Yes, you can go home again. It may not be exactly as you left it, but the familiar reminders are still there.
I met my forever friend Sue for lunch in Woodland, California, yesterday. Driving there, I decided to take my old route through the country.
For 14 years, while running my business in Colusa and living on the orchard property south of Grimes, I drove those country roads daily.
Once past the orchard, I continued on to Woodland, still on the old, winding two-lane road.
I passed places I recalled fondly.
When I was a kid and when I lived at the farm, I always loved that journey. Seems silly to some, but one of my favorite spots was among the big old trees on either side of the road. For as long as I can remember, those trees had branches that met in the center of the road. Meeting in the middle, they created a canopy we passed under. I thought it was a magical place back then. I kind of feel that magic even now.
I passed a farmhouse where I spent many hours playing and sleeping over with my childhood friend Linda.
It’s gone now, but once we delighted in swimming in the makeshift swimming hole. Her dad dug it out with the farm equipment and filled it with water. Although it was a muddy pit, we loved it. If I didn’t have a bum foot, I might jump right in again.
The countryside is filled with orchards and irrigation ditches supplied with water from pumps at the end of the ditches. We also swam in those ditches.
What fun country kids have!
It was a good drive in spite of the current heat wave. I was filled with happy memories being out there once again. You really can’t take the country out of a girl.
Life is good today.