Wondering Where I’ve Been?

The River

In my mind, ‘the river’ will always be  synonymous with childhood summers spent floating on the murky water of the Coosa river lying under the sweet heat of the Alabama summer sky. Each summer our family would take a trip to an old cabin on the side of the river and, to me,  that mean’t wildly adventurous pontoon boat trips to the general store, near back-breaking tubing on the concrete-like water, pulsing splinters gathered from an old wooden pier, fragrant piles of burning wood, dusty life jackets from an old shed, home cooked cornbread, minimum air conditioning, lemon meringue pie, and shooting fireworks off of the pier.

The trip was a yearly ritual for our family as I grew up, the memories of which I continue to cherish into my budding adulthood. And while childhood has all but passed, with only vague memories of those important events remaining, the mysterious and murky waters of Alabama’s Coosa river are still a place for good company, sweltering summer skies, and childish adventure.  I will admit, however, that at this point in my life, as numerous ‘responsibilities’ have been tacked on with only more to come,  I’ve thrown in my fair share of rest and relaxation by way of chilly nights listening to music or laying on the pier gazing at the stars and listening to nature, things I would have only scoffed at as a ‘kiddo.’

But more than anything, as time passes and memories fade, the river is a place to enjoy the finer things in life, whatever they may be at the time. And so, I’ll leave you with pictures of what were the ‘finer’ things on my recent trip.

“Elephant Garlic from Birmingham’s Pepper Place Farmer’s Market”

“Freshly Pulled Radish from My Mom’s Garden”

“Fresh Strawberries from a Local Farm”

“Grilled Chicken Pesto Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella”

“Critter Friends”

“Local Grass-Fed Eggs”

“Yoga on the Pier”

“Sunset on Jet Ski”

“Shoot the Moon Between the Eyes” – John Prine

“Sunset”

Music to float the river to: River Mix – Various Artists Listen for free at Grooveshark.com!