8/23/07
THOSE AMAZING FLORIDA SKIES
8/21/07
CHASSAHOWITZKA RIVER
8/17/07
KEEPING COOL IN FLORIDA
8/15/07
WHEREVER YOU GO YOUR ALWAYS AT HOME
8/8/07
GRANDPA MADE A NEW ROPE SWING
8/8/07
YOU CAN'T STOP LOVE
« August 2007 Archive
Tuesday, August 21, 2007

CHASSAHOWITZKA RIVER

Happy



 

Twas a hot and humid Sunday when we received a call from a voice we loved to listen to for it's always filled with awe. He asked to speak to grandpa, it was man talk I am sure, before the talk was over, we were heading out the door.

If you don't have plans on Sunday and your invited to come along, then you feel excitement rising and you began to sing a song.  It's great fun to do things with them, for it different every time, and when I share my stories with you they are better told in rhyme.  

 

 Now a name like Chassahowitzka isn't easy any way - not to spell it or to say it but it's a Chassahowitzka day.  For the boat needed to be tested on the river just to see, if the work done on the engine made it run now perfectly.

The water was kind of murkie and the tide was very low, and the bird wadded in the middle where the boat usually go. It has a rocky bottom and some you do not see until you hear a bang and say some words like these  *#*%*&*^.

There are options on this river, when one always is prepared, so he hooked up to the trolling motor and we headed back up there. Past the blow hole near the marina through the opening in the trees to a place we'ed never been to where spring waters they flow free. 

They may look like their just opening where water does pour forth but these have openings in them and flow freely from it's source.  It's cave diving they were doing,where the waters pure and clear, had I been a bit more courageous I would have joined them too my dears.  

That's my son getting ready to dive down and go through the underground cave to the opening close to our boat.

Father and son preparing to dive through together.

Here comes dad out the other side and the pink flipper belongs to his son (our grandson.)

Pass it on your love for water, teach your children how to swim.  Share your life and joys all with them, a good example always wins.   Never force or make them do things, let them see you do it first, if their scared respect their feelings, be their best friend don't coherce. Then you'll see them find the same joy, in the things you've shared with them.  When a child respects their parents it builds a bond that never ends.

So it was back to the boat dock for us, revived, refreshed and so thankful for this beautiful sunny day spent with two of the very special people in our lives.

Both my husband and I are transplanted from other states to Florida when we were young.  He at 13 and I when I was about four.  My father made it a mandatory thing that we know how to swim if we were going to live in Florida.  Florida has many rivers, lakes, canals, and is surrounded by water.  I can remember years ago swimming across a lake with my father by my side and he would make me stop at times and learn to tread water.  He taught me how to float and said that was another option if I got tired.  He tried to teach me not to paniceven if I got a cramp in my leg, but that's pretty hard to do when your in deep water. 

Daddy was right, I would have missed out on a lot of fun had he not taught me to swim.

Naturally when we had children we thaught them how to swim when they were very, very young. We purchsed a little steel wall pool and put it in our back yard and I believe that's where they learned to swim.  Swimming underwater from side to side and just enjoying cooling off. But we all did that didn't we.  From the little wadding pools to the bigger ones, then to the even bigger steel wall pools that everyone could enjoy.

I noticed however, that most children are at first better at swimming underwater than on top. Almost like it's a natural instinct from birth. The same thing happened with the grandkids.We had a pool and everyone came over here to cool off and introduce their children to water and swimming.  When they were babies they took them to the Y to have swimming lessons.They didn't have to take lessons very long though because they already knew how to swim a bit.

I can still hear my father saying, "If we're going to live in Florida your going to know how to swim."  He used to joke and tell me that he threw me in and said "sink or swim" and I swam, but I don't believe he really ever did that.  He used to hold me up by my bathing suit straps and say paddle your hands and kick your feet and slowly when he felt I had the hang of it he would let go of my straps and I would swim until I realized he wasn't holding onto me any longer. I believe we learned to swim in the Atlantic Ocean. My sister, brother and I used to walk to a swimming pool about a mile from our hose where everyone went in the summer time and we watched out for each other.  My sister being the oldest always felt responsible for us and she took her job seriously. 

 In high school part of PE was six weeks of swimming.  They used to bus us to the public swimming pool and I remember to get our swimmers card we had to swim and tread for 30 minutes non-stop. We had to learn to save a someone who was pretending to be drowing by calming them and putting our arm around their neck and swim them back to safety. I got my swimmers card and was very proud of it.  I thought about joinging the swimming team but I road a city bus to school and it just never worked out.  

Keep smiling, keep swimming, and keep cool!

Sorry some of the pictures aren't really clear.  The rocks were quite slick. I was out there on them trying to get as close to the big blue hole as I could. Thought about getting in it myself but what would I do with my camera?

 

Like a secret passage way

to a place where all can play

sunlight opened up the doorway and said come in.

That's the feeling I got when I saw the suns illumination on this opening and it's reflection on the water below. Keep your eyes open everywhere you go Mother Nature is always trying to show us more than we usually take time to see.

I believe it's God's way of telling us:  

To enjoy where you are at, doing this and doing that, to enjoy those special beings in your life.

To see beauty everywhere, and to always do your share to keep clean these wonderous places that you go.

Don't depend on other folks to lift you with funny jokes, be the one that keeps your spirits high for them.

Then before you go to bed, as you prayers are being said just recall to mind those moments that still glow.



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