Deep In The Forrest

Upon waking this morning, and now, listening to the wind blow outside as I wait for this first and most likely last snowfall of the season, I feel about 5 years old again. I remember lying in bed, way before daylight, and hoping like crazy that I wouldn’t have to move and that the schools would be closed that day. Back then, we got more snow than we seem to get nowadays but still, it was a rare jewel that we treasured. So impatiently, I waited beneath those warm covers made of wool blankets and comforters (Mom always put so many covers on the bed, afraid someone would ‘catch a chill’ because it was way colder for them growing up, and she meant to make sure her children never had to be cold, or do without.) Laying there, so impatiently, I was glued to a small radio with crossed fingers, hoping to hear my school announced in the listing of School closures. I could hear the winds outside, and there was already snow on the ground. When they finally announced my school, I was too overjoyed ...

Happy Friday the 13th / Dorkteenth. Yes, that's right it's finally here. So go enjoy it and watch for the freaky things that you might see all day long. There's a magical feeling in the air, and I think it's going to be a memorable Friday... even if it is just because I posted one big dorky story to remember. It's not too late for you to get involved and post your very own Dork story in honor of this big day. I think you can Vote Here. Don't forget to vote for me!!! As a child, I technically had older siblings, but they were already grown and out on their own by the time I was four years old. So, there I was growing up out in the country, pretty-much an "Only Child". My parents did not indulge in cable television, so I had no MTV, I had no HBO or Comedy Channel, or video games. To get those things I usually spent time at my sister, Vickie's house. Visiting Vickie was a whole exciting adventure for me because it was so different from home, and alth...

Imagine a world where there are no video games, no electronic gadgetry to keep you inside the house. Oh sure there was T.V., but there was no MTV, no Comedy Central, no HBO, no "Tivo to go". We watched t.v., later when we came back inside the house from a full day of braving the elements and using our real, raw imaginations. Growing up, I lived on music, love and relied heavily on fantasy to create the world that was mine... I can't think of a better paradise really. Although, others in my family don't quite remember it as magical as I do, but that's o.k. too. During the summers, or any time we were able really my nieces, Kristie and Stacey (barely just my juniors by a couple of years as you may recall) spent our time at either their house, just 30 minutes north, or at my house out in the middle of 10 whole acres... an entire universe for a kid. Their house was in a subdivision just 30 minutes north of mine, just beneath Memphis, TN, so you can imagine this felt l...

Ok, it's storytime kids! (Originally written December 20, 2004) "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope it was the winter of despair..." (Dickens-Tale of Two Cities) Waking up early wasn't hard as the excitement filled the air. It had been nearly impossible to sleep the night before, with the impending mystery of Christmas morning upon me. Most of the night was spent tossing and turning (without benefit of any dancing sugarplums)... forcing myself to remain in bed so that he wouldn't pass me by! "How long could the night be!?!" I wondered, frantically. Just like clockwork, I sprung forth at dawn to go and see what wonderful gifts that Santa had brought for me. For a child about my age, lo and behold there was a 'Ripley's Beli...

I just realized, I don't spin anymore . You know, the kind of spinning we used to do when we were little kids. Just spin yourself out of control until you collapse to the ground so dizzy you can't see straight and then look at the horizon and watch everything in sight rotate, and it would just take your breath away, and your stomach along with it. Then lie there until you were stablilized and had 'come back down to earth', then do it again... Why would we willfully choose to induce this 'vertigo'? It was liberating... it made us laugh. How many REAL 'natural' highs like that do we get in our life? Not really that many (well, I guess it depends on the person and how we see things). Let's see theres the spinning thing, sneezing, first kisses, successfully humiliating someone who's publicly made a fool out of you (that's right, revenge!), and Ice Cream-it's natural, I buy all natural, so that counts. There are a few others. Not like that tim...

Oh what if we could all truly rekindle the "Wow Factor" in life? I really try to, & I'd like to think there are others out there who do the same. Let's Laugh at ourselves, make snow angels, enjoy making pictures out of clouds, 'slosh' around in rain puddles, drink hot cocoa with marshmallows and invite our old imaginary friends over for dinner. Let's laugh at the big as well as small things in life. Our perception of what life should be has become over complicated and creates too much paperwork and pain. This is in honor of childhood and all that it represents to all of us "old(er) children". Fishing around on the net, I found these 3 poems that I wanted to share with you all. "Childhood" by Eugene F. Ware It passed in beauty, Like the waves that reach Their jeweled fingers Up the sanded beach. It passed in beauty, Like the flowers that spring Behind the footsteps Of the Winter King. It passed in beauty, Like the clouds on high, Tha...