m is for memories

I was all set to post "m is for mango", when it just started to not feel right. The image I created for that will be posted at one point or another....but not now.

Today, during my lunch break perusal of favorite blogs , I came across a list on doodlegirl.com which intrigued me. Entitled "It might surprise you to know...", it was comprised of 100 interesting facts about the the creator of the Doodle Girl blog. I enjoyed it so immensely that I started thinking about how I too could incorporate something similar here. It wasn't long before "m is for memories" popped into my head. I am...and forever will be... inspired by the memories that float about my mind. And, thus, I thought it only right to change mango to memories and provide you with my own list of a few remembrances I find most intriguing, beautiful, humorous, and inspiring....

1. Looking down: When my grandpa (Bop-Bop) and I would head out for a walk or bike ride, he'd always make sure that he was instilling life-long lessons while we were having fun. He would point out the little details he noticed along the way... a scrap of paper on the ground, something beautiful in nature, or the wording on a sign. The memory is so strong that it inspired an illustrated book called "Looking Down." (The mushrooms above were taken from that project.)
2. Jammy rides: As kids, it was a familiar treat to get all ready for bed and then hop in the car for a ride around town. I'm not quite sure why this was so thrilling, but it was. Perhaps to a child, there is just something fun about being in usual settings with rather unusual circumstances.
3. Spoons: Nana was a game player unlike any I've ever seen. And, to any grandchild, this is an irresistible quality for a grandma to have. Spoons was one of the games we loved the most. It embodied everything a kid would find appealing...a deck of cards, laughing, screaming, and flying silverware. You can't get much better than that.
4. Broadway star: Around the age of 6 or 7 I felt the need to transform myself into Annie whenever I got the chance. This meant donning a curly red-haired wig and singing "The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow" to anyone who would listen.
5. 'Tis the Season: Christmas once a year just wasn't good enough for me. So, Mom and I would "play Christmas" all year round. She would wrap up toys that I already owned and I would get to unwrap them all over again. Sheer JOY.
6. Attic Treasures: Poppi's attic was one of the most magical places I've ever encountered. Mandi and I found treasures upon treasures whenever we would play there. The antique bowler hats and canes were one of our favorites. We'd choreograph and then perform (for the whole family) entire dances while wearing those hats.
7. Comic strips: One of the weekly traditions that Dad and I enjoyed were "the funnies." When I was little, I would cuddle up next to him on the couch and he'd read me the Sunday morning comics...explaining each square and reciting each speech bubble of Peanuts and Blondie.
8. Adventurers: The woods of Vermont never failed to provide Mandi and I with hours of childhood adventure. Our imaginations ran wild as uprooted trees became forts and clusters of wooded areas turned into houses where we'd entertain and serve dinner.
9. Sing a song: In our house, the bedtime routine included being sung to. Once we were tucked snuggly under the covers, Mom would sing, sing, sing. It was absolutely one of the most soothing ways to drift off to sleep.
10. Grocery roller coaster: When Mandi and I were little, Bop-Bop would drive us up and down the aisles of grocery stores, department stores, and just about any other store that had shopping carriages. And, this wasn't any Sunday afternoon driving either. He would whiz around the corners and steer the cart directly for some large display of product, only to stop inches short of hitting it. We would laugh and squeal like only little girls can.