Somerset —

Oh, it's a long, long while From May to December But the days grow short, When you reach September – From September Song ••• Labor Day weekend is steeped in nostalgia, a wistful yearning for the joys of summer to linger: A leisurely cruise along beautiful Lake Cumberland; the heavenly smell of barbecue on a grill; good friends and families; the feel, the sounds, the smells of summer; all stuff of which memories are made. Days are shorter now. Evenings are blanketed with darkness and a tardy sun struggles through morning mist. Autumn is just a breath away; then the doldrums of winter. But the young and young at heart all say, “Let’s have fun while we can. It’s summer’s last fling.” Brett E. Call, natural resource manager for Lake Cumberland, agrees. “It looks like a great boating weekend,” Call said “The main body of the lake is free of debris and the weather is looking good.” Matter of fact, an approaching cold front will sweep away stifling heat and give the upcoming three-day holiday a touch of fall. Call said there is some debris in tributaries at the eastern end of the lake, and the water is still being lowered slowly from heavy rains about two weeks ago. He hadn’t checked, but Call said all Corps-operated recreational areas are usually fully booked in advance of a holiday. Waitsboro still has plenty of water despite the lower lake level, and Fishing Creek is a beautiful campground even without water. “Fishing Creek is still used, but not as much as it used to be because the water is low,” said Call. The recreational area at the end of Ky. 1248 and across from Pulaski County Park has been high and dry for the past four summers because of rehabilitation work at Wolf Creek Dam. Safety is an important issue at all times on the lake, Call pointed out. “We’ve had two fatalities and several near misses this summer, and we hope to end the vacation season on a safe note. Please wear a personal flotation device and remember alcohol and water don’t mix,” Call cautioned. Carolyn Mounce, executive director of Somerset-Pulaski Convention and Visitors Bureau, expects a good crowd of water lovers to spend summer’s last holiday weekend in Pulaski County. A spot check early this week showed a promising room reservation outlook at local motels, but rooms were still available, Mounce said. She is confident most of the more than 1,100 overnight accommodation places in Pulaski County will be reserved as the weekend nears. General Burnside Island State Park will be busy as usual. “We’re taking tee times for the golf course and the camping area is expected to be full during the weekend,” said Judy Smith, employee at the pro shop. SomerSplash, touted as the best water park in Kentucky, with end the season with a splash on Labor Day weekend. Employee Bob Thomale said the water park will be open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday; from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday; and 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday. Thirty minutes after closing time Sunday, the water park reopens for Somerjam, a once-monthly musical extravaganza. A separate $10 entrance fee is required for Somerjam. SomerSplash will close for the season at 5 p.m. Monday. But, take heart, summer will come again. Just remember in the winter Far beneath the bitter snow Lies the seed That with the sun's love, in the spring Becomes the rose The Rose – Amanda McBroom