I remember hiking up to the old buildings at the CCC camp on Horton Ridge in the mid 50's when I was 12. There were 3 of us, me, my cousin Fred (aka Fritz) and Billy from the cabin next door. I had a crush on Billy. Billy grew up to be a city manager and now has grandchildren, Fred worked for Boeing and has 2 sons, while I married briefly and became a wildlife biologist with the federal government. I remember Grandma cooking Pennsylvania Dutch food and all of us eating dinner on the screened porch talking or listening to waves lapping on the beach. She made apple dumplings (eaten with sweet milk) for dessert or, my favorite, "breakfast" cakes. These were labor intensive yeast coffee cakes covered with holes full of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. We ate them for breakfast or dinner. Grandma cooked and baked on a wood stove. We used Coleman lanterns in the cabin after dark and me and some of my cousins still own Coleman-like lanterns even though we don't use them. There was no East Shore Rd until I was in 6th grade so we didn't have a phone or get mail. That came later with the road. My father stored an outboard at Bishop's Marina which I thought was a HUGE magical place, and we took the boat to the cabin loaded up with people and supplies. Leonard Paul was still running the store. We drank water from Horton Creek but it was no different than the water in the lake except colder. Staying at the lake in the 1950's with Grandma was like a dream and I am so lucky to have had the chance.
Sandra (Diehl) Bruce
2009
