30 Day Photo Challenge~ Day 5 - A picture of your favorite memory.

 

I lived in this house with my mother and grandmother from birth-ish to 12 years old.  

It was the last house my maternal grandfather built [brick by brick by hand] and lived in before he passed away... about 2 years before I came along.

I grew up looking at pictures of my mom as a teenager & adult here with her bouffant hairstyles and mini skirts and dreamed of what it would be like to have known her then.

I still love hearing stories of the gatherings that took place here with our large extended family that mostly still live in the area.  We were party central.

As a child, the front yard pictured here seemed like a steep hill. The tree on the right looked like a Christmas tree in my mind.  And I remember sitting on the "hill", staring at the cloud shapes in the sky and dreaming the short summers away.  

To the left of this picture was our "side yard" that is now sadly a far-too-modern looking house in a neighborhood of 50's era homes.  The owners after us sold the lot in '88 and we have never quite forgiven them.  

That side yard was where my cousins and I spent many days sliding down the slip & slide. That slide was where I learned the birds & the bees from my older cousin and I can still picture my shock & disbelief. 

We had a circular drive that connected to a little alley street.  As a very young child, I can recall yelling at pesky teens who would cut through our yard to get to that street.  Yep.  I will be that old lady yelling "Get off my lawn!"

We had a 3 car garage and my largest memory there was having a Halloween maze for one of the many parties we threw.  Also, in 3rd grade, Tony Evans tried to make me kiss him in there.  I virtuously refused.  

The back yard held a magical metal swing set that is in the backdrop of most party pictures I have since it was a great house with room for our large gatherings.  I remember obsessively singing the "Annie" soundtrack in that backyard for some reason.

Another entry will have to wait on the memories of the inside of the actual home.  So much took place outside when you are 12 and under that those are still strong memories today.

Ironically, I grew up on Wingate Avenue and now my children will grow up on Wyngate Lane.  It was meant to be. I hope they have as many wonderful memories as I do.