Vacation Memories Of My Youth

Memories of vacations taken
With family as a child.
Each tucked away in it's
Own little file.

Camping in KOA campgrounds,
Meeting other kids, staying
In tents or campers, walking
Barefoot in mud after a rain and playing.

Camping in Colorado at many
Different parks.  Finding ghost
Towns or old tombstones at a grave in the trees.
Sitting by the fire while marshmallows toast.

Going to Pikes Peak, or visiting
The North Pole.  Bottle feeding
Baby goats who then follow
You everywhere bleating.

Seeing a fort in Utah, built for a
Movie on a relative's ranch.
Every time "Cheyenne Autumn" is on,
Memories rush back in a glance.

California redwoods, beautiful
Growing straight and tall--
Pointing up to God who
Created them all.

Camping in Kansas and
Going to the spillway to fish.
Food cooked while camping is as
Good as a fine restaurant's dish.

Fourth of July-visiting my brother
And his family in Florida and
Watching fireworks light up
The night sky, ocean, and sand.

Going to Crater Lake and
Camping--having one of Mom's bear
Adventures, and leaving July 4th because it
Started snowing and got too cold up there.

Seeing Niagara Falls and visiting
Canada, my first ride in a limo.
That's another memory that's
Filed in my mind as a memo.

Going to Vermont and seeing
Beautiful covered bridges--
Wild flowers growing
In valleys and on ridges.

Seeing Yellowstone
And Old Faithful.
Heading home again
From trips that were delightful.