My Place of Senses

This neighborhood is certainly home to me. It has been for 17 of my 20 years, and almost all of my childhood memories are undeniably linked to the scenery of this area. When we first moved here, a large ditch split the neighborhood and ran right through our back yard. All sorts of birds would be attracted to the fish in the slow-moving water, and we'd see everything from red-tailed hawks to ibis. They've covered up some parts of the ditch after a monitor lizard was spotted in it, but I walked to one of the sections that still carries the water from the properties in our area.


Not far from there, I walked to an empty field. This field used to be our "field of dreams". We'd hold sporting events ranging from golf drives to kickball among the neighborhood kids. This big field, owned by a neighbor, has sat untouched for over a decade. They claim they want to develop it, but I'm not so sure. Though it is private property, I've known the owner since I was a toddler and I've always been a welcomed guest. This large, empty space is as much a part of the neighborhood as any of the many houses cluttered along the main street, and I couldn't imagine growing up without it.

After a walk around, I returned home to see one of our daily visitors. We've had a bird-feeder as long as we've had the house, and as a result I've been able to see a lot of the wildlife in our area directly in my backyard. Undoubtedly we'll have 5-6 squirrels visiting us each afternoon. The most common birds we see are cardinals, blue jays, doves, and woodpeckers. I love being able to give these birds a source of food, and its fun for both me and my cats when a flock of birds descends onto the feeder.

This whole area definitely gives me a sense of place. This is home to me. I can't imagine anywhere else ever conjuring those feelings of "home", but I'm sure one day I'll be living somewhere else and will have moved on. For now, I am happy right where I am.