THE PLAYGROUND

A few days ago I found myself staring at our brown Bermuda grass in the front yard. Of course it was dormant and like me waiting for warmer weather. It seems like yesterday when I was a stickler for winter rye and the warmth of green grass during the winter. Strange how age and Mother Nature can kick your butt when it comes to yard care and other things.

In somewhat of a hypnotic state of mind staring at the yard I was reminded of our small front yard in my small hometown in Eastern N.C. Not even age or Mother Nature could erase the vivid memories of that small patch of land that became my personal playground.

To begin with, there was no grass and a town owned drainage ditch ran down the middle of the front yard. At the time I would challenge the best agronomist at N.C. State to grow a stand of grass surrounded by huge Loblolly pines, a large Maple and a Chinaberry tree. A side note of the Chinaberry tree. It produced a small berry that today the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared an invasive species. The berry if ingested can be poisonous. I always wondered why the Blue Jays would eat the berries and fall to the ground in a drunken stupor.

So, how did one tend to the front yard to meet the standards of the HOA ( haha) , you raked it. Yes Louise, I said raked it. The yard was composed mostly of small gravel rocks and black soil (Southern for dirt). The pine needles were great for banking Azaleas, but the acidity was disastrous for grasses. The tool of choice was a metal leaf rake that would catapult the pine needles three to four feet depending on man power. When raking carful attention was given to the section where tag, marble games, hopscotch, or hitting rocks with a tobacco stick took place. If you fell during tag, a scraped knee was a badge of honor. And, not once was anyone called down and told to put their cell phone away ( Again haha).

The old homeplace was sold a few years ago and is in need of repairs, but at last accounts My Playground was still rocks, black soil and memories. Simple life simple pleasures.

Be safe