I live not far from the house I was raised in. Periodically I get so homesick for the woods and fields of my childhood that I go back to walk the familiar paths. I took my camera on today's jaunt. Come with me on up the hill...
There are meadows on both sides of the road edged with woods that stretch for miles. This whole street was my playground and I spent most of my waking hours out of doors.
A mile or so from the old homestead is the sledding hill, a now defunct meadow grown over with barberry bushes and small trees. From where we're standing, the snowy trail was an exhilarating slide over jutting rocks, small bushes and a thorn tree at the bottom. Today the sun is warm and the chill wind is buffered by the trees. Let's sit awhile and watch the red tail hawks ride the updrafts.
I was often scolded by the farmers on my street for setting hands full of milkweed fluff free to float over their meadows. None of those farmers are left today but the magic of flinging the silken seeds to the wind is still alive.
Lean your arms on the fence and drink in the view - I herded cows toward the barn at milking time through this meadow and helped hay the hidden hillside fields beyond the tree line.
I often brought a book to this tree. When I was younger, and the branches were lower to the ground, I'd climb to a seat on one of it's outstretched arms and read for a while. More often, I'd just sit there in the company of the dreaming tree and watch the wildlife around me.
I love my little cottage but there are days when I simply must go back to the places that nourished me long ago. Thanks for coming along.
13 comments:
Thanks for sharing the walk . . . beautiful memories of a beautiful place. When my parents house was being sold I took pictures . . . not of the whole house, but of the little nooks and crannies in the home and yard that mattered to me.
It was a treat to be able to share your return. My brother & I returned to the cottage of our childhood, & all the fields of green & gold of our youth have gone. Houses & not an animal in sight. So sad.
Lovely walk, thank you.
Now, can we put the kettle on and have a nice mug of coffee...?
That was a lovely walk back to your childhood. You were fortunate to grow up in such a place and fortunate now to live near, and not see too much change. And to identify the tree!
On my recent visit to Isle of Wight, two big houses I'd been closely involved with had been razed. So I went searching for the trees which had stood nearby, which housed memories. But so much had changed it was hard to find them.
Ruth - and I live in an equally beautiful place now but oh, when that homesickness descends...
that is sad, meggie. I dread the day.
lee - you bet! Though I will make tea for myself, I'd be happy to serve coffee. You and margaret need to put New England on your next jaunt!
Vincent - if I thought I would be able to scramble up (and get back down from) that tree, I'd climb it in a minute!
I wish I could be there. I've actually been contemplating taking the $23 bus to NYC and figuring out how to get to your area of Massachusetts from there. Things are just a little busy right now, so it may have to wait until spring, but I'm so anxious to take one of these walks with you! The pictures tell the story so well.
Barbara, you're welcome any time! Spring is a glorious time here but then any season holds its own beauty. My cottage is tiny but I have an guest air mattress and plenty of food in the cupboard :)
Thanks. You are so lucky you live so close to be able to experience this. I have to visit only in my imagination!
I grew up in a similar-looking place and every now and then, I feel the need to drive out that way. Thanks for sharing :)
It's good to take a sentimental journey now and again. I'd love to sit in that seat! A lovely post.
It brought back memories of the pleasure of seeing the places you grew up in during our all-to-brief visit a couple of years ago.
We're hoping to get back to your neck of the woods later next year, perhaps taking in upstate New York and revisiting Vermont. Before that however, we need to visit Australia so the money may run out!
(I love the letter combinations that the Word Verification gizmo comes up with. The offering for this comment is 'umbackos'; some sort of Mexican dish, perhaps.
A good walk in good company. Thankyou.
is that a huge screened porch? i would love one on my house.
such a nice walk and wonderful cozy memories. no wonder you become nostalgic and want to return. thank for the invitation and the prompt it gave me to remember sitting on the branches of our mimosa tree, loving every moment i was high above the ground, lost in the pink clusters of mimosa flowers and feeling much more powerful than my 8-9 years. :)
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