Childhood Carried Forward

I walked into the apartment to hear this song playing yesterday on CBC Radio 2.  Tom Allen had chosen it for his program, Shift.  The last line of the song says, "Suddenly, childhood is gone," but it strikes me the days I am enjoying right now have the feeling of those long summer days of childhood. My sister and I kicked off our shoes (that's if we bothered to put them on at all) and we played outside until dark, and no, things weren't perfect but I remember it as a good time.  We can't stay children forever, but if we are fortunate, we can find something of our youthful spirit to bring to our adult lives.  Meri, of the meme, Share the Joy, invites us to share our good times, so here are a few of the ones I recorded through photographs yesterday.  I've included the lyrics below the song.  Perhaps one or two of you will even sing along :)

"The Half-life of Childhood"

 by Stephen Fearing and Erin Costelo

When I was younger time took forever

A cloud in a blue sky, the clock in the hall

Effortless motion like wind in the willows

Whispering stories so short and so tall 

Clinging to summer the long shadows fall

Do you remember that freedom unspoken

We ran until dinner would call

The days were like cornflowers

A blue chain unbroken

The stars in the night sky, can you count them all?

Plucked from the summer the long shadows fall

The half-life of Childhood

A song you remember

As true as an arrow

Like the beat of your heart

And lying in darkness, it spreads out beneath you

Uncertain and endless, when you're just at the start

I can still picture the cool light of morning

My parents still sleeping in the rosy red dawn

Sleeping and waking

And sleeping and waking

And suddenly childhood is gone.

Young dancers from Dezzo Dance performed on the The Turntable Plaza, just behind our apartment.  Both feet lifting just above the ground..

and flowing hair perhaps said something about childhood.

I noticed some new and colourful art around us as we enjoyed our lattés and cookies at Harrison Galleries.  This abstract is by Kiff Holland, 

and this is by Zbigniew Kupczynski.  We had just met him a few days earlier walking along the seawall with his wife, Eva.  Bill and I both thought this must be a portrait of Eva.  From our brief meeting, I have the feeling they continue to foster the best aspects of childhood.

We worked hard at this crossword and were happy to complete all of it.  Black Jack thought that was worthy of a photo :)

We biked to Olympic Village and discovered Rosehips.  Familiar places never seem dull because new things pop up every time we go. 

I loved the blue skies and birdsong,

and yellow flowers..

with happy faces,

and being with Bill with Black Jack.

The bees were thriving..

and flower shadows played across Black Jack's body.

Bill turned on this water faucet because he thought the birds must be thirsty.  They didn't drink while we watched, but I like to think they took advantage of his kindness when we left.

We walked through this tunnel,

felt the long grasses against our legs..

and watched mama Redwing and her demanding child.

The light on this poppy,

the blueness of these blooms,

the song of this robin,

and the long legs..

of this crow were all reasons to smile.

Bill and I both saw a face in this rock..

and I was excited to see old-style daisies,

the kind I remember from my childhood.  He loves me..  :)

Black Jack and Bill played..

and their energy made me happy.

Tupper flew in for a visit in the evening.

She was calm and confident..

even as a couple of males appeared to be competing..

for her attention.

We fed her and wished her a good night before going home. 

Bill read Chapters 25 and 26 of "The Art of Racing in the Rain" to me.  I especially loved Enzo's description of his euphoric trip around the racetrack with Denny.

Thank you to Meri for providing a lovely meme to share good times, and to you, for dropping by to see what's up in my world.  Happy Thursday, everyone!