My childhood days were nestled in the precious small town of Seymour, Texas. Lake Kemp, seven miles from Seymour, was the center of activity for many families. The local ordinance that began in May of 1925 established that on May 1st the town of Seymour, Texas would literally close down. The stores, the schools, the post office, the banks – all of the businesses would put up signs that read “Gone Fishing,” and everyone would go to the lake for some fun!

Photo taken at Lake Kemp Cabin, Seymour, TX

In 1966, my sister won first place at the 41st Lake Kemp May 1st Celebration in the junior division of the Krazy Hat Contest. May 1st activities included boat races, biggest liars contest, Miss Lake Kemp, oldest skier, youngest skier, fishing contests, the hat contest, and so on. As children, we would plan all year what our crazy hats would look like for the following year.

May 1st might have been a special celebratory Lake Kemp day, but many days were Lake days for our family. Mom recalls having the tackle box and ice chest filled with a picnic supper ready as a child when her Daddy got home from work. My two sisters and I did the same…many spring, summer and fall nights we would look forward to the adventure of playing at the lake and running the trotline. And, of course, the weekends were most often full of lake fun!

We caught a big one this day! Lake Kemp, Seymour, TX

Lake Kemp for me represents one of the central layers of love and core memories I experienced as a child. I can hear the screen door slamming as I would run from one grandmother’s cabin to the other grandparent’s cabin. My grandparents, Ninie and Grandy, would always have Pecan Sandie cookies stashed away for us and a fishing pole ready to go. Our other grandmother, Tinie, would always have Sara Lee brownies ready for us. There were outdoor “johns”. There were trotlines. There were fish frys. Mom and Dad hosted many a couple’s bridal showers and parties out at the lake with decorative lights and paper globes before they were a “thing”. There were rock-skipping contests. There was our Aunt Sammie bringing a watermelon or two. There was hauling water up from the lake. There was history in the making there.

My granddad built the original lake cabin in the 1930’s. It had a wood-burning fireplace for winter duck hunting. And, of course, the love of fishing and boating kept the cabin a treasure in the summer months. The history of our family runs deep at the lake.

L to R: Dad, Uncle Tommy, Tinie (paternal grandmother), Uncle Bobby, and most importantly, the catch of the day!

There was cousin time…lots of cousin time. We swam with tire innertubes and couldn’t wait for a boat to go by to make “big” waves. My uncle was an avid fisherman and had a cabin next door – it was always fun to see what he brought in. Sometimes his catfish were so big he would hang their skulls in a tree to show off his fishing prowess. We thought that was so cool!

Once we moved from Seymour, TX to Lubbock, TX in 1968, Lake Kemp remained a familiar refuge and a family vacation choice. In our high school days my sisters and I would set up slalom ski courses and compete with one another. We would spend hours positioning the ski course, constructed out of floating milk jugs stabilized by rocks deep in the water. We loved taking our friends and subsequently our spouses and introducing them to our rural background.

Our original cabin was definitely rustic. It had an open-air design with a concrete floor, one bathroom (a step up from the outhouse), four double beds in one room, a kitchen, and two tables to gather around for the delicious food.

Once we had children and lived in Amarillo, TX, the lake was a sweet vacation refuge as we were starting our life together, and on a budget! The kids loved it there.

I don’t know how, but as our families grew and we all had children, we still all stayed at the cabin, with up to seven kids in baby beds, on the loveseat couch, and in playpens. Due to the spiders and stinging scorpions, no one slept on the floor. There were many nights of Mom, Dad, my three sisters and our spouses and seven grandkids – ALL 15 of us in the same room. We all look back and are not really sure how we did it!

So, needless to say, as the kids all grew older we outgrew that lake house and moved to Lake House #2 in 2003. We really upgraded then, to a 3-bedroom, 2-bath cabin!

Photo of “upgraded” cabin at Lake Kemp, Seymour, TX, 2003.

We continued to pile on the many fun times and memories at the “new” lake cabin. As all of the grandkids were now in their junior high and high school days, the fun was abundant with everyone skiing, wakeboarding, putting on funny “concerts” on the dock at night, and playing games around the table. Of course, around the table also included many meals of typical weekend fare – hot dogs, hamburgers, and lots of watermelon and yummy desserts. We even had a work weekend to disassemble an old boat that was left and work together to re-paint the cabin!

Images of X-Treme Makeover Weekend at “new” cabin 2003.

On July 4th, everyone made a special effort to gather and celebrate together. Mother and Daddy were so proud of their family and loved the lake celebrations.

Cousin time on Fourth of July weekends

The layers of love run deep…through multiple generations, times gathered around the table, playing games, water sports, watching the stars, connecting with one another, working together, meals together, coffee with the sunrise, cooking together, doing dishes together, playing together. The layers and stories and impact for each of us are unique – AND, there is a collective joy in the multiple experiences shared together.

As with many good things, change comes and transitions happen. It is bittersweet that we have decided to sell the lake cabin. We have definitely outgrown it, with more kids and more family members.

Growth and change are good…and can be hard. We are having sentimental thoughts and feelings as we embark on the “what’s next” for each of us. Of course, as we look to the future, we are not sure what it will all look like, AND we are grateful for the time we have had together. So very grateful for the family connections, the laughter, the times around the table.

We anticipate there will be more…just uncertain of what “next” will look like…. For now, we are processing our goodbyes to Lake Kemp. We love you Lake Kemp and will always cherish the family heritage, the red water, Rattlesnake Island, the trotline, the skiing, the fun, the experiences around the table, the precious memories.

Beloved Lake

By Roger C. Jones

The summer wind, hot and dry, pelts
the lake creating white-cap waves,
in the toasty afternoon.

An angled cove connects to the main channel
and creates a pin-wheel of waves circling around a
point. Behind the point, a calm stretch
provides a paradise of sorts for water sports.

Mesquite tree branches, with needle like leaves,
green from previous rains, catch gusts
and sway rhythmically like sheets on clotheslines.

A dark, hairy, evil-looking tarantula walks
back and forth on the grass perusing for a meal.
Never-welcomed rattlesnakes visit infrequently,
everyone hoping uselessly that it’s the last time.

A wall hanging declares the lake cabin kitchen’s a place
where memories are made and grandkids are spoiled.
The cabin’s modest dock floats tranquilly in the cove,
a launching point for countless swims and boating excursions.

As evening settles in, the wind and heat begin
to abate. The setting sun casts a shimmering
majestic column on the water. Gradually the fiery globe
thins to an orange sliver that shyly vanishes.

Our times at the beloved lake like the orange sliver
of the setting sun may be ending soon,
but those times shall remain shining in our hearts
like an everlasting candle.

This month, I will be sharing images and memory vignettes of the layers of love from our Lake Cabin. May it stir up within you places and experiences that you may have had in your childhood and growing-up days. Maybe you didn’t experience a cabin, or an extended family like this. What do your layers of love look like?

Do you have a special place – a “memory shack,” as our daughter described the lake house? What might a nostalgic view of time away and vacations look like for you?

May the month of May hold many special moments for each of you – so grateful for your reading and walking this journey with us! You may follow me on Facebook or Instagram for daily inspirations. If you are not on social media, you may click on the image below and find the calendar through a downloadable PDF.