It’s time for the 7th Annual Genealogy Blog Party Potluck Picnic with Elizabeth O’Neal on Heart of the Family and, because it’s a potluck, it’s bloggers’ choice as to what we’d like to share.

I’ve been very busy with several ongoing genealogy projects this summer and have neglected to share my yearly post about the wonderful summers I spent, usually for the first two weeks of August, on Little Sebago Lake, where my grandparents owned a camp along what is today called Cambell (no letter P in this Cambell!) Shore Road.

Most of the photos were taken by my Aunt Barbara, who passed away 25 years ago. It’s thanks to her that I inherited such a great treasure trove of photos documenting all those summers.

Lake view from just offshore

My first summer on Little Sebago, 1954

This looks to be Grandfather’s very first dock, probably over where what eventually became the rowboat was stored.

Dock that Grandfather Built by Hand and His Little Putt Putt

Grandmother and me, learning to love the water

Grandfather often took us all to the beach about 15 minutes across the lake from the cottage to enjoy the afternoon on a beach. Lots of sunbathing (before we realized how bad it was!), playing in the sand and, of course, swimming.

Me, at the beach!

I don’t remember a motor ever being on this boat, but apparently it was the family motor boat before the slightly  grander boat, docked in the earlier photo.

My memories of this boat were when it was consigned to a corner of the lakefront shore. We used it as a rowboat, but I hated walking to the boat – there were garter snakes in them there bushes! – and plenty of cobwebs that had to be cleaned off before sitting down.

Family & friends on the cottage porch

The curtains were closed, but those porch windows offered a beautiful view of the lake. I’m standing on the left. The lady barely seen to the left of me and the man in the back center of the photo were friends of my grandparents. I believe they were Mr. and Mrs. Haycock. My grandmother, Hazel, is sitting between them. My grandfather was to his right. My dad and mom are looking at my little brother in the high chair.

Rough seas, but also. . . .

Smooth as glass!

Inside the cottage, with no potable water, fireplace for heat and an outdoor outhouse

Back porch – Main Door, left and Kitchen Addition Door, right

On my swing that Grandfather put up for me

This grove of trees was just to the left of the back porch. Grandfather put up this swing for me and I had a great time on it. One year, a winter storm took down one of these trees. I remember my mother telling me about it. However, by the time we got to the lake the next summer, Grandfather had tied the swing to two other trees. One thing the lake isn’t lacking, even today, is trees!

Path from cottage to the lake

We walked down this bumpy path from the cottage to the dock, which gave access to swimming and boating activities. The land between the cottage and the shore was much wider than it appears in this photo.

Besides many trees, the camp had tons of blueberry bushes. When I wasn’t swimming, sunbathing, rowing or swinging and needed something to keep me busy, I was sent below to pick blueberries so Grandmother could bake a fresh pie.

They trained me young and I was still picking blueberries well into my teens!

Here are a some final views of the lake, taken during boat rides.

For those of you currently on LSL, now enjoying this vintage visit back in time, the photos were all taken c1954-1960. Those were truly the good old days!