Childhood Memories of Summer

My summer memories growing up in Kansas in the 60′s was playing outside all day and into the night. I rode my bike all over town from one side to the other without a worry or care in the world (back then my mom and dad didn’t have to worry much either in those days). I use to pack a sack lunch and ride to the park to explore or ride to the swimming pool. Once in a while a friend would ride bikes with me but most of the time I was off on an adventure in solitude. I played outside with my neighbourhood friends catching lightning bugs (fireflies) and collecting locust shells.

I always looked forward to visiting my grandparents on their farm where I would chase the chickens, play in the hay mow, watch grandpa milking the cows, building a tree house and pretty much anything that could be explored and imagined outside.

One time we visited my other grandparents who lived in the country also but they didn’t have running water or electricity. I remember one summer it was so hot and I was very young probably 5 or 6 years old. My mom and I had to stay with the grandparents for awhile to take care of my grandmother. We slept upstairs of a 2 story house without electricity. I remember crying myself to sleep listening to the coyotes howling while my mother leaned over me in bed fanning me for a long time till I fell asleep because it was so hot. I hated using the outhouse and at night upstairs we had a pee pot and longing for the comforts at our own home but still, I found something to explore even there on that farm. I was fascinated by cowpies in the pasture. l

Today, a woman of 55, I finally have my own country home and my grandkids are visiting me.  I love gardening and puttering outside in the yard, taking long walks along the country road and…..I’m still exploring the countryside on my bike.