Mama didn’t have much luck growing flowers and plants in the yard. Almost everything she planted, with the exception of the family garden, was dug up, torn apart, eaten or otherwise inhumanely tortured and killed by me, my brothers and our dog. We were allowed an enormous amount of playtime in the yard, and often invented things to do that she may not have approved of if we had thought to ask her before we did them.
I remember the switch dance vividly. The first few years I learned to successfully avoid it by simply using my innocent, big-eyed technique and expressing "but Jim/Glen said it was okay". Being "the baby" had many advantages. I would then hide around the corner and watch them participate in the switch dance ritual. It was exciting to see, quite similar to a ho-down where the participants hook arm in arm and swing around in a circle but much faster and more animated. My "I'm too young to know better" excuse ended with the introduction of a younger brother. He would soon learn use it against me.
I remember the switch dance vividly. The first few years I learned to successfully avoid it by simply using my innocent, big-eyed technique and expressing "but Jim/Glen said it was okay". Being "the baby" had many advantages. I would then hide around the corner and watch them participate in the switch dance ritual. It was exciting to see, quite similar to a ho-down where the participants hook arm in arm and swing around in a circle but much faster and more animated. My "I'm too young to know better" excuse ended with the introduction of a younger brother. He would soon learn use it against me.