Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Rocking to the rhythm of childhood

Tonight as I type, I hear rain ticking on the metal roof. This spring and summer were the wettest on record for Alabama, but when autumn arrived, it shooed away the rain.
So the earth has been thirsty for a while now.
I could have hugged the weatherman when he said rain was moving in.
As a child living in Sloss Hollow, I played outside every day, except on day when the rain chased me onto the porch that spanned the width of the old house.
On the porch was a swing tethered by chains that squeaked when you swung.
There was also a rocking chair on that porch where I spent many rainy hours rocking to the rhythm of childhood.
I'd make up songs about trains, dogs, and soldiers.
My favorite toys were small Army figures that came from.......actually, I don't remember where they came from, but I fought many wars on that front porch on rainy days.
I shot this photograph yesterday with my Hipstamatic app (do you see a pattern here?), and I just got a chance to look at it tonight. Looking at this photo, sent my mind on a circuitous trip down memory lane.













13 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:51 PM

    That shot brings back memories for me, too!

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  2. I love the sounds that I "hear" through reading this...
    Lovely blog.
    Wonderful photo.

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  3. THAT is a GREAT photo, Rick. I love it and it is memory evoking for sure. Some great memories here tonight- Diana

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  4. I like the mood of this photo. I can see why it would bring back childhood memories.

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  5. Love the picture...I can see how it might bring back memories. Memories of childhood tend to give us back precious moments...moments of innocence.

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  6. Those coke bottles rem ind me of my dad. He used to always have a bottle of pop in his hand :)

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  7. I remember those old coke bottles too. Everyone had a rocker on their verandas if they were lucky enough to have a veranda. We've had a wet Summer too and a dry Fall but it's raining here too today. I'm glad to be inside for a change.

    JB

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  8. Nice memories. We have a front porch and I spend a lot of time there. : )

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  9. Plastic green soldiers--oh we spent so much time on the North Porch with them. Your porch must have been a lot like ours!

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  10. I'm still rockin rick lol

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  11. Dear Rick, I so like these words: "rocking to the rhythm of childhood." There is a rhythm or at least there was one for me and like you I made up songs about everything. I was so fortunate that my mom sang all day as she went about the household tasks. I learned all the Cole Porter and Moss Hart and Gershwin and Irving Berlin songs. And sometimes I'd use their melodies and add my own words, or I'd simply "croon" or "belt out" their words and add my own dance steps. I still do that. Moving my body around the kitchen to the sound of Johnny Mathis singing is so good for the soul! Peace.

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  12. Ah, rocking on Grandma's porch while looking out at the Hudson River in the rain. Thank you for that nudge down the lane.

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