During my childhood there was no such thing as household trampolines. The only time you saw that sort of thing was at a circus or county fair.

However you could have loads of fun with the fallen leaves! I don't remember playing in the leaves so much with anyone but Brenda. We would rake all the leaves together till they looked like a mountain and then jump in them. Sometimes Brenda would pick me up and throw me in the center. Then I would tunnel out through the bottom of the pile. Sure we got a few scratches on our legs and arms but what does that amount to compared to lots of giggles.

We would play in the leaves for about a week and then pull them all to the dirt road late on Saturday evening for Daddy to burn. Yes people, the road...NO one was coming down that road because Daddy was already home! We would watch the leaves burn and when they were almost gone add wood to the burning pile. At this point we would pull out the hotdogs and marshmallows. Mmmm what a treat.

I can hear Mom sitting on the front porch rocking back and forth in a straight back chair as she watched. The click-clack, click-clack of the chair was a soothing familiar sound. Daddy would be beside us watching the fire and cutting roasting sticks.

I remember one time Brenda and I decided we would make a tent and sleep outside as the fire died down. We took the kitchen chairs and put sheets over them for our tent. We had fun for a little while but the night sounds soon sent us running inside. Daddy was sitting in his old green chair smoking a camel cigarette. He laughed, finished his smoke and headed for bed. Daddy was waiting for the fun to end so his children would be safely inside before he closed his eyes for the night.

So my dear little ones, when you are sitting in a boring room staring at a computer screen think about all the fun you could be having outside in the night air. Sitting alone has no giggle value but put two children together with something as simple as a mountain of leaves and the possibilities become endless!

Written by: Barbara J Rodgers

June 8th, 2007

bjrodgerz@charter.net