My choices were Apple Tree, Aluminum Christmas Trees, and Adjustable Roller Skates.
All three are a blast from my past, but the apple tree won. It is one of my earliest childhood memories.
This memory appeases all of my senses.
Our family lived on the lower level of my Grandma's house. Outside our front door was a concrete slab where we could sit and play by a level side yard that quickly sloped down into what, at the time, seemed to me to be a steep hill. At the bottom of that hill I could SEE the APPLE TREE. In my young mind everything revolved around that apple tree.
I can still FEEL the roughness of the bark as I climbed up to my perch in that tree. We spent hours there. My older brother and sister on the higher branches and me, the youngest, on the lower ones. We would play telephone, using tin cans on a string.
"Ring, ring. Hello. Not you! I was calling Tom. Ring, ring. Hello. Hi Tom, what are you doing? (I think he was usually "making things" and certainly not interested our little parties). So, Ring, ring. Hello. Hi Kathleen. Can you HEAR me? Yeah? Close your other ear. Now can you still hear me? You wanna play?" It seemed the nonsense went on forever.
I can still SMELL those apples as they ripened. They were small and tart to the TASTE. I was always fearful of the ever present worms. I seem to remember they were not good for anything other than to let them fall to the ground to rot.
Down that gently sloping (steep) hill I went as I tried to ride my brother's little bike. My skill set certainly did not include knowing how to brake. So, I headed straight for my friend, the apple tree. I'm pretty sure that, though everyone came running, I didn't get hurt. In my young five year old mind, that apple tree saved me. And that, my friends, is why A is for Apple Tree.
Day two of A to Z Challenge: My choices are Barbie Dolls, Big Chief Tablet, Black and White TV, and Bath Time
Any guesses on what I'm going to choose?
12 comments:
What a wonderful childhood you must have had!! Sounds completely idyllic!
Black & White TV???? My guess!
My grandma's house had an apple tree, too. The apples were smallish and often strangely shaped, as non-orchard apples can be, but they tasted so great! I love your memories here!
Love this blog....I say the next one will be bath time :) Lord knows you have given your share of them to us kids and your grand kids :) I am sure you have taken your share of them also LOL
Nice memory Deanna!
I am going with the tv, I don't see you with Barbies....
We have a crab apple tree on R's mom's property, the kids would climb it for years, both my husband and brother and our own kids.
I don't remember ever once saying "I'm bored" when I was growing up .... but my kids seem to say it all the time. I'm seriously considering cutting all of the power cords to the TVs and video games and forcing them to read a book or go play outside.
I always loved the scent of apple blossoms. Sweet memories here!
I hope it's black and white TV next and, I also wanted to say, I loved the tin cans with string telephone referance. Really took me back.
What a great memory. I too had an apple tree in my yard, but we never climbed it. But I have memories of us picking the apples and sorting them based on quality, and picking the best, prettiest, redest apple to give to my teacher.
Loved your story. :) I'm glad you weren't hurt.
I have a memory that involves an apple tree in my grandfather's sheep pasture. LOL
what a sweet theme. I'd like to say I don't remember most of those things, but I do have vague flashes of some. :-) You sound like a gem of a grandma! Come visit me, if you'd like:
from The Dugout
I can remember skinning my knees on an apple tree, but it wasn't in our backyard, it was down a small road, a big old crab apple tree, with tiny apples. Thanks for the memory.
The only tree worth climbing (that was climb-able that is!) was a big Cherry tree. I often went up and just looked out at the world - and possibly dreamed of climbing the big ol' Oak trees we had (they were 8-10 feet around so there was no way to get a leg up to the first branches (about 15 feet up!)
I loved how the cherry blossoms would look like snow on the driveway.
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