All Ashore That's Going Ashore

From our entertainment editor Qwerty Lee Dickinson:

Happy Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer – and thanks to Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) we have a three day weekend. It was Dickinson who first conceived of the idea of a three day weekend, and we wrote about it HERE.
 
Of course, one of the top beach resorts to visit during Memorial Day weekend is Dickinson Lake in historic Washerst, PA (birthplace of Emmett Lee Dickinson).  As a matter of fact, "Travel  & Leisure" magazine listed the shoreline of Dickinson Lake as the third best beach weekend getaway:

The beautiful lakefront of Dickinson lake includes the following:
 
* The world’s largest Olive Garden;
* Three different Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museums;
* Four antique photo booths;
* Seven different salt-water taffy vendors (even though the water in Dickinson Lake is fresh);
* The Washerst International Fishing Lure Museum;
* The National Museum of Seashell Art;
* The world’s largest Denny’s
* A full-service gas station that sells three different types of fudge;
* A gourmet popcorn shop;
* A novelty shop that sells invisible dog leashes;
* The Pennsylvania Rider Mower and Push Mower Museum;
* And a Municipal Pier with the Emmett Lee Dickinson Applied Research and Education Center.
 
Of course, Emmett Lee Dickinson’s favorite thing to do on a three-day weekend was to hit the beaches.  He loved to surf, sail, sip margaritas, and sup on steamed crab legs.  He wrote about his favorite pastimes in his now classic poem, “The day – I partied – Mirth – and I” (below on the left).  Dickinson’s poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “Three times – we parted – Breath – and I” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:
 
Three days – I partied – Mirth – and I –
Three days – I did let go –
And stove to yield to lively Fun
The Beaches – were my home.
 
Three Days – I tossed among the Waves –
They caught me – like a Ball –
They sprayed Blue sea mist in my face –
And later I set sail
 
The crab Legs steamed – I liked to eat –
For dunking – while I dined –
How pleasant was the Thing to hold
Where melted Butter – be –
 
The Waves grew sleepy – Mirth – did not –
The Bars – like Sirens – called –
The Sunset kissed my Merriment –
And I pressed on – and lived –

By Emily Dickinson:
 
Three times – we parted – Breath – and I –
Three times – He would not go –
But strove to stir the lifeless Fan
The Waters – strove to stay.

Three Times – the Billows tossed me up –
Then caught me – like a Ball –
Then made Blue faces in my face –
And pushed away a sail

That crawled Leagues off – I liked to see –
For thinking – while I die –
How pleasant to behold a Thing
Where Human faces – be –

The Waves grew sleepy – Breath – did not –
The Winds – like Children – lulled –
Then Sunrise kissed my Chrysalis –
And I stood up – and lived –

Below: The Emmett Lee Dickinson Applied Research & Education Center on the Municipal Pier on Dickinson Lake in Washerst, PA.