Your childhood neighborhood.
We were in a world of our own. All by ourselves. Laughing at our little kids jokes, planning our little kid games, and dreaming our little kid dreams without a care in the world. my house. We lived in the “horse shoe”. The part of the neighborhood that just wound right back around to the rest of the neighborhood. We knew everyone on the block and could spot a stranger from a mile away. Any new comers moving into the neighborhood were subsequently spied on and judged.
We grew up just a few houses down the street from our cousins. Between the two families we pretty much ran the neighborhood. We rode our bikes in our neighbors driveways, we played our games in their lawns, we trampled through the ravine behind our houses, we trespassed through the golf course around the corner, and we hounded the little old ladies for candy.
That’s how we rolled. Mr. and Mrs. Maddox were the little old couple we could count on for candy…long as we were willing to listen to them ramble about their grown kids and their ripening boysenberry bushes.
Mr. and Mrs. Maddox’s house. It was a sad day when Mr. Maddox died, but he outlived my Dad so at least there’s that. There used to be a big rock in the corner of their driveway that was a hot picnic spot for us. In fact, the day we found out our Dad died we all got to stay home from school and picnicked right there in Mr. and Mrs. Maddox’s front yard. I remember eating fruit snacks with my little sister and brother, thinking it’d be the right thing for us to go tell them the news. I’ll never forget the look on their stunned faces as they struggled to stay composed in front of three seemingly unaffected children.
Hazel was the runner up old lady we would turn to if Mrs. Maddox didn’t have any candy. Hazel was a hermit and barely came out of her house less it was to shoo us out of the giant apple tree she had in her backyard. hazel’s house.
To be fair, I never actually asked Hazel for candy. She and her crazy red hair scared the living shit out of me, but I was always able to convince my cousin it was the right thing to do. Lasting a day without candy just wasn’t an option for us. The most mysterious part of our neighborhood was The Private Road. This is where the rich folk lived. One dark, quiet, dead end street lined with the richest of rich houses. On this street regular sized candy bars were handed out on Halloween. On this street we were certain the houses were filled with butlers and swimming pools and spoiled children who ate candy for breakfast. We dreamed of someday living on this street. 
Since we couldn’t live in the rich houses we settled for eating our lunch on the wall at the entry of The Private Road. We spent many summer afternoons sitting on that wall. In a world of our own. All by ourselves. Laughing at our little kids jokes, planning our little kid games, and dreaming our little kid dreams without a care in the world. 
{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
We had that ONE house that would give out full size candy bars at Halloween, We would all switch contumes just so we could go back again and again!
Wonderfull memories to tellyour kids about when they are older. Was it not the greatest when we could play in our neighbors backyards without our parents having to worry about our whereabouts. Those were trully the times.
Oh I love how just a distinct smell during the summer will remind me of those days back in the ‘ol neighborhood.
And yes, I remember the tar post… how could I not! LOL great post.
Great post! I would love to relive my memories of childhood, and I really don’t know where to start. It’s as if there’s so much that needs to be mentioned. Thanks for the inspiration.
Looks like you grew up in a pretty nice neighborhood. I remember your tar story–it was hilarious! Sounds like you ate lunch outside quite often. I prefer eating inside, away from the bugs, flies and bees.
Our parents shooed us out of the house on a daily basis. :)
As someone who lives in a rich house like that, I’m gonna tell you that the rich people in those rich houses probably hated you a little for loitering all over their rich-house-street-designating sign. Seriously. Nothing brings down a hood like 6 candy-begging crumb snatchers hanging around it. Kidding. I don’t live in a rich house, and if I did, I’d give candy to loitering kids who brought character to my hood everyday. You know, so they’d like me and not rob me when I went on vacation.
The tar’s still there! If I was your neighbor, I’d be sure to stuff my house with candy. Giving them to you . . . . mmmm okay, okay I forgot you ruled the hood ;-)
My favorite neighbors had to be the ones who sat at the end of their driveway with king size candy bars (they gave us at least 2 each!) for the kids on a silver tray, and a cooler full of beer for the parents!
I really enjoyed you bringing those old photographs to life. Pretty great stuff remembering “the good ‘ol days”
I love that you have photos of the tar! I’m impressed that you have photos in general of the neighborhood. I had to find one on Google Maps!
We drove their specially for this post. :) Luckily it’s not too far from where I live now.
I remember being in that world of our own with little kid joy every day. Thanks for sharing yours.
Love it! This makes me want to take pics of my old neighborhood the next time I am in the area. We don’t visit very often, though.
You told a great story about the neighborhood, and the pictures really helped! Loved it!
You know what I think it sad about this? The fact that we can’t really let our kids do that anymore. We ran around our neighborhood all day just like and our parents never worried. Now I don’t let my kids out of our sight.
I know! The neighborhood kids often play in front of our street and driveway. There is usually at least one parent out there and I’m sweating bullets if my girls get outside before my shoes are one! It’s insane….
and yet a little girl was stolen from her front yard while playing with her brother just weeks ago on the news. It’s no wonder we’re such freaks about this.
full size candy bars?!?! wow! i never had any houses like that around me where i grew up!
Childhood is just an awesome time…. sorta.
I almost chose this prompt. How lucky that you were able to go back and photograph all the places that mattered.
Unfortunately, kids today won’t have memories like that – we can’t allow them the type of freedom WE had – now we over-schedule and fret, and worry about giving our child “advantages” – and I think the kids are missing out on the carefree existence of children of times past.
And the neighborhood looked relatively the same…a lot smaller…some of the houses have gone to hell, but other than that it looked great.
I’m definitely with you on the ridiculous short leashes we have to keep our kids on. Cannot imagine letting them run loose like that.
We always wished the people with the full-sized candy bars lived in our neighborhood. We always heard rumors of late-night romps through the rich people’s places after Halloween.
I love the old pictures with the rounded edges that frame a softer time. Great memories. Thanks for sharing!
The infamous tar! LOL!
You have an amazing memory for all the details of your childhood….is that what makes you such a good storyteller?
Thanks!
Newcomers certainly should be judged and tried. Sneaky jerks trying to move in on your territory
I love all the old pictures! Those are really great!
I remember the days when everyone knew each other in the neighbourhood. It seems that that is the exception now though.
That is the kind of neighborhood I did not grow up in. ;) It did have a naked man running around though…you’ll have to read it to find out about it.
What a lovely childhood, all cozy on that street with cousins so close. Sweet!
Loved all the old pics! Make sure you save em for your children. It so reminded me of growing up! I chose the ruined when wet prompt this week! It is definately different from what folks would probably expect!
Such a wonderful post! I wish I could have chosen this prompt – but my siblings and I were the “overprotected” and “sheltered” kids, and although my parents still live there to this day, our neighborhood held no great memories for me. The one of few times I ventured out as a kid, I got chased by a dog so, nope. Lol.
Great pictures!
That is such a wonderful childhood memory. something that is worth to be treasured. I joined the workshop and I have my first posts written. I look forward to more to write.
What a beautiful story… We had the street near us that had the full size candy bars too… But one of the people on the street was a dentist and would give a toothbrush and toothpaste along with it… haha
There was even one neighborhood where all the really really rich people lived and one house gave out rolls of quarters!
Didn’t life seem so much simpler then…it’s almost unfathomable how times have changed. Loved the pics!!!
I love your post. Funny we choose the same prompt. This was my first time participating and I have had a blast. Thanks for doing this, can’t wait for next week!
I don’t know if I have any pictures of my childhood home and neighborhood and my parents still live there! So sad
Aw, I have memories like that of my childhood neighborhood too! The riding bikes part brought back so many memories for me… and the elderly women in my neighborhood who always gave us candy. The good old days, right? :)
Those were the days. Sounds a lot like how I grew up. Running the neighborhood and tramping all over the fields. I don’t have many pictures though.
Love the girls on the rock wall. So cute! I was waiting for them to start playing, say say old playmate.
Writing about summer makes me sad. Even with 100 degree temps; I still love it! Of course we have 60 degree winter temps, so really, it’s still summer. Semantics! :-D
Wow. I love that. Especially the repeating lines at beginning and end. Sounds like such a great childhood. And the image of the dark rich people street is just like I remember the gated community near me growing up.
This makes me wish I was a kid again. Well done.
Love the pictures that go along with the description of the neighborhood. I was considering that prompt as well, but never got round to drawing up a map that helped to explain where everything was.
I like the new way of linking to the stories. I haven’t used Mr. Linky in a long time and gave up because of various issues. I may have to give this one a look-see.
Thanks for sharing,
That’s a great childhood memory. We didn’t really take that many pictures when we were young of our neighbourhood as we shifted around quite often.
OOPS! I forget to link up… Sorry so late!!
Thanks for the walk through your childhood neighborhood! ;D
I lived in a horseshoe for a bit, too. I just can’t find pix at the moment. LOL!! I did recently reconnect with a couple of my friends from that neighborhood.
Another thought I had thinking about your post… Life was simpler than, it seemed there was less to worry about. I remember staying home alone, riding my bike to town, walking to the store, etc… Things I wouldn’t dream of when my kids were little!! *sigh* ; )
Great Post!
I like the back referencing about the tar. Funny…
Have you ever done a writing prompt…’I only turned my back for one minute!’ describing a time when the kids got into something and it happened so fast!
I just did a post and included that, and I thought of you.
Have a good weekend!!
http://thebristolproject.blogspot.com/2010/08/family-fun-friday_26.html
Your pictures and words bring home the wonders of our early years. I loved the pictures especially as they pointed out the cherished sense of wonder. Thnak you for organizing this. I added my blogs late and they are at the end… hope someone says hello. On Friday, I will visit many to say hello and join in the fun.
Best,
Eliz
Great post, really evokes the carefree, sunny days of childhood. You’ve captured the child’s voice although you’re an adult. Brings the whole thing to life.
I am having problems getting the Linky to take a thumbnail from my computer, it worked last week. Wonder what’s wrong? This will mean I can’t join this week!
Yay! I got it this time!
I loved reading all about your childhood neighborhood. Quite difference from mine. What a great prompt this week — I love reading these stories!