Thursday, June 14, 2012

Memories of Summers Past

As early readers of this blog know, growing up my family had a summer home on Brantingham Lake in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York.   While the home is again owned within the family (other than an interlude in the the mid 1970's and 1980's, it's been in the family since 1938), I have not been back in many, many years for numerous reasons, not the least of which is that I don't want magic memories lessened by a current reality.  It was a period when I as a closeted gay teen boy could feel almost normal and excel in sailing, canoeing and slalom water skiing.  The rest of the year outside of snow skiing was far less happy.  A group on Facebook posted the image above which is a postcard view from about the time period that I enjoyed those wonderful summers - and experienced unspoken crushes.  I truly don't think I'd have survived but for the lake house and my summer friends.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's a beautiful part of NY. I've canoed the Fulton Chain of lakes from 6th Lake up into Lake Saranac and Lake George. Truly a magical place. It's where I set myself on fire! HAHAHAHAHAHA

Peace <3
Jay

Michael-in-Norfolk said...

Actually the camp - as summer homes are called in that region - is about 14 miles as the crow flies from Old Forge at the beginning of the Fulton Chain. I've been the length of the Fulton Cain and it's a magical place.

And near by is Big Moose Lake where a tragedy in the early 20th century gave rise to the book "An American Tragedy" that became a movie starring Liz Taylor.

Anonymous said...

I've been to Old Forge many, many times! I've seen Big Moose Lake on the maps, but never been there.

And yes, we trespassed on the Rockefeller "camp" once...spending the night on the rotted docks at the end of a canoe portage carried out after dark, in the rain, and to hell with the rules! HAHAHAHA

Peace <3
Jay