Memories & Coffee
My mom would have been 69 yesterday. I spent her birthday traveling home to Everett from Catawba Island, Ohio. Hard not to think about her there, surrounded by family and friends who adored her too, and surrounded by the beauty of a precious place that holds so many memories from over the years.
Like all good family soap operas, some of those memories are bittersweet, but most of them are the kind of warm, happy scenes you wrap up carefully and hold close in your heart until you can return, or in case you never do.
My mom loved that place. Who wouldn’t? A tiny, hidden stretch of gorgeous land on the shores of Lake Erie with a handful of sleepy, old, rustic cottages, the lawns stretched out in abandon around them and enormous maple and oak trees standing guard.
I have been lucky enough to visit two different cottages at this place, since I was a child, to spend lazy summer days on the dock, swimming in the waves, playing endless card games and crazy rounds of spoons. Sharing stories, laughter and scrumptious meals around large, wonderfully crowded tables. It’s the kind of place we share with family and the most special friends, Gwen, Tricia, Tim, Meg, Izzy, Greg, Sue and Anthony, and so many more. The kinds of friends who become the family you choose.
One of the best memories I have of Lake Erie is sharing coffee on the screened-in porch of the Maple cottage with my mom.
When I was in college and after I graduated, especially after I went to Europe and became a total coffee snob, I loved waking early at the Lake knowing my mom would be up making coffee. We would sit on the porch together in that morning quiet and drink our coffee, just the two of us before anyone else woke up. Sometimes we’d talk about what we were going to make for dinner that night, because really, people, it’s all about the food, isn’t it! Sometimes we’d read our books. Often we would just sit there together enjoying our deliciously strong, rich coffee in a magical place.
My mom is always with me, but when I go to the Lake, I feel her presence so strongly, and I miss her more acutely, but ultimately I feel more connected to her than almost anywhere else.
12 Comments
Dave Mitchell
Uh huh!
Clare Hughes
You have such beautiful words for a wonderful tribute to the place that you and your mom and your family loved so much! I feel her presence most up there as well. Love you lady!
Sara Ohlin
Love you too Clare!
Meg Leder
Ah, Sara–this brings back so many lovely memories. Your mom has been on my mind a lot lately–this time of year always makes me think of visiting the Lake with your family. Those are some of my favorite times of my 41 years! Love you so very much.
Sara Ohlin
Meg Leder, my favorite times too. Love you too!!
Tricia
The lake is such a special place for all of us who have been lucky enough to spend time there. A counselor of mine a few years back asked me to create a “happy place” that I could envision and go to when feeling anxious. At first I thought it was silly, but I decided to try it. My happy place was easier to create than I thought it would be because I had a real happy place: the lake. It is truly a magical place. I’m so thankful for my many visits with the family. Love you Sar.
Sara Ohlin
Tricia!! It is my happy place too. I feel you. Love you too, Lady!
Katie Shiban
As always, your writing makes it all real to me. Thank you so much, Sara!
Sara Ohlin
Katie!!! Thank you so much!
Patty Hughes
Love your writing Sara. You have captured the essence of the Lake perfectly. So many fond memories of you girls and of course your Mom. XO
Sara Ohlin
Thank you Aunt Patty! XO
Megan
The pictures transport me immediately and your words give it a home. We were lucky to be there, then and now, together with her, and with each other!