OK so I can't even tell you how.

[elderberrywine]

But one thing lead to another, and I started flash-backing to my childhood.

But seriously it was what it was and it was the best.

Being born in 1951, the '50s were my childhood years. And you couldn't do better than that.

Technically, I wasn't born in Palm Springs, but my parents returned there when I was 2 months old, so for the next 25 years, that's all I knew. We moved into my childhood home when I was 2 years old (all 3 of my sisters were born while we lived there) and my 89-years old mom lives there yet. We got a big lot (sand was cheap) and my Dad was in the construction biz, so eventually we had a big house.

But the summers I remember (125 F, mind you) consisted of my mom kicking us outside (her reading time, mind you). Us 4 girls? in our panties. Why wear more? We roamed our backyard, blonde hair, blue eyes, and brown as berries every one. I invented fantastical plots (being the oldest) and we buried treasure, built castles in the mud under the cottonwood tree, climbed up the tree to escape the witch, and generally rampaged all over the backyard until Mom let us back in.

At which, of course, it was time to settle down with the latest treasure from the library and dream some more.

Do children have lives like this anymore? And what a loss that is.

Comments

[paserbyp]

How about 60-x? ...first kiss?

[elderberrywine]

You mean the '60s? An awesome decade to be a teen (graduated high school in 1968). Totally bitchin', to use the vernacular of the time. The Beatles and I are only a handfull of years apart.

First kiss wasn't until the next decade. such a nerd

[paserbyp]

Got it... How about summer of love and hippie?

..sorry about 60s.. it's typo due to my Russian accent...

[elderberrywine]

Ah, you mean the summer of 1967, AKA the Summer of Luuuurve.

Let Scott MacKenzie tell you all about it.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Scott+MacKenzie&view=detail&mid=C4A6FA9C8E8A381CB8DEC4A6FA9C8E8A381CB8DE&FORM=VIRE

That was my senior year of high school.

[paserbyp]

I see... How about 70s?

[elderberrywine]

Ah, the '70's? An awesome time, to be sure. Graduated from college, toured Europe with my BFF, moved to Los Angeles, got married. It was all good. Even the hand-crocheted hot pants.

[paserbyp]

Cool! Thank you for sharing your memory...

[lenine]

You reminded me of a neighbor friend when I was little. She had a weeping willow tree in the backyard that we claimed as our playhouse. It was fabulous!

[elderberrywine]

You can't beat a good climbing tree.

[illuminating_dragon]

Probably not. Our house was a block from what we called 'the woods' but which is now tidied up and called Pacific Spirit Park. *gags* We were safe there. Now, not so much.

[elderberrywine]

Exactly. My home was a block from The Wash, where the pine trees would peel off San Jacinto in times of flood. And otherwise? Open desert which turned into mountains.

Explored wherever I wanted, until the sun got low and I knew it was time to head home.

Very much a wild child. And ain't nothing wrong with that.

Raised my sons the same way. Helicopter parents are the worst.

[illuminating_dragon]

I knew when to go home and if I was only a block or so away, Mum called me. It was like growing up in a small town, not in Vancouver. The only hovering Mum did was when she helped carry my saxophone to school.:D

[elderberrywine]

Lucky you. I was 2 miles from the high school which meant they didn't have to provide a bus. So most days, if my mom was not feeling it, off I went across the open desert, 6 or 7 books clutched to my chest and my viola banging against my knees. In 100 degrees plus. Up hill both ways.

[illuminating_dragon]

We were just a mile away. Uphill one way but sometimes snow and usually rain. No school buses in those days so it could have been a lot worse.

[julchen11]

Wonderful memories, right ? It reminds me on my childhood as well. We had a huge garden and all children of the neighborhood meet there. My grandma had quite a work with us rascals ....
Today nearly all children are missing these. Out of laziness they were "parked" infront of the TV or computer. My nephew (he's now 16 years old) doesn't know it better and he feels bored when he's in the garden. Unbelievable, isn't it ?
Thanks for this lovely post, my dear. Have a great day!

[elderberrywine]

Hey there you! *hugs, twirls you around*

I swore I'd never use the TV as a babysitter, but when son #2 was born, I admit to parking older son in front of the TV while I tended to the baby. *shame faced*

It was never for than an hour, possible two, a day, while I was Getting Stuff Done, and then they were off outside. Down the street, up the hills, don't care where, just get back when it starts to get dark. It all worked out somehow.