Childhood Memories

By Diane Cook Johnson

There is no mistaking that fall is coming. The sky is blue and the sun hits the earth at angle that makes the world look in exceptional focus. There is also a special sound that the crickets make that reminds me of my youth and going back to school. I can just about taste the Wonder bread with homemade butter and juicy tomato slices; it was a soggy yet delicious lunch made only in September.

My mother's other special lunchbox sandwich was Spam and jam; it really was quite tasty especially when it was made with the foam left after the homemade jam was poured into jars. Coming home from school on the bus in September, my mother was often standing at the corner of the porch chopping tomatoes, peppers, and onions to make one of her many batches of "chili" . I grew up on a farm in Massachusetts and I have very special memories of that time and place. Thankfully, my brother keeps Cook's Valley Farm going.

Diane (left) and family, 1966 • used with permission

Photo above: Winter 1966,  L-R Diane Cook (age 9) Uncle Ted Koza, sister (Grace) and brother Warren Cook on a walk in a meadow behind Cook's Valley Farm in Wrentham, MA. Uncle Ted was a middle school science teacher near Little Falls, New Jersey. Every excursion with him included a camera and a bag of apples.

Ted would come up at least once a month to see his parents, my mother and us. He always had us on the look-out for science and things to bring back to his classes. In August and September, he would give us a $1.00 for each Monarch Butterfly caterpillar we caught for him during his visit. He offered us more each month until a caterpillar was worth $100 in January. We looked; but we never found any $100 caterpillars.

Sandwich Little League • photo by Declan O'Connell

I know the children of Sandwich will have fond memories of their time growing up here. This morning at the Sandwich Beach, I met a man who grew up in Sandwich  and after graduating from Inter-Lakes he lived in cities for many years. He was coming home to this area for a simpler life and he was fondly telling stories of his youth, family, friends, and Sandwich. This afternoon, on the town green, I saw a young boy go over to another boy of similar age (about 7, I imagine) and introduce himself. As the first boy approached the second, they both made sure their masks were on properly, looked at their moms and then quietly  played with sticks and pebbles.

This fall school and childhood look quite a bit different than ever. Rest assured; good, unique, and interesting memories are being made despite the pandemic, politics, and tensions. May you look for and find the good.