Nose Blueberries

Sometime befor age 5, my mother and I would spend most of summers at a country "resort" called Maple Manor.  The place was a former farm somewhere Dingman's Ferry, PA (but in NJ)  There was a "lodge" with a big old fashioned porch where we ate,  individual cabins for families, and a swimming pool.   It was close to Child's State Park (now national forest) with wonderful waterfalls.

Generally the women and children stayed much of the summer and the father's drove up on weekends.  We went with our friends the Dorothy (mother) and Susan (daughter) Nadels from Brooklyn.

Some events I recall were an annual costume party.   I remember getting one of those foldup crepes paper toys that you whizzed around your head and it made a singing buzzing noise.   Also once or more a summer someone would bring horses for us to ride.   I remember sings that happened in the farmhouse.   I remember loving the words to "Grandfather's Clock"   There was one family with a governess and children who stayed in the main house.

Once I recall floating on a blowup mattress on the pool.   I didn't yet know how to swim.  Somehow, next thing I knew I rolled off into the water and sank straight towards the bottom.   As you can see, I was rescued.   It was VERY scary....partly because of the big fuss everyone made afternwards.   (Later my son Benny repeated exactly this experience in a pool owned by my brother and sister in law in Long Island.   He was rescued by quick action by Peter Hein.)   (Another time Benny just walked off the side of my sailboat Cygnus into the water.   Either he had a life preserver on or could swim at that point, since there was no scare.)

One day several of us children went into the woods to play.   Somehow we got the idea of stuffing blueberries up our noses.   We did it so thoroughly that they got jammed in and we all got scared.   We ran to our Mommies, who extricated the blueberries from nasal passages.   I do remember being pretty worried that we would be in trouble.   I think my mom was just happy to conduct the rescue.

This reminds me of some other similar adventure at an unspecified time and place where I busted bubble gum on my face and couldn't get it off.   I was totally plastered.   Mom to the rescue again!