You can’t imagine how excited my husband and I are that it is Memorial Day weekend! Of course this holiday is quite significant in its meaning, but it is also the first long weekend after almost three months. What’s more, it marks the reopening of our beloved quarry swim club. Later today we will create a picnic lunch and drive 15 mins to this most idyllic place; a fully spring fed lake created from a quarry hole dating back to 1928. Actually, when I think of it, the swim club represents a lot of sweet memories for us, and obviously for many other people in the area.
The 55 foot deep quarry swim hole is surrounded by rock cliffs and a lovely park-like setting of grass and mature trees full of a variety of birds. Right next to the swim hole lives a green heron who keeps watch over the happy swimmers. In the woodsy park, birds range from robins to blue jays to cardinals happily flying from tree to tree.
To my husband, the swim hole represents peace and serenity. Nothing thrills him more than a “dip” and long swim around its perimeter. When he’s not sprawled out on a towel on the soft green grass he’s lounging on one of the three large wooden floats in the middle of the pond. He soaks in the warmth of the rays that radiate from the sun. When he’s not savoring that pleasure, he’s savoring the bliss of a nap with bird song as a lullaby.
For the last eight years going to the quarry swim hole, hubby has brought along the same book. David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest. This 1,000 page book is permanently toted from home to swim hole in his orange beach bag. Each summer he rereads many pages before making more progress. So far he is only about 1/3 through the book. Perhaps in 16 more years he’ll finally finish it. Or will it matter?
Hubby prides himself for being the member number one at the swim club. He obtained that special distinction on his membership card the first time he signed up years ago. The rank has remained after all of these years, and probably will in years to come.
Do you have a summer retreat or escape that brings you peace and serenity?
Bird Flight 
What a heart warming story! Have tons of fun! Also, I nominated you for Liebster award 😊 congratulations!
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Thank you, Nel! That’s so sweet of you.
I have been very lucky in the past receiving the Liebster award. Is there another blogger you think might like it in my stead?
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Probably. I listed 11 and then nominated everyone. Feel free to answer the questions in the comments of the post of you want to! 😁
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Thanks, Nel. Will do that. And congratulations to you for winning the award! I’ve enjoyed reading your posts so much over the past weeks. I hope anyone who sees this comment will check out your blog.
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Aww thanks 😊 I enjoy your posts equally as much! I’ve learned a lot for sure!
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You’re so sweet, Nel.
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Thank you for the sweat reminder. We live in center city Philadelphia. The closest pool to our home is amazing and relatively unknown. There is a line of tall trees at one end and a view of the skyscrapers on the other. Doing laps is like going from the mountain to the city. It doesn’t take many to melt my cares away.
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That’s so nice you have such a lovely place near your home. I hope you start swimming there again soon, ownighitlog.
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Many of the life guards are high school kids. The day after school closes the pools open!
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I hope that’s very soon, ownighitlog!
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Love this post, and how the swim hole is surrounded by nature ” The 55 foot deep quarry swim hole is surrounded by rock cliffs and a lovely park-like setting of grass and mature trees full of a variety of birds. Right next to the swim hole lives a green heron who keeps watch over the happy swimmers. In the woodsy park, birds range from robins to blue jays to cardinals happily flying from tree to tree.” Good description, it’s expressive and impressive too, great post, up down flight! 🙂
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Thank you, Hussein Allam. I’m glad you enjoyed my descriptions. My husband and I did indeed go to the swim hole yesterday. It was lovely.
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A quarry swim hole featured large in the movie “Breaking Away”, but yours looks much, much nicer 🙂
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Hi Dangerspouse. I think I’ve heard of the “Breaking Away” movie, but never saw it. I’ll keep that movie in mind for the future.
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I really enjoyed that film in my youth, but I’m always hesitant to recommend films to anyone else. You never know what will resonate with others, you know? Anyway, if you do watch it some day, I hope you enjoy it. All the best 🙂
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Thank you, Dangerspouse. I’ll be sure to check it out.
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If you don’t mind sharing, where is this little piece of heaven on earth? It looks amazing!
My happy place is on a river that flows between the mountains in southwest Virginia. There are a couple of little sandy areas on the edge that are great for laying out with a good book, and some rapids that make for an exhilarating ride when tubing. Can’t wait to get out there when the weather gets nicer. 🙂
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Hi bexoxo. I’m happy to learn you have your own local swim spot in Virginia. I like swimming in rivers, too, and have done so on a number of occasions near my childhood home near the Delaware River separating NJ and PA.
The swim hole I feature in my post is in Hopewell, NJ, just about 15 mins by car from my home.
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When I was a child, I did all my swimming in a swim hole not half so luxurious. Yours is a Shangri-la, but as a kid, so was the stock dam in the middle of the South Dakota prairie. Pink Sandy built a float raft out int he middle of the dam and it was a a big thing the first time one was able to swim out to it. No swimming pool has ever been as exciting for me, but yours looks like paradise.
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Your swim hole sound lovely, too. I imagine it was semi-private (just known to a handful of people)? If that was the case, I think that gets extra brownie points. Somehow swim holes create lasting memories.
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