Shawnee Falls, one of over 20 named falls at Ricketts Glen State Park. Mark Nale For the CDT My son Brook pulled his family car into western Maryland’s Swallow Falls State Park and was greeted with a toll both. The weekday state park entry fee was $5 per person — not per vehicle. Our van was next. Veterans and youngsters in a car seat were free, but that still set us back $35 for our families to spend less than two hours walking a trail to see three waterfalls.

The snowball stand on Main Street in St. Martinville provided for many Sunday outings to purchase that very special treat. This past Tuesday, June 21st, was the first official day of summer, but with the scorching temperatures that we are presently experiencing, no one in South Louisiana, and in much of our nation these days, must be told that summer has arrived.