The old swimming hole

One day last week an email arrived listing all the things that were becoming extinct in the very near future.

One of these things was the old swimming hole. This brought to mind my old swimming hole. We lived on a farm with only an orchard between us and a small village with a creek running through the village.

Summer was a very busy time on the farm and we all had to help with the hay, the threshing and whatever else needed doing.

At the end of the day we all headed for a swim to wash off the dust of the day.

We had so much fun. There were lots of kids who lived in the village and every one of them would gather there. There didn't seem to be any adults supervising us and of course no life guards on duty. We all survived. It's a wonder that we did.

On the far side of the creek was a mill and along with the mill there were cows. Half dozen or so. The swimming hole was their drinking hole. While we swam, the cows drank and did their business in the water.

Nobody seemed concerned. Nobody ever got sick.

To-day my swimming hole has disappeared. It has become a golf course with a creek running through, but like so many of these country clubs they are private. It,s sad to think that no one swims there anymore and the laughter of the kids has been quieted.