Splashing and screams and laughter broke out as boys splashed girls and dunked one another under the water. Then they floated staring at the blue sky and fat lazy clouds while the cool emeral water lapped around them.  They swam and dove and laughed and played. The two dogs joined them too and they threw sticks for them to fetch out of the water.  After a lot of fun and cooling swim they climbed out and towel dried and hungrily ate the sumptuous picnic meal.. After a few moments they once more jumped into the cool water and swam and frolicked in the pool until the cows lowing to be milked called them home for evening chores.

Tomorrow would be another hot day of work but the swimming hole would be there too to enjoy yet again at the end of the day.  The family made their way back to the house and fed the chickens, gathered the eggs, milked the cows and then sat sipping cold lemonade in the evening twilight and watched fireflies and stars and listening refreshed from their evening swim and picnic,  to all the comforts of night sounds in the country. Coyotes yodeling, crickets chirping, owl hooting and the babbling of the creek down across the meadow where the old swimming hole sat bathed in moonlight and a raccoon family fished for crawdads.

Jennine Donier copyright July 31st, 2009