I spent a little bit of time in my parents back yard last night and "caught" a few birds. While my sisters and I were growing up our mom did daycare and always had a house full of children. They ran and played in the back yard, splashed in kiddie pools, and rode their "bikes" in the driveway. Dad grew a huge vegetable garden and with all kinds of yummy things.
After we grew up and got married, Mom and Dad's backyard was the place for family gatherings. We had cookouts, played soccer, tossed water ballons and made all kinds of racket.
Now the house is still and Mom and Dad spend quiet hours watching birds, squirrels and rabbits in the backyard. There is even a little chipmunk who lives by their garden house.
Mom and Dad were gone to do their service at the nursing home last night and as I sat in the backyard, I found it strangely unfamiliar even though this is where I grew up. It felt as though I were in my own grandmother's backyard instead of my parents, silent and still aside from the birds and an occasional chipmunk or rabbit. They say that time changes everything... I guess they're right.
I spent a little bit of time in my parents back yard last night and "caught" a few birds. While my sisters and I were growing up our mom did daycare and always had a house full of children. They ran and played in the back yard, splashed in kiddie pools, and rode their "bikes" in the driveway. Dad grew a huge vegetable garden and with all kinds of yummy things.
After we grew up and got married, Mom and Dad's backyard was the place for family gatherings. We had cookouts, played soccer, tossed water ballons and made all kinds of racket.
Now the house is still and Mom and Dad spend quiet hours watching birds, squirrels and rabbits in the backyard. There is even a little chipmunk who lives by their garden house.
Mom and Dad were gone to do their service at the nursing home last night and as I sat in the backyard, I found it strangely unfamiliar even though this is where I grew up. It felt as though I were in my own grandmother's backyard instead of my parents, silent and still aside from the birds and an occasional chipmunk or rabbit. They say that time changes everything... I guess they're right.
It's bird haven over there! I love to sit on their screen porch and watch all the birds.
ReplyDeleteI like it there. And since I was pretty much the last one to leave home, I got to spend many quiet momnets watching birds. Usually I watched with Dad.
ReplyDeleteThey get so many birds there!
Since you added more to this blog since my comment...yes it IS different from when we were growing up there playing "Mother May I" in the backyard, playing hide and seek, family picnics, swinging, etc... It's still nice, just different. I think they enjoy the peace and quiet of their backyard.
ReplyDeleteWow, their own private aviary!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures. I miss the east coast birds. I understand what you feel Martha, I use to feel the same touch of nastalgia when I would go to visit my folks and they wern't home. I sometimes felt hollow in side, erie.
Oh! How pretty!! I need to get some bird feeders up so I can take some pictures of pretty birds. :)
ReplyDeleteMy parents sold all the houses that I grew up in.... So even the house is different!
Hi Martha,
ReplyDeleteI saw your name on Ab's (lincoln) blog, I like your name so I therefore visited your blog ,
Nice photo's you make! It's very difficult to make good shots of birds, I know so because I tried last holiday in Costa Rica, with a bad result,
feel free to visit my blog,
greetings JoAnn
Yes, Gmj, touch of nastalgia and strangely hollow inside. The memories are like unheard echoes in the corners of my mind.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Joanne. I hope you enjoyed your visit.
ReplyDeleteThat is really a bird heaven! That was my first thought, too!
ReplyDeleteNice photos.
I love grandma's back yard...what great pictures. By the way I left you a response to your comment on my blog!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day....!
well Martha...Your blog is so very very interesting and your photos and stories are beyond words to describe..incredible just does not seem enough to describe..the work you do is sooo interesting and beautiful...its such a great thing to be able to learn something new each day and best of all to share this info and photos with others...thankyou...you are the most wonderful daughter in law anyone could ever dream of having...thankyou a million times over...I love you...yoma
ReplyDeleteAnd you are my favorite "mother in law". (Is that still a bad word?)
ReplyDelete