memories of childhood

I spent my childhood living in a house on the southeastern corner of the Caribbean island of Trinidad, about 1 block from Mayaro beach. The village we lived in was very small, and I remember at a very young age walking about the 1/4 mile distance to and from school every moning, usually taking the beach, since it was the most direct route.

I remember that sometimes, on pretty days, the American schoolmaster of that very small school would sometimes cancel class, and take the entire student body -- all 50 of us -- for long walks on the beach.

I remember sometimes being on the beach at the same time the fishermen were pulling in their seines filled with silver, flopping fish -- and sometimes a shark or a stingray or two. I remember sometimes joining the men and helping them pull the nets.

I remember sometimes digging for chip-chip, and bringing them home so that we could cook them and eat them with cocktail sauce that my dad would make.

I remember racing live sand dollars on the beach with my friends.

Today, please share a photo that reminds you of your childhood.  We'd love to read about it.

Cross-posted at Chookooloonks.

Comments

[mary]

When I was growing up, the fields surrounding our house were filled with wildflowers, particularly daisies. I would go out and pick armloads of them to bring home to my mother, who would cram them into mason jars and tea pots and an old creamware pitcher.

Whenever I see daisies, I always think of my mother.

http://inasoftlight.blogspot.com/2009/06/happy-faces.html

[Elaina]

Growing up in Orange County, CA, Disneyland was a regular stop. I loved the place...from top to bottom. I moved to the East Coast in 2000 and hadn't been to Disneyland since about 1999 when I went back in May of this year after moving home.

Everything there reminded me of childhood. But there's something about these lanterns that has always captured my attention. As I wrote on one of the captions from the Teacups, I feel like I'm six again when I see them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elainamarie/3530708057/

[kosenrufu mama]

when i was child i spent all my holiday in a small village, in the middle of the wood, with a lot of silence, animals and trees, now my children will do the same...
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2008/07/tramonti-e-musica.html
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2008/07/buon-weekend.html
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2008/07/ricetta-estiva.html

[Kamana]

many of my childhood memories are related to food. today i share this:
http://journallingthroughphotos.blogspot.com/2009/06/childhood-memories-picking-jeymu.html

[Vanessa]

memories of a younger, spunkier me: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3634835435/in/set-72157607625768404/

[cindy : quaint]

when is was a kid, i took flute lessons and loved to play with a typewriter. i recently photographed them for a school project
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71443419@N00/3614246425/in/set-72157605269264795/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71443419@N00/3614245281/

[Marcie]

Memories of summer freedom. Me....my bicycle..my dog:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=802

[Puna]

My kids remember growing up in Hawaii. I wasn't a child but it brings back wonderful memories for me too...I am looking forward to our trip back.

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2009/06/the-aloha-times/

[beth]

the photos of these neighborhood children that I put on my blog today, remind me of my childhood... as I was a water baby growing up and this is how you would have found me many years ago....


http://moredoors.blogspot.com/2009/06/oh-for-love-of-children.html

[~ kristina ~]

peonies, always peonies. they remind me of my many visits to my Grandma's house.

http://meadowlarkdays.blogspot.com/2009/06/stories-written-down.html

[Trevor Connell]

I've been going to my family cottage 7 hours away from where I live for as long as I've been alive....and that is at least three decades now. And for as long as I can remember, we've had this old, red, wooden, dock. When I was a kid, I used to walk up and down the pathway, precariously dipping my toes in the water. It was somewhat of a ritual: "Is it warm enough to just run right in from the beach?" "Or is it just chilly enough to have to dangle my feet off the dock to wait until my body acclimatizes?" Most of the time, I went with option one, simply because it was the funnest.

Either way, this shot I took a couple of summers ago instantaneously shoots me back to that point in time - and I love it!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2722291785_f99098fb94_o.jpg

[Bridge]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ridethewavesoflife/2424697056/
My grandfather has looked the same for many years. Each time I look at this photo, the Red Chicken, the Red Barn I think about my childhood 2000 miles away full of wonder an joy on the farm.

[summer]

hours upon hours spent doing this.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufferingsummer/3654421750/
and to think now I just get a tummy that tuns over and I want to get off.

[leaca]

I love old toys and books from my childhood. I take a lot of pics of things that remind me of that time in my life.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leacayoung/3658608491/

[Karyn]

Honestly - i linked to this one for 'love thursday' - but it SOOO reminds me of my childhood. Kittens and more kittens everywhere I went. I fancied myself the kitten whisperer or something - and we had a wonderful old sweet German Shepherd that we saved from not so awesome previous owners and named Badger. And they all always got along so well. =) Happy thoughts.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/3660233550_2e79948f11_b.jpg

[PixieDust]

Growing up my best friend was the almond tree in my backyard. I spend my summer evenings climbing up the branches, as high as I could go, and claiming the sky as my sanctuary.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22680463@N05/3664047772/

[Jennifer]

Certain smells take me back to my childhood all the time. Like last night - I took one whiff of Avon brand bubble bath and I was a little girl again - back home - getting ready for bed. I like trying to capture images of those happy smells.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/veridianblue/3661995644/

[Sue Henry]

http://suehenryphotography.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/take-me-home-country-roads/

http://suehenryphotography.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/farmers-junction-ferris-il/

Two blog entries that deal with childhood memories....... sigh.

[Julie Alvarez]

Tulle always reminds me of my childhood, I loved to wear it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2860301458/

[melody]

Gosh, Karen, I luv this image.

I'm reliving childhood through my boys who [i thought] are break-my-heart-close to leaving theirs behind.

http://slurpinglife.typepad.com/slurping_life/2009/06/sooc-saturday-a-boy-again.html

[Dani]

One of my favorite childhood memories was when the bread would start to turn moldy or hard and all three of us kids would pile into the car to go feed the ducks at a lake by our home. I miss those days.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36197392@N06/3515844255/in/set-72157616580721519/

[Mishelle Lane/ Secret Agent Mama]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/secretagentmama/3674652045/

When I saw these scarecrows, while driving the other day, I was so thankful that I had my camera. They reminded me of my Grandfather's garden and the scarecrows that he made to protect it. These are different from his, but they still reminded me of the good laughs we had about the stories we told about his scarecrows!

Oddly enough, today is my Grandfather's 81st birthday!