Castle Rock

Even though I have been an adult for some time (!), there is a part of me that still loves the idea of an island like the one Tom Sawyer frequented at Disneyland. Not many kids get the opportunity to explore caves and climb rocks, hike trails and swing on swaying rope bridges. When I lived in Pennsylania years ago, we would spend many summer days wading out into the Susquehanna River (which would be fairly low at that time of year). There were lots of small islands (Mark Twain would probably call them "snags"), and we would find a particularly good one - - not too much brush or junk - - and build a crude "clubhouse". Not that we did that much with it once it was officially christened. But it was cool to have our own "secret hideout"!

Back then, I would often think of Tom and especially Huck's adventures along the Mississippi, fishing for catfish and laying on the raft at night looking up at the stars.

Here's to the simple pleasures of Tom Sawyer Island, I hope that they won't change that much, even if the name and decor will be different.