Living in a land-locked state like Nebraska, big bodies of water are scarce. We do have rivers and smaller lakes, though, so as you can imagine, water-front property is a high commodity. There is very little turn-over since families hang onto their land for generations. If someone does want to sell, the properties are snatched up so fast by word-of-mouth, a realtor isn’t even needed.
Hence, my dream of finding a cabin on a lake was no easy venture. I looked for 15 years before I found one that I wanted to buy. Either the property was too far away, too expensive, too junky-looking, on a river (which I didn’t want – too prone to flooding and fast current), or was a permanent home (which I also didn’t want because I, well, already had a permanent home.)
Then, one day, on Craigslist, I found a listing with an affordable price only 45 minutes from our home. It had a few decorating issues, but when my husband (who tends to be a nay-sayer) checked the construction and muttered the place “had good bones,” I knew we’d found the cabin I’d long wanted.
As coincidence would have it, we were retiring in a matter of weeks. The timing couldn’t have been better. My husband had all the time he needed to do some remodeling, and I had a blast decorating. It wasn’t long until our little cabin and beach became firmly entrenched in our hearts.
Our family treasure.
Here are a few pictures:
The wildlife is fun to see, most of which, of course, I don’t get photos of.
But here’s a couple of big fish right off our dock.
And the granddarlings fishing with their Grandpa:
Of course, the fun in the water:
Four grandsons canoeing in their great-grandfather’s canoe.
And doing flips off the dock.
The paddleboard is a kid favorite. They have more balance than I do, let me tell you!
Afterward, supper set out on long tables under the trees.
With bellies full, my son-in-law and our Golden Retriever lounging after supper.
Good times and precious memories, for sure!
Do you have a special place that your family holds dear in their hearts?
What does your family do – or where do they go – to make fun memories together?
Pam has written 30 romances, most of them historical westerns, but she's proud of her contemporary sweet romances featuring the Blackstone Ranch series published by Tule Publishing, too! Stay up on the latest at www.pamcrooks.com
We would go up north to Leelenua to camp. I love it!
Good morning, Rhonda. I had to Google Leelenua, way up in Michigan. What a beautiful area – and a HUGE lake!!! The scenery is gorgeous – I’d love it, too!
Sebago Lake Maine my paternal grandparents had a cabin there in the 60’s and 70’s. Fun times.
Another beautiful area, anxious1959! Being so far away, I didn’t pay much attention to the state of Maine until we got hooked on the series Maine Cabin Masters. There are TONS of lakes and cabins up there. So beautiful, too.
My parents live in a cute little town in Florida. We live in WV. So every summer (my husband is a teacher) we would head south. Sometimes for 2 weeks, Sometimes for 6 weeks, making precious memories with our children and their grandparents. This will be our first summer going without any of our children, as they are adults now (with families of their own or jobs), so it will definitely be different.
Good morning, Danielle! I have two daughters who vacation in Florida every year and just love it. But I can sympathize about going somewhere special without your children. We’ve had our cabin for 8 summers now, and there is change on the horizon with our grandkids being teenagers. They, too, have jobs which tie up their availability.
It’s inevitable, but I sure wish I could make time stand still and keep everyone young. 🙂
Good morning Pam – Through the years our kids enjoyed camping with us. As our grandkids get older it changes the memories we make. We started going to the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming after my mom passed away. So, that changed things up a bit. Our grandsons joined us two years ago and we loved creating so many memories. Now, we make many memories here at home. Our kids and grandkids like coming to our house. We have tons of fun together. My biggest irk now is with devices they bring along. Ha! I like their undivided attention while we’re together. Blessings on your day Pam.
I hear you, Kathy! Change is inevitable. It’s wonderful that the family likes coming to your house – but I’d worry about how to entertain them. Ha!
And yes – those devices!! They irk me, too. Luckily, my daughters are good about putting limits on them with their kids.
my daughter’s house has a lake and a pond so we are blessed to go there to have a grand time with her 4 boys!
Yes!! Truly a blessing, Teresa.
Four boys? I had four girls. Ha! Funny how that happens, isn’t it?
We always went up north to our fav beach. We rented a place from friends for years and then my mom went to work for them and we got the place for a song. But we gave it up when mom passed away. I still go up there sometimes to visit with friends and stay for weekends when I can. I am so glad you found your place and will be making lots of wonderful memories.
Sounds like you had lots of wonderful memories, too, Kathleen. Our moms make such a difference in our lives, don’t they?
Thank you for kind words. I’m unspeakable glad about our place, too.
What a fun, relaxing day with family, Pam. Looks wonderful! My grandparents had a lake cabin that we would visit when I was a kid and a small boat they would take us out fishing in. I was never much of a fisher, though. I prefered sitting in the cabin and reading. Ha!
Ha! I’m not much of a fisherman, either. I get bored with it, but I do love to sit on our dock and just watch the water with a cold drink in my hand. So peaceful for meditating.
Thanks for stopping by, Karen!
we just tend to go to each others homes. my sister last year got a new home and it has lots of room inside and out. and of course she loves to host so we are starting to go there a lot now also.
Hi, Lori! It seems every family has one place they tend to gather in, usually the home that’s the biggest. At least, that’s how it is with my extended family since we are so large. My brother has the space, so he gets all of us. Ha! Luckily, he’s a great host, and we have a lovely time.
We don’t have anywhere special for my family. One daughter lives in Maryland ( we live in southern Michigan) so I only see her usually once a year and my stepson lives 5 hours away in southern Ohio. I have 2 daughters in Michigan and grown grandchildren in Maryland and a 2 hour drive north of us so we don’t get to see them often. When they do come home we try to plan something fun.
You know, karijean, that’s one thing I’m always grateful for. Our four daughters and their families are all here. I sometimes marvel that it’s worked out that way. We are blessed to have them so close, for sure.
How wonderful! Reminds me of visiting Uncle Bob and Aunt Debbie’s lake house in Virginia.
But my fondest memories are at my grandparents’ home in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee. My parents now own and live on the property in a newer house.
Oh, wow! How nice that the property has stayed in your family, Denise. No doubt your grandparents are happy that it is still lived on by their family.
I’ve not stayed in the mountains much. Probably because we don’t have them here in Nebraska!
My sister lives on the lake and was just there this past weekend.
Well, there you go, quiltlady! Holidays are perfect for lake time, and Memorial Day kicks them off around here since the weather is just starting to warm up.
Thanks for stopping by, as always!
Good morning Pam, what great times you are having with your family in your cabin!! What beautiful memories you all are creating and what Awesome and Blessed quality time spent with family! We used to go to Cloudcroft NM and rent cabins and that was always so much fun, which by the way we are past overdue for a stay there. Godwilling one day we will. Have a Great day and a great weekend. God Bless you and your family.
Hi, Alicia! Cloudcroft is another place I had to look up. What a beautiful place close to Mexico. My sister lives in Albuquerque. There in the forest, the scenery would be gorgeous to see. Thanks for sharing!
I know how you feel about your cabin on the lake. We had one when I was growing up and time there are some of my best memories. My dad sold it to my uncle and he left it to my niece who was his god child. She and my brother decided to sell it. Unfortunately, he never told us, even though we had mentioned many times we were interested. It is 12 hours more or less from where we live, but as retirees, we would still be able to spend lots of time there. Our children could take vacations there, and we would have made it available to family living in the area. We all have wonderful memories of the place. A sad loss for so many of us. Other than just going hiking around where we live, there is no real specia place we have found. We just like to travel and explore this country and the world.
I’m sad you lost your family cabin, Pat. What a loss, especially since you had expressed your wishes to buy it, darn it. Yes, everything you mentioned could–and would–have happened.
It’s not too late, you know. A cabin (especially on the water) is a great investment. Sometimes, opportunities pop up when we least expect them. 🙂
Pam, your pictures bring back so many happy memories of the lake cabin we used to have. It was so calm and peaceful there even with the kids running here and there and hollering. My husband and I really enjoyed our summers there. I hated when we sold we it but my husband’s health was really bad and we couldn’t go anymore. Now I enjoy playing cards with the ladies here and writing brings that same calmness.
Oh, I remember you saying you used to have a cabin on the lake! I think I even remember seeing a picture of your husband on a boat. Am I right about that?
At least you have the memories, and your kids do, too. That’s the main thing. Nothing can take those away.
Growing up, we always went to Vedauwoo.
Ah! In Wyoming! We’ve been to Cheyenne, but boy, when we drove to Utah, I thought Wyoming was so desolate! LOL.
It is wonderful you have this beautiful cabin to enjoy with your family. I hope your summer is full of making new memories there!
Thank you, Shanna! No doubt we’ll do just that. If you’re ever in my area, we can hang out there for an afternoon. 🙂
We do have a place we like to go in North Carolina. Memories are made whenever we get together.
Good morning, debby236. I’ve heard North Carolina is a lovely place to visit and vacation. It’s on my bucket list. 🙂