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I've heard it said that if you don't like the weather in North Carolina, wait 10 minutes, and it will change. This certainly seems to be the case in recent days as we've watched our high temperatures see-saw between the 40s and 70s.

The nicer days bring us outside to enjoy various activities we put on hold last fall. You hear the hum of a lawnmower cutting the grass that is now growing again after being dormant all winter. You smell the wild onions after they are cut with the mower. You see the trees blossom and flowers bloom in magnificent colors.

You also have your teenage son bring you his inline skates, informing you that they are too little now that his feet have grown.

Shaking my head in disbelief at how quickly kids' feet grow, I make a mental note that we need to get some more skates for him as soon as we can.

I cringe at the thought of paying full price for a new pair, uncertain how much he will actually use the skates. I decide to check out a few thrift stores to see if I can find a pair there before buying something brand new.

I found a pair at Good Samaritan Thrift on Church Street in Burlington for just $3. My son was anxious to give them a try, so we headed to Northeast Park on High Rock Road in Gibsonville one recent afternoon when the temperatures were in the 70s.

This park is a great place for people to go when they want a taste of the big outdoors. Its quiet, rural setting really makes you feel you've gotten "away from it all."

My kids put on their skates, knee pads, arm pads and wrist pads. (They would prefer not to wear the pads, but it is a nonissue to me as I would be the one paying the bill if they fell and broke something.)

They clipped their helmets on, finally ready to skate. I walked out to the edge of the road with them with camera in hand like a good mama to take some pictures of their activities. They rolled around the park for a little while.

The weather was wonderful, so we were not the only ones at the park. Over on one of the playgrounds was the Jones family.

The smallest girl, Rylie Jones, was playing on one of the bouncy animals in the well-padded turf. Delaney Jones was enjoying the swings. They continued to run around, enjoying the playground equipment with their parents, Eldon and Heather Jones.

A few minutes later, back on the road, I noticed two women with their dogs on the walking path.

Margaret Deaton and Gerry Lou Wray stopped to introduce their sweet dogs to me. Marley, Katie and Buck were enjoying the brisk walk in the sunshine with their owners.

Wray, who is from Summerfield, drives to meet Deaton at Northeast Park a couple of times a month to walk her dog. They were having a great time, and the dogs were friendly and happy.

My son decided he wanted to jog around the park while we were there. My daughter and I sat watching various other people enjoy the park while we waited for my son to come back around. When my son returned, the three of us walked toward the Meeting and Event building near the pool. I had not seen it up close yet.

We peeked in the windows. It really looks like a great place for people to hold meetings or to celebrate a special occasion. The park office also is located in this building.

Near the Meeting and Event building is a gazebo. The whole area is landscaped beautifully with flowers, trees and a stone pathway. I think it would be a great place to bring the kids when we want to take some special pictures of them in the future.

It was soon time for us to head home. We drove back around the circle to the exit, with new memories tucked in our pocket.

Linda Vestal is a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend living in Gibsonville. Contact her with comments or story ideas at lindavestal@triad.rr.com.