
Early memories that stick in our minds are significant. They stay with us for a reason. Perhaps for us to remember them fondly or maybe they are glimpses of what our future holds for us.
I often have flashbacks from childhood of things I enjoyed doing and to this day I still do. Growing up London I loved going to parks and other green spaces where I could look at trees and lakes. I would collect leaves and grasses and paste them lovingly into a scrap book where I would catalog them along with descriptions.
My other fascination was with birds. Seeing a small red-breasted Robin at Christmas time, especially if it snowed, was thrilling to me. I also remember the excitement of going to Trafalgar Square as a child with my mother. She would buy these little containers of corn from vendors so we could feed the pigeons. The sheer joy of having them land on your shoulders, sometimes your head, and feed directly from your hand was exciting to a child.
Childhood memories Birdwatching and collecting Still close to my heart Copyright © 2023 Christine Bolton - Poetry for Healing All Rights Reserved Frank Tassone is hosting Monday Haibun at D’Verse and his ass with “Significant Memories”

Wonderful Christine, the robin remains one of my favourite birds 🐦❤️
I always thought they were magical as they were hard to spot ☺️💕
Delightful!
Thanks Rosemary ☺️💕
This sounds like a lovely memory, I was probably too scared of birds really
Oh too bad they are fascinating to watch. ☺️
The lovely memories of Trafalgar Square. I was there in the late 80s.
Yes I have many happy memories from there. I think the pigeons have gone now. Not sure though
Wonderful memories, Christine, really well written. 👍🏼🙂✌🏼
Thanks Rob ☺️💕.
I’m the same, Christine, having grown up in London too. We had our favourite parks and green spaces, and always looked out for birds, especially robins in the snow! And I also remember the excitement of going to Trafalgar Square as a child, but with my nan, and feeding the pigeons. I loved the song from Mary Poppins, ‘Feed the birds, tuppence a bag’.
Thank you Kim. Our childhoods were very similar weren’t they. Your post brought back my memories of mugs of Bovril on winter days! ☺️💕
Still close to my heart ❤️
Beautiful memories ♥️♥️
Thank you Roksana ☺️💕
Lovely recollections of happy times. Sounds like you were a naturalist from the beginning, Christine.
I think so Lisa. My brother was the same. ☺️💕
Beautiful memories Christine
Thanks Sadje. It’s true I love trees, leaves and grasses and have always had a fascination with birds. ☺️❤️
That shows in your poetry
A beautiful haibun, Christine. Some would be running screaming if a pigeon landed on them. Hope them didn’t make any deposits!! :>)
Thanks so much Dwight. They do say it’s lucky to get plopped on by a bird! LOL 🤣
Ha ha… thatn must have come from someone who never had it happen to them!!