kyra_ojosverdes | Childhood Memory

When I was eight, we lived in Cedar City, Utah while Dad was at sea. In the backyard were a couple of trees that

redrita would climb ... to be attacked by swarms of ants ... and return to climb another day because damned if the ants were going to keep her out of the tree. If I was eight, she was four.

Also in the backyard was a patch of skunk cabbage. I had a secret hiding place either indoors or outdoors for every place we lived. In Utah, my secret outdoor hiding place was under the skunk cabbage. It was tall enough that I could sit underneath it. There were several plants, and their broad leaves arched over the packed reddish earth where I'd sit and think and be alone with myself.

Thanks to

kightp for the memory.