20 May 2016 Editor’s Note June ’16: Enjoying summer food and fun!

Summer is fast approaching, with all of its delicious, seasonal food as well as the many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors in the 501.

When the calendar flips to June, July and August, I’m reminded of those special summer times from years gone by.

Growing up in a military family, I wasn’t crazy about the Navy’s decision to transfer Daddy from Corpus Christi, Texas, in the middle of winter to Whidbey Island, Wash. The weather wasn’t my only shock as my new elementary school classmates enjoyed hearing my Texas twang and occasional “y’all.” (I wasn’t the one talking funny.)

Nearing the end of sixth grade, I discovered that farmers in the area were hiring young people to help pick produce, in particular delicious strawberries for preserves. The pay was a dollar a flat, not that I knew what that was at the time.

It offered something to do and a way to make some money so for two summers, I became a picker. Beginning shortly after school let out for the summer, the season would begin. As my family slept, I would wake up around 5 o’clock to listen to the local radio station to hear if we were picking. If we were, I’d make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for my lunch, ride my bike to the bus stop and wait for the rickety old bus to pick me up along with the rest of the crew to make the 45-minute or so trek to the fields.

The days were long and dusty, and I wasn’t the best picker but looking back, it was a good experience.

The best part of my picking career came at the end of the season when the families of pickers were allowed into the fields to pick for themselves. My parents, three sisters and I would load up our blue Ford station wagon with every container possible to collect the juiciest, sweetest berries. My baby sister, 10 years my younger, was particularly fond of the strawberries. When berry season rolls around each year, there’s usually a mention or two of finding her sitting among mounds of berries in the back of the station wagon, a large red one in each hand and berry juice on her sweet face. Good times.

I also enjoyed the fruits of my labor, earning just over $100 for weeks and weeks of work. Not too bad for a 13-year-old.

This summer, my family hopes to make the journey back to Washington to visit where we lived. It will be my first trip back since we loaded up the station wagon to head to Arkansas after Dad’s retirement. I’m looking forward to the trip back and will anxiously be looking to see if strawberries are in season.

Here’s to “Loving LIFE” and celebrating summer in the 501.

Sonja J. Keith

Editor/Owner