As a small girl child I had my favorite hiding places...I would take a blanket woven of purple strands, drape it over a simple cardtable...beneath it, a small lamp made of glass that changed to crystal with the blink of my eyes...a stack of books, a pad of paper, and the freedom to drift upon a sea of dream...
    During the summers, our family would hit the highway...stationwagon loaded up...blankets, pillows, books...a stash of candy under the front seat for special occasion...adventure bound...
    My grandmother's house seemed so big...the kitchen was the biggest I had ever seen...'supper' instead of 'lunch'...trout frying in the cast-iron skillet...spice cookies made by hand measures were tucked away in a bean pot glazed brown and tan...Kool-Aid in a glass pitcher covered with beads of sweat...sweetened with sugar...
    As much as I liked being there, I loved going over to Aunt Grace and Uncle Orb's place...the glass bricks in the kitchen fascinated me...and of course, who could resist laying on the bearskin...and although I might not admit it now, I did imagine myself as a hunter...spinning tales in my mind of meeting 'my bear'...then again, in all likelihood, I would have become theirs...
    So many memories...so many thoughts...cherished moments...spun of indigo night and saffron days...
    The sound of voices sharing, Aunt Grace and Uncle Orb...the feel of the velvet couch downstairs...the coolness of the basement as I slipped off into slumber...to find myself awake...sniffing at the air...biscuits, butter, honey, and homemade jam...coffee for them...and milk with coffee for me...
    Sometimes I wonder...am I still dreaming...did I imagine something there that wasn't...?
    I close my eyes, and know that despite the fact the houses weren't quite as I imagined...the feeling I found in the mornings was greater than I believed...and that feeling was and is, 'Love'...
    I pause...this small girl child now grown up...and I whisper, 'thank you for loving me then, and loving me now...'