Where I Grew Up

Melrose, Florida.

We lived in a house on beautiful Lake Santa Fe, a spring-fed lake and the source of the Santa Fe River. Indians lived by the lake long ago, and you could find their stone tools, arrow and spear points, after a rain storm. The lake was home to largemouth bass, bluegill, shellcracker, and black crappie, which locals called "speckled perch." The lake water was tea-colored from the bald cypress trees. Fishing, sailing and water skiing were all popular sports on the lake. The lake was linked via canals to other small lakes, such as Black Lake, Bonnet Pond, and Lake Alto. Melrose itself only had one traffic light, and that one was a blinking one, at the junction of SR 26 and SR 21.

Altogether idyllic, now that I think about it.