As for todays topic, I suppose it was the huge field behind our house, which was the remaining section of Old Man Lopane's farm before most of it became a new housing subdivision around 1948, when my dad started building our house on the new Goldman Avenue. About half a mile back through the weeds, corn, whatever Mr Lopane was growing that year, were abandoned and falling down outhouses like small barns - most likely for chickens and other livestock - which were great places to hide out and pretend. I have no idea where on the original property his main barn was located or what other buildings were originally in that field. it was quite large.
When I'd walk home from junior high, I'd come down through the field and i was like taking a walk with DR Laura: both spring and autumn there were wild flowers, beautiful butterflies, grasshoppers and praying mantises wherever you'd look. and at night hundreds of fireflies, moths, junebugs, and bats circling the streetlamps to catch them. Around 1963 or so, the property was sold and a new subdivision begun. By 1970 most of the field had been eaten away by houses and new streets. By 1975, whatever flora and fauna filled the area were completely gone.
