Just a-Swingin'

I was twelve, the first time I went to the ranch, on the Pine Ridge in northwestern Nebraska, with my family. But I heard about the swing several years before.

Dad first hunted at his uncle's ranch with his Dad and brothers as a young teen, and continued after he and Mom were married. Mom and Dad went with their parents and siblings, almost every fall, to hunt deer and turkey. I was pretty young when they came home and told the story of how Dad and (I think) Uncle Lee hung a swing high up in an old Cottonwood tree, so they could swing out over the Wounded Knee Creek. 

When everyone gathered at the ranch for a week of maintenance and repair, and the kids were finally allowed to come along, we could hardly wait to try out the swing. Oh, we hiked, and fished, and roasted marshmallows over the fire, and rode horses by the hour. But the swing was something special. There is nothing like flying high, over the water below, on a warm summer day.

I have seen pictures of my parents and grandparents on the swing. Somewhere, there might even be a few pictures of my siblings and cousins and me, swinging at the ranch. I've taken a few pictures of my own kids swinging, too, over the years. Recently, it has been exciting to witness my grandchildren's joy of swinging.

The wooden seat has been replaced several times in the last fifty-odd years. Sometimes, when there was no seat at all, we stood up in a loop of rope at the bottom of the swing. Some daring teen boys have been known to give amazing "underducks," ending with a fearless leap over the creek, and hopefully landing, in triumph, on the other side.

So now, without further ado, here are some of the swing pictures I've taken over the last year or so.

We couldn't find the swing seat last April, so Tobin
used his coat to cushion his ride.

Andy was a willing (and high) pusher,.

Two-year-old Lydia's shoes had a mishap in the creek, but that didn't stop her from swinging with Mom, who made room on her lap, in spite of last year's pregnant belly.

A little November snow never stops the fun.

Evelyn liked to push Lydia--gently.

Waiting her turn is sometimes hard for this three-year-old...

.

But it's worth the wait!

Evelyn soared high, over the creek, just this week.

The kids can swing on the little "monkey" swing in the house yard while they wait to hike down to the best swing.  Here, Lydia scolds Levi because she wants him to get off the swing so she can have a turn.

Tobin flies high.

Even little Ari gets to swing, with Mom, while Tobin gives his best push.

Meagan has been swinging at the ranch since she was Ari's age.

I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest." 

Psalm 55:6