Summer Fun - Had Me a Blast!

By Paula Green

I grew up in a home filled with love and companionship. I am the youngest of eight children, with five brothers and two sisters. We always managed to find things to do over the summer. Our local swimming pool was about half a mile away, and on lovely days, we would walk to the pool and spend the entire day there enjoying ourselves. We loved to play Marco Polo, and we looked forward to evenings when our swimming club would offer nighttime swims. When we weren’t swimming at the pool, we would run through the sprinkler in our front yard.

In our backyard, my dad dug out bases, thereby establishing a permanent softball diamond for our enjoyment. As we gathered to form teams, I distinctly recalled the disheartening experience of consistently being the last one selected, but I was small and not any good at the game!

Our neighborhood was a bustling hub of activity, especially during the summer. We'd a vibrant group of kids with whom we'd ride bikes and play games like "Mother May I," "Red Light Green Light," "Red Rover," "Capture the Flag," hopscotch, and jump rope. Our backyard was equipped with a swing set, sandbox, and a teeter-totter. When we got hot and sweaty in the summer sun, we would turn on the garden hose and get a cold drink of water.

In the evening, we would grab a mason jar, poke plenty of holes in the lid, and catch lightning bugs to put in the jar. It seemed like there was an infinite supply of those buzzing around. By the end of the evening, we would open the jar and set the bright buggers free. 

It was a real treat when we would get to go to an amusement park. A popular one we often attended, being near our house, was West View Park. The Big Dips and the Racing Whippet were the two major roller coasters. Thoroughfare grocery store sold discount tickets for the park.

Another enjoyable road trip was driving up to Conneaut Lake Park. I remember my dad would also make it a point to stop at Pymatuning on our way. He would purchase loaves of bread, and we would feed it to the carp. We referred to them as “pig fish” because of the way they fought over each other to devour the bread. Once we arrived at Conneaut, we would spend the day riding the Blue Streak, the Scrambler, and the Fun House. We would also spend time in the arcade playing skee ball. Kennywood was always on the hit list for places to attend as well. 

Of course, the family liked to venture to take in an occasional Pirate game and watch some of the Buccos greats like Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell. I remember attending the last Pirates’ game at Forbes Field. We played the Chicago Cubs, and once the game ended, the fans started tearing out seats and the concession stands. It was quite a memory.

Speaking of memories, how many of these summer activities and events did you participate in? There is plenty of summertime left. Have some fun and enjoy the beauty of the season!