First farmhouse

We, Tam, mother, Ted, father, Bev, stepmother, Malory, sister, Paula, stepsister and Susan, stepsister, lived in the most child-wonderful house when I was around five to seven. An old farmhouse in the country near Dayton, Ohio.

We rented the house. The actual farmers lived in a newer house near-by. In the summer they would give us a bushel basket of sweet corn. A grape arbor led away from the kitchen door. Down beside that was a spooky wood and glass building, an unused chick incubator. As I recall, the cows were mostly across the street as was the barn.

The house was ell shaped and had earth floors in the basement. The final room in the basement had a huge fireplace. The small wing of the ell was for 'adults' only, mostly. It had two fireplaces each on the first and second floors. We had a black cat with white mittens, she would leave mouse feet in front of the fireplace in the dining room as presents for us.

Very high ceilings. We had really tall Christmas trees, at least from my point of view.  One Christmas I carefully opened and resealed all my presents. On Christmas Eve we were allowed to open one present. Mine required assembly, I asked if I could open that another as well (it contained tools).

A screened in back porch then the yard sloped down to a wire fence far back. When the grass had grown to a kid's head high my dad mowed winding paths through it. Greater scope for adventure then a shorn lawn.

On our side of the fence was a big tree with boards nailed to it for climbing. One of us pinched our folks Winston cigarettes; up that tree was the first place I smoked.  On the other side of the fence was the primary school. But we had to take the bus to school as there were no sidewalks.

Along the fence to the right, at the corner of the backyard, was a small dark cool old stone building. It was fun to play in. Behind that a half acre of mint. We'd be sent down there to fetch mint for lemonade.

One summer I was stung by a bee, a bumble-bee and a wasp - not at the same time. I used to dream about this house's attics. The dream attic was an elaborate series of inter-connected rooms, with secret passages and doors. Full of unexpected treasures.