I have memories... very fond memories... of a country "retreat". Oh, how I long now, in this busy, noisy world, to find such a place again.....
Years ago my dad bought some property in the country which had an old orchard and a spring on it. Perhaps it had once been part of a farm. The first thing he did was to build a small cabin so we could spend weekends there. Because this was set back approximately 1200 feet from the road, it was truly a hideaway place.
Near the cabin was a grove of fir trees. There he built a stone barbecue pit so that we could roast hotdogs and marshmallows. Also, he built a picnic table, and we added some summer lounge chairs there. Even on the hottest days we could rest in the shade of those trees and be cool.
Also near the cabin was an artesian well. The water formed pools and then flowed as a small stream down the slope. It was pretty, and we always had fresh, icy-cold water from the "water storage box".
He loved to play "Horse Shoes", so he fixed a horse shoe court there.
Dad trimmed all the trees in the orchard, and we had much fresh fruit. I remember climbing up in the cherry tree and eating cherries to my heart's content, and eating apples from a "banana apple tree". The apples were yellow and very sweet. I have never seen them anywhere since.
Unique about this property were the trillium flowers which grew everywhere..... white, pure-looking, three-petaled flowers. I have always loved trilliums. Dad named this property "Trillium" because of these lovely flowers. Also, wild strawberries grew everywhere..... those tiny little berries which were wonderfully sweet.
Nothing could match the peace which was in this place. I remember hearing the wind blow in the tall fir trees..... a very soothing, restful sound. The pools of water were refreshing. The "heat of the day" never affected us there. It was a place of total refreshing. As I picture this now, God was everywhere in that setting. It truly was a place "set apart" and hidden.
As a little girl I probably didn't understand the "wealth" which was at Trillium, but in retrospect I treasure and miss the serenity and beauty which was there. And I'm so-o-o glad I have these memories.
© 2007 Arlene Schwartzkopf