Tree Frog The decal on the front door said it clearly.
The child inside waits for Ranger Rick.
Every month, through its glossy pages, to explore the natural world, from a cozy armchair or a corner of her bedroom. The young girl saw many things, and fell in love with the world beyond her door.
Raggedy Ann and Andy, button eyes and hand-stitched faces, watched from the doll bed across the room, their floppy bodies propped against the rough, sand-painted walls. While toads or snails in glass boxes—playmates for rainy days indoors, otherwise alone, looked on.
Perhaps the mailman would also bring her Highlights.
And the hidden pictures within.
Amusement page by page, in the simplest of black line drawings.
Is it any wonder, she still takes long walks, looking?
When there are always hidden treasures to find.
Katydid on Goldenrod
12 comments:
What fun memories you have stirred up.
Ranger Rick? Aha! Now, I 'm on to you. We used to have that magazine delivered to our house (when our son was little) along with several other wonderful magazines designed to enlarge a child's world.
Isn't it amazing how we grow as the seed is planted!
We still get the magazine delivered to our house and there are no children here. It comes to our cat, Smudge :) and he never looks at it but we do, enjoying the photos and stories. And yep, we need to send a subscription to our grandkids!!
Oh how I loved Ranger Rick and Highlights! We were never able to afford magazines growing up but my mom would find old copies at garage sales and second-hand shops. I savored every word and picture in those worn out magazines.
Then, all "growed up" I actually worked at the National Wildlife Federation (it was just known as "the Federation")for over two years back in the late '80s. It was a dream come true. But, with most of those dream jobs came the reality of very little compensation and Possumlady had to tearfully say goodbye.
Maybe again one day, when my house is paid off.....maybe
I loved anything with words -- and Ramger Rick was a fav!
I'm glad you are still a child inside. I feel the same.
I loved my Highlights magazine!
My two kids eagerly awaited Ranger Rick, Highlights, and Boy's Life. And all of them brought out the child in me as well.
As a high school student I loved the aquarium of pond life that sat near my bedroom window. The best part was to shine my flashlight from the side ,when all was dark, and gaze with wonder at the hydra , protozoan colonies and scads of other tiny life forms.
Later, when I had my own family, that same aquarium ,now a terrarium that graced our dining room table, became the focus of diner conversation. At one point we even had a large land snail whose antics we followed daily. All of this --plus Ranger Rick-- made for a kind of initiation into the world of natural wonder you describe so well.
Kgmom is so right,we do indeed grow from the seeds planted in our youth. At least most of the time.
That child is still inside each of us, if only we look. I remember getting my daughters subscriptions to Owl magazine, part of National Geographic, I think. They looked forward to its arrival every month. To this day, my younger one still loves to watch shows on TV related to nature and history. Thx for this.
Yes, it's fun to be a child inside. I still look for treasures too. And climb trees (well, not lately).
I had one of those on my house the other day.
Ranger Rick and Highlights were important publications for my daughter! I saved them and now am giving the old copies to my grandson to enjoy. They are treasures!
Marie
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