Every spring, a few weeks before school was dismissed for summer vacation the teacher would pick a day for our annual hike and picnic in the woods. It was the highlight of every school year.
On the morning of the hike, right after our usual scripture reading and singing our three song requirement. we would all grab our lunches boxes and head down the hill behind the school house, across the creek, and into the woods. There was a perfect spot in the woods where a creek ran through, and a nice pond surrounded by lots of hemlock trees awaited us. Once we arrived at this spot we would stash our lunch boxes under a tree and start playing games. Some of our favorites were Hide and Seek, and a pioneer game we invented.
There were so many great places to hide for Hide and Seek. The big mountain laurels were excellent since they were filled with glossy leaves making hiding under them perfect. Once we got tired of that we would go hunting for the little red berries that were almost tasteless, but quite edible. We girls would gather as many as we could while the boys tried to build a bridge over the creek and catch minnows in its shallow waters.
It was so much fun playing, that the day never seemed to last long enough. We would head home tired but happy.
The following day we used to have to write a report about our hike which wasn't nearly as fun, but worth the effort since it was a required part of taking the hike.
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How fun. It is good to remember things like this from our childhood. I have so many good memories of mine too. You hiding in the mountain laurels made me think of the big semi-circle of lilac bushes my grandmother had. My sister and I made it into a playhouse. I so enjoy your blog and the stories of your childhood. Thank you for sharing your memories.
ReplyDeleteThat is cool that the schoolday hike didn't include mandatory activities. Writing a report after the fact simply let you enjoy the day!
ReplyDeleteYep, some of the best memories are of getting out of the classroom and 'doing it differently', as in hikes, field trips, performing plays, ect. Good memories!
ReplyDeleteWonderful memories! This post made me think of when my family used to visit a state park sometimes on weekends. We'd pack a picnic lunch, explore the trails, and walk around the lake looking for tadpoles in the water.
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