Monday, March 05, 2007

I dreamed on Friday night. I dreamed of a place I miss.

From my birth until I was 17, I lived with my parents on a 40 acre property in the middle of nowhere. The house was built by my parents - they began prior to my older brother's birth, and continued with extensions and adjustments until after I moved away. It was truly a labour of love. The garden was even more so, getting most of my mother's attention. In the Spring her gardens were utterly breathtaking, filled with colour. It was easy to play my games of pretend in those gardens: I was Mary from The Secret Garden, I was a princess lost in a forest, I was anybody I wanted to be except myself!

A far cry from the well-tended gardens, further down the hill was The Bush. This is Australia, after all. In my youth nobody in the area put fences in the bush - they would only hinder the kangaroos. So I would wander freely on everybody's property and nobody minded. There was the creek I used to sit by, the rock my brother fell from and sprained his ankle, the crooked tree a childhood friend once got stuck in.

So many memories, so much love. My parents sold the property a year or two after I left. I can never go back there.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Stace you sound so sad. Some people I know make appointments to go and visit their old homes, but to see a changed garden is very sad. Will you turn your hand to gardening? Or escape to the country? To find and make somewhere beautiful yourself.

Cazzie!!! said...

You do go back there, it is all in your dreams. I too grew up out in the sticks, and we could all play freely and I would ride my horse freely everyday.
I cannot go back there, only in my dreams, and that's because my mum lives there. She made a choice not to have us in her life.
Write a story of your childhood, it would surely sooth your mind Stace.

Stace said...

Andrew - I am a little sad. I miss places and people. Unfortunately my current situation and life plans don't allow for much gardening space, or an escape just yet. One day, though... :)

Cazzie - my dreams are a poor imitation of my childhood! But they'll have to do :)

Menchie said...

It sounded really wonderful Stace. I used to go to the province with my cousins when my grandparents lived there.

Now I wish my children can spend time in the country and not live in a city jungle.

Anonymous said...

It was georgous up there, wondering around the property with you....
If it is any consolation the tomato plants are forming a small jungle of edible goodness....

lee said...

I grew up on a property -my Grandparents are still there. They are way up in years now and I wonder what will become of the place after they are gone. It's not a place that the younger generation can live because it's so far from work etc. I can't bear the thought of it being sold to strangers and then not being allowed to wander around the hills or down to the river. I can well imagine how you feel, stace :).

Cherry Popcorn said...

I used to grow up in another place too.. My parents sold it when we shifted to Kuala Lumpur. And every time i go back there, i feel a wave of sadness.

I miss those childhood days.!

Anonymous said...

Memories are there to remind us who we are. Those must be sweet memories you have. =)

Jewel said...

I hope you are able to find happiness in your memories, Stace. I have always loved the outdoors so much. I had special little places all over our property, be it in the woods, somwhere in the garden or near a stream, depending on my mood and desires, I would go spend time at one of them.

WithinWithout said...

What a beautiful but sad story, Stace.

It conjures amazing things about wandering where Roos range, the beautiful garden and your game...

How sad. You couldn't go back and ask if you could just stroll around, having explained you grew up there?

Thanks for writing this.