Experience Preferred

Although I am not too keen on winter, I do like looking at the snowy landscape as we drive to church or where ever we may be headed.  I wonder what animal made tracks and where it was going.  I wonder how far I could follow those tracks and if there would be a deer waiting for me at the end.  Today in a cow pasture there were tracks that just went in a circle.  Like the cow was headed for the bank of this hill and then realized, oh yeah...I forgot about that little cliff there.  Just a circle in the snow.  And there are always sled riding tracks along the side of this one church we pass by.  That made me think of fox holes.   

Fox holes?  

Marty said when they were kids, they used to go to the neighborhood supermarket and play in the giant piles of plowed snow and dig fox holes.  That's a fun winter memory.  I used to love playing in the snow.  I remember all the preparation...layers of clothes, hat, scarf, mittens, bread bags on my feet.  Alright, I have to confess that I grew up thinking everyone put bread bags on their feet before you put your boots on.   Marty tells me I am incorrect in that assumption.  But bread bags and crumbs aside, playing in the snow was a great experience.   The sled riding at Buhl Park, making a snowman and other assorted snow beasts.   

This got me to thinking about childhood experiences in general.  I feel bad for kids who have THINGS but don't have the EXPERIENCES.   My stepson has had every thing money can buy but he has missed out on so many experiences.  Countless hours spent with things and few of the childhood memories that so many of us cherish.  I think of my own son spending hours playing in the creek behind our house with his friends.  No purchase required.  Just go out and play.  And both my kids playing in the backyard with an old sprinkler hose on hot summer days.  No purchase required, just an old hose that we already had.  And my own memories of staying over at my cousin's farm and just playing in the pond or riding ponies.  Simple activities make for the fondest memories.  Who hasn't had fun playing in an old box?  Imagination is such a wonderful toy for a child.  Too often, children in today's world don't get to exercise their imagination.  

I like to imagine...and wonder.

What fun childhood experience do you have?    And did you wear bread bags on your feet when you went out in the snow?  (I'm conducting an informal poll)