The animal tracks in the neighbors' yards looks like a caravan of squirrels were doing a happy dance in the newly fallen snow last night. They are right next to holly trees bending over to make hideaways, my tracks from sledding this morning, and suspicious looking lumps in the fields of white. Logs? Rocks? I don't know and I won't know until I come back later this afternoon. All these snowy landmarks are whooshing by- my secret fort, the partially frozen swampland, another lump or two. It will take forever just to get my sled up the hill.
There's my friend going sledding with his dad. Sometimes I wish I had a plastic sled like his, it would be so easier to carry. Soon it's good-bye to him as well and he joins the others on my mental map of things I've seen. My boots are filled to the brim with ice that couldn't have possibly gotten there. How many lumps to the driveway? How many? HOW MANY?
I pass another friend's house. They're going away for winter break, and I wish they were here. I remember how we hiked in the woods together during the big snow in March and discovered a hidden world filled with endless hiding places and snow-covered trees. When are they coming home, anyways? This joins the sea of unanswered questions in my mind, which turns into a tsunami. Suddenly my little map of the Island of Landmarks is flooded.
But then one image floats onto my island: the driveway. And I'm there! And I'm home! And-I'm alive.
Now, how to get those frozen boots off.....
I WISH this is what it looked like this year! But no, everything is still snowless. Global warming?! (This picture is from 2010.)
Have you seen the Wizard of Oz? Dorothy said it best when she said "there is no place like home." It's true.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of an episode of that nature guy who gets dropped in some mysterious location and has to survive in the wilderness. Good thing home is just a trek up the hill!
ReplyDeleteLove your new fishies. I fed them a little; they're still hungry, though!