Play Acting in the Grove-The Children

When I was young, my brother, Brady, and I would play-act in our back yard. We had a few rows of pine trees which separated our property from a swamp. Brady and I would play for hours in those trees, pretending all sorts of stories and adventures. Later, we played "Star Wars" with friends, acting out battles and encounters with stormtroopers. Using pretend light sabers and "the force" to defeat our enemies. 

My kids grew up doing similar in our yard on the river in Wisconsin. They would run around our big yard with their friends and act out stories inspired by their video games and books they loved to read. 

When I came to Iowa with my two, they play acted with Andy's kids in the grove. They dressed up and played out WWII battles and played "Lord of the Rings." 

Never mind that the WWII acting came with real campfires that almost set the grove on fire or that they used my best tablecloths for capes. I loved that they wanted to use their imaginations and could keep themselves entertained for hours. They were all such bright and precocious children.  I would often pack up picnic baskets full of "supplies" and props for them to take outside. 

It didn't even bother me that I'd find my dishes and utensils laying in the dirt the following spring. With the remains of the campfire.

 

Sometimes ignorance is bliss. 

I imagine children doing that in the grove again soon. As we busy ourselves with clean up and planning of the garden/grove, I see little ones using the shrubs and trees as secret hiding spots and little houses. I look forward to seeing them play-acting outside my window and eavesdropping on their tales and adventures like I did with our kids.

I sure hope that happens. I have missed it so much.  

Hopefully they won't set real fires. 

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