Monday, October 25, 2010

The Secret Hiding Place


When my granddaughter asked what kind of yard I played in when I was a little girl, I didn’t have to think very hard to remember because it just happens to be one of my most wonderful memories – that beautiful yard! 

My house was at the end of a dead-end street. It overlooked the Kanawha River. It had a large yard with many fruit trees. There were several different kinds of apple trees, a peach tree, a plum tree, a number of rose bushes, a large lilac bush and a grape arbor that extended the length of the house on the river side. This yard was a kid’s paradise. Not only did I love climbing the apple trees and partaking of their luscious ripe fruit, but I also loved hiding under the grape arbor. In mid-summer, the abundant grapevines wrapped around the arbor in such a way as to provide total privacy underneath. When I wanted to hide – and I often did – that's where I headed. There was an added bonus, too... the sweet, juicy, purple grapes that hung from the lush vines!  Some days, I’d sit there in my secret hiding place stuffing myself on them until I was almost sick.

Two hydrangea bushes with huge white flowers stood guard on either side of the steps that led to a long front porch on which there was a porch swing. When I was very young, the porch was my substitute playground on a rainy summer afternoon, and later, when I started dating boys, many memories were made sitting on the old porch swing with my latest heart throb. 

I love it when my grandchildren ask questions that allow me to revisit my happy childhood.

2 comments:

jenny said...

Peggy, you have such a gift for describing things and places.Your posts are so fun to read.

Anonymous said...

sounds like you had a good place to play.I only had concrete. I lived in an apartment.