The Power of the Environment

And the glorious benefits of vacation.

The McDermott women, dining out during the annual beach trip.

In the 1970s, my family often packed up our station wagon to spend an extended weekend at my grandfather's "vacation" cabins in Blue, WV. The cabins had gas heat and electricity, but no running water. We bathed in Middle Island Creek, throwing the Ivory soap ("so pure, it floats") upstream whi…