One of my fondest childhood memories was climbing the Maple trees that surrounded my house in Springfield, Missouri. It may sound odd but I spent a great part of my childhood, at least the summer months in that tree. Our corner lot was huge compared to the typical ones in neighborhoods these days. The house set in the middle, a simple Craftsman style, typical to the Midwest. Summertime and each day spread out before me like my kingdom. It was the 1950’s and we rode our bikes, had lemonade stands and climbed trees. The trees were the perfect size for climbing, the first limb low enough for my 10 year old arms to reach. I would swing my legs up and in no time be at the top. From there I could see above the housetops, all the way to the next block. I could see the corner grocery store where a candybar was a nickle and a tall bottle of Pepsi was a dime. I could see the neighbors mowing lawns and watch as people walked just below me on the sidewalk. We walked everywhere back then. Dad was at work, Moms didn’t drive and if you wanted to go to the city pool…you walked the 10 blocks. If we went downtown on Saturday, Mom and I would catch the city bus at the corner. I loved that tree and I think back often and wonder who lives in that house now and if other children have climbed that tree and set on the topmost branches, planning and dreaming what their lives would be like.Kids still need that sense of accomplishment in their lives. There’s nothing like looking out at the world, above everyone in a tree. Simple pleasures that we need to share with our kids and our Grand kids!
I just finished reading Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv and it is about this theme...we must get our kids and grandkids out more...
ReplyDeleteYour childhood sounds a lot like mine, although I grew up in the country. My cousins(all boys) and I climbed trees and built a few tree houses. Our parents would drive us the pool and bike riding was alway fun. Luckily we had about 69 acres to roam. I really did have a sense of freedom and adventure. It was a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteIf you looked at me now - you would NEVER think I could have climbed a tree - but I did - gee the good old days.
ReplyDeletesandie
I am going to try the daily plate...sounds neat
ReplyDeleteabout climbing trees...me too. Though I lived on the Colorado plains and had very few to climb...but i loved to sway at the top. I am sure i would be scared to death to try that now. Have you noticed how much 'older' ten year old girls are now. We were all such 'kids' then. We could play with dolls if we wanted to, and play dress up...I was always a cowboy of some kind... because we were free to be Tom boys. (o:
OK, WHO WROTE THIS...ME OR YOU?! THIS PICTURE EVEN LOOKS LIKE ME AS A KID! YOU HAVE JUST TOLD ABOUT ME, MY LIFE. I TOO, IN THE 50'S WAS A LITTLE TOM-BOY WHO LIVED IN A TREE...BUT ON A FARM. I WAS IN MY TREE EVERYDAY, I EVEN HAD A SALT SHAKER UP THERE SO I COULD SALT THE APPLES AS I ATE THEM! I WOULD SIT UP THERE READING MY BOOKS AND WHEN MOM WOULD CALL ME, I'D PRETEND I COULDN'T HEAR HER! THANKS FOR THIS..WE HAVE MUCH IN COMMON I THINK! COME SAY HI :D
ReplyDeleteI too spent much time in trees. Trees 100 ft. tall even. I would never have let my children do that. I tried to get them to climb a tree once, and about 6 feet off the ground, they were scared. Climbing trees is my fondest childhood memory.
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember climbing a tree and walking a lot when I was a kid. Now I live on 66 acres with lots of trees but none of them are the type of trees that the kids can climb. Rats! They would so love to climb a tree! They have asked me if I have ever climbed one.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I climbed trees as well when I was about 8-10 years old! And always get scolded by my mom! "girls do not climb trees!" or "it's dangerous!"...something like that. haha...
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