Monday, June 14, 2010

A Picture Is Worth A Million Memories...

My Mama emailed me this picture (passed on to her by my Aunt Theresa) and I couldn't believe the deluge of memories that flooded my mind.
I *loved* this old tire swing. 
So. Much.
My grandparents' home was situated on flat land but just behind their house there was a sharp ledge and a drop off to the creek below. It had to be a 30 foot drop 
(it seemed mind boggling when I was small) and this tree was right on the very edge where the drop off began.
I remember that if you were pushed the right way you flew out over the precipice--like floating in the air above nothing.
It was thrilling.
I would NEVER let my children swing on this swing =)
But my--oh my!!--I loved it so. 
We spent so much time at my grandparents' home when I was little. We lived a mile or two away and would walk there everyday until we moved when I was 5. 
My brain and heart are full to the brim with the happy, bittersweet memories that this simple image evoked. 
It is hard to miss people, places and things. 
So thankful for happy memories like...
*my special red, white and blue bathing suit my Grandma kept at her house for me to use in their pool (loved it!)
*my Grandpa teaching me how to swim--and to keep my fingers together so I would go farther when I would stroke my arms in the water.
*Grandpa cooking
*spider plants
*the ceramic Indian heads that hung on the bathroom wall
*Grandma's karate outfit
*blue jars of noxema on her bed table
*4 wheeler rides with Grandpa to the huge field of flowers/butterflies out back
*dancing with Grandma and my brothers to the Ghostbusters record in their basement
*playing with the old school fisher price little people house and cool hologram book in the toy room
*walking across their bridge to great-grandparents home
*the pretzels (rold gold) that Grandpa kept in the compartment in the end table next to his brown recliner
*the new car smell of Grandma's frequently new Toyota vehicles
I'm thankful for memories and the moments I have each day to make new ones for and with my precious family. 

7 comments:

JerseyGranny said...

May as well be Amelie on that swing!!

Kelly said...

I agree with Jersey Granny. You looked so much like Amelie does now.

sarah e. said...

...me too! At first glance, that's Amelie on that swing. Happy memories... ♥

Hayley x said...

My gosh it's Amelie!!

Aren't memories the best!

Love from the UK!

BluSkies80 said...

Love this picture! It's amazing how looking at one picture can bring back so many memories. Loved hearing about some that were special to you=) AND YES, Amelie looks very much like her mommy!

Jessica said...

I am totally jumping on the bandwagon...but that picture looks like Amelie...you are both such cute cuties!!

Julie said...

My first thought was, "Wow, is that Michelle? Amelie looks SO much like her!!" I see I'm not alone in that thinking.

YAY for fond memories of grandparents and days gone by. (And isn't is amazing how things we loved to do when we were kids we'd NEVER IN A MILLION BILLION YEARS allow our own kids to do?? LOL)