With the unofficial start to summer just around the corner, our thoughts turn to all the ways we love to pass the long, lazy and humid days. The three spring-fed lakes at Splinter Creek offer not only a reprieve from the heat, but also a way to spend time with family over Memorial Day weekend and beyond.
I took my 5-year-old-son Tom to Splinter Creek recently to enjoy a calm afternoon by the lake. We headed straight for the floating dock, tucked back in the far corner of the main lake, just down from a beautiful sculpture.
He proceeded to build with sticks and stones from the water, to create what he called a “fish fort.” I love to watch how he explores and takes in the nature around him with complete wonderment when we spend time on the property.
We found tadpoles, schools of fish, and watched for birds through our binoculars while we laid on the edge of the dock. Soaring above us, we saw geese, hawks, and bluebirds, each never slowing down, busy working while we played.
I made a simple picnic, with items from the B.T.C. Grocery in Water Valley. We had tomato sandwiches, grapefruit sparkling water, pimento cheese and tuna salad. We used locally grown zucchini slices as crackers to dip, and enjoyed peaches that had just come in from Georgia. We ate slow, relishing the quiet moments and looking forward to thoughts of the slower pace we will have this summer.
