Wednesday 22 June 2011

Nostalgia


Time for another Write on Wednesday! Gee, where did that last week go? "W.O.W" As we are now calling it is hosted by Ink Paper Pen, if you want to join in the fun, head over there and link yourself up!

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 3 - I remember: Write "I remember" a the top of your page. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Use "I remember" as your prompt and write down the first words that come into your head for 5 minutes. Stop when the buzzer rings! Do this exercise over and over if you wish.



I remember when we used to hop on our bikes, the scent of wattle trees thick in the spring air, it made you sneeze. We rode through the streets for hours laughing until our eyes watered, talking about boys and chewing on the sacred bubble gum so forbidden by your mother until it’s sweet taste finally faded away and we had ulcers on our tongues.
I remember how we would hide our bicycles at the bottom of the hill under that bush with the spiky leaves so we could jump over the wire fence and climb up to the top.
 Our mountain. Our safe place.
 We could see the world from up there, we owned it. We would lean over on the side with the view of the valley, the wind blowing into our faces, making our clothes billow up like balloons around us, it felt like we were flying.
I remember how we would play on the gigantic rocks surrounded by dry yellow grass as tall as we were, we’d watch the sun disappear over the horizon. Those rocks were our castle and the grass was filled with terrible brown snakes ready to strike at any moment, we’d count to 3 then jump off and run through it shrieking, laughing and stomping our feet, back to our bicycles and home for tea.


12 comments:

Sarah said...

I loved this Suzi. It's a proper old fashioned childhood memory.

I was trying to work out how old you might have been at the time.

Madmother said...

I love it!

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

Such a fun memory - you made me remember my bike escapades too.

Megan Blandford said...

Yep, freedom as a kid was jumping on a bike and riding for what felt like forever - so full of possibility. Beautiful :)

InkPaperPen said...

a lovely memory. Bike riding did signify the ultimate freedom, didn't it? Thanks for joining in again with Write On Wednesdays. Gill xo

Domesblissity said...

Oh to have that freedom now. I love remembering times like that from my childhood too.

Thanks for sharing and well written!

Anne @ Domesblissity

Anonymous said...

So many good lines in here: your clothes billowing, owning your mountain. Very evocative. Love it.

Susan Whelan said...

The smell of wattle and forbidden bubble gum. I remember it well. :-)

I enjoyed reading your piece - it was very visually evocative. Thanks for sharing.

Naomi said...

This brought me right back to being a child, the freedom of it all... and I can smell the wattle now. Thank you.

Lene said...

A wonderful memory! I loved carefree, vivid days like the one you described.

Suzi - Under The Windmills said...

Thanks everyone, it's very much a 'happy place' memory for me :) Sarah - I think I would have been about 9ish at the time, it's a shame kids today don't live in a world where they can enjoy the same freedoms.

E. said...

I really liked this it reminded me of 'going bush' when I was a kid.

I'm glad the only kid who's mother banned bubble gum. When I was in Year 6 a group of us got together and made the bubblegum club so we could pool our money and share a packet of hubba bubba occasionally.