PLAY

I grew up with an older brother. He is six years older than me and was never home when I was. He stayed at his dad's on the weekends and pretty much didn't want to hang out with his baby sister. So I played by myself or had friends over. My mom would send me outside almost every day. Since we didn't have a play set or concrete for a hoop I had to make up my own games. I would take my imaginary friends on nature walks (or my real friends, if they happened to come over that day). I grew up in North Central Florida with all of the old oak trees. They lined our front yard until I was in high school. Each tree was huge and covered in Spanish moss. The palms and shrubs below would cover the ground. We also had a hickory tree and sweet honeysuckle for me to identify and play with. I would pick the blossom off of the honeysuckle and carefully remove the stamen to suck the sweet nectar out. When I went over to my best friends house growing up we would play in her sinkhole. I know what you are thinking, who in their right mind would let to little girls play in a sinkhole!? Isn't that dangerous!? Well, if you grew up in Florida you know which sinkholes are stable and which ones are active. The one in her backyard was stable and not sinking anymore. It was FULL of palms and brush. Her brother was the same age as my brother and I remember having water ballon wars among the shrubs. I don't have a picture of her sinkhole, but I do of another Florida sinkhole. Her's didn't have this much water in it, unless it rained a lot that year.When I did play inside it was mostly with normal "girl" toys. Polly Pockets, Barbies, Play-Dough, Little People, and American Dolls were just a few of the things I liked to play with. Now my play is a little different. I like to play board games with friends or play with my kitten who will fetch a marshmallow like it's no one's business!