Sweet summer memories come back to me this time of year, and smack me on the side of the head. Buried deep in the recesses of my brain, I am always startled when they come back, in a rush. So sudden, and the cue is so subtle.
I was walking with David and the girls, through the woods. Alongside the path we were on were wild strawberries, and raspberries. The strawberries reminded me of the tiny ones that grew in front of my house, growing up. I have a memory of my mom giving me a bowl, and telling me to go outside, and pick what I could, for breakfast. I even remember the pajamas I was wearing. Big blue flowers, with smocking on the top. A hand me down from my sister.
My Dad cut the strawberries up, and sprinkled sugar on them. I swear, they were the sweetest, most delicious thing I had tasted. Sugar was never sprinkled on anything in my house growing up, so this was a treat. One of those hot summer mornings, that my Dad was already in his bathing suit, and no shirt, as he drank his tea, and had his toast. Everything felt carefree. Safe.
As we rounded another path, there was a flowering bush, that literally took me back to 3rd grade. Honeysuckles. I showed Charlotte, who is interested in anything to do with flora and fauna. "Smell these", I told her. We leaned in, and breathed in the sweet honey fragrance. I tried to pull out the stamen, to get a taste of the nectar for my girls, but someone else had already gotten to them. I told the girls how when I walked to my bus at the end of the school year when I was a kid, there was a giant honeysuckle bush along the fence, and I would gather as many blossoms as I could, and eat them on the bus. David told them, that he too would feast on the flowers, as he played little league.
We sat around a camp fire last night and took turns talking about the things we loved. Cotton candy, music, swimming, Christmas, and family time were all mentioned. Summer was agreed upon by all of us. We stayed up later than usual, and gazed at the fire, and the stars, and I saw what hopefully will be a memory for my own children. Not a big fancy party. Not a toy that they had hoped for.
Maybe they will remember our walk in the woods, and our yummy dinner barbecued by Dad, and the vicious game of Uno afterwards. The fire, and the feeling of carefree days.
Safe.
I was walking with David and the girls, through the woods. Alongside the path we were on were wild strawberries, and raspberries. The strawberries reminded me of the tiny ones that grew in front of my house, growing up. I have a memory of my mom giving me a bowl, and telling me to go outside, and pick what I could, for breakfast. I even remember the pajamas I was wearing. Big blue flowers, with smocking on the top. A hand me down from my sister.
My Dad cut the strawberries up, and sprinkled sugar on them. I swear, they were the sweetest, most delicious thing I had tasted. Sugar was never sprinkled on anything in my house growing up, so this was a treat. One of those hot summer mornings, that my Dad was already in his bathing suit, and no shirt, as he drank his tea, and had his toast. Everything felt carefree. Safe.
As we rounded another path, there was a flowering bush, that literally took me back to 3rd grade. Honeysuckles. I showed Charlotte, who is interested in anything to do with flora and fauna. "Smell these", I told her. We leaned in, and breathed in the sweet honey fragrance. I tried to pull out the stamen, to get a taste of the nectar for my girls, but someone else had already gotten to them. I told the girls how when I walked to my bus at the end of the school year when I was a kid, there was a giant honeysuckle bush along the fence, and I would gather as many blossoms as I could, and eat them on the bus. David told them, that he too would feast on the flowers, as he played little league.
We sat around a camp fire last night and took turns talking about the things we loved. Cotton candy, music, swimming, Christmas, and family time were all mentioned. Summer was agreed upon by all of us. We stayed up later than usual, and gazed at the fire, and the stars, and I saw what hopefully will be a memory for my own children. Not a big fancy party. Not a toy that they had hoped for.
Maybe they will remember our walk in the woods, and our yummy dinner barbecued by Dad, and the vicious game of Uno afterwards. The fire, and the feeling of carefree days.
Safe.
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