I was four years old. My mother would park us one at a time on the kitchen counter and give us a quick morning bath at the kitchen sink. Then we were dressed and sent outside to play. It was 1955. I would lay in the soft green grass. The mid morning sun was warming. I had cordoroy bib overalls on that my mom made by hand. The sky was the most amazing deep blue with the purest white clouds drifting by.

All of the world travels as a kid.

Sunday afternoons on Nora's living room couch breathing heavily and trying to wear out each others' lips. (@14)

Riding my Haitian mustang stallion, Lightning, without saddle or bridle, roping half grown wild boars in the mission corn. Great fun!
I had to drop the loop to pass over their front legs, since they didn't really have necks.

Playing outside. Hopscotch. Tag. Shadow. Hide and seek. Playing in the leaves. Climbing trees. Making mud pies. Jacks.

Playing outside on summer nights. Going to ball games and auto races at night. Going to the mountains to one of lakes and swimming at night. Maybe one of the reasons l became a musician is my love of the night.

Catching fireflies outside of my grandfather's house with my cousin.

Growing up.

Playing in my gravel pit, going to country store, buying penny candy and setting table up as a store for friends on street. Also putting on shows-singing and dancing, swimming with friends in pool. Climbing trees and the big boulders across the street. All between 5 and 8.

Working in the peat bogs stacking peat for a whole day. Earning enough money to buy the yellow bikini at the shop in the city. Upsetting the whole village by wearing a bikini to the beach.

Going to the library and the park with my Dad. Doing anything with my Dad. He was 6'5" and larger than life, a beautiful soul. I get my love of learning new things from him. When I was six, my mother cheated on him and that was the end of their marriage and my good childhood memories. I don't have siblings, which sucks.

Running the neighborhood, and not worrying about who was gonna snatch us up. Riding our horses in the riverbed, all kinds of animals, playing cowboys, exploring, playing baseball, and just hanging out with my friends. Ever hear the song Bob Dylan's Dream? Pretty well sums it up.

playing kick the can till dark