Playground in My Mind……And Singing!
My dear sweet friends….I would like to share something that I experienced this past week-end. As I am sure you have noticed, I have quoted song lyrics from time to time in a few of my posts; I do love music and I do love singing…I guess I take it literally when the Psalmist said:
“But let all who take refuge in Thee be glad, let them sing for joy; …. “. Psalm 5:11
I sing in my home and in my car…but oddly enough, not in the shower where the acoustics are probably the best. I am sure our neighbors can hear me singing because on cooler days, I love to open my home to fresh air so the slider doors and windows are open as I do laundry and other chores around the house. They haven’t complained …yet, …though I am sure sometimes they wonder if I am singing or calling for help! 🥰🤗🥴
I didn’t say I sing well… I— just—- sing!
- “Sing like there’s nobody listening.” — William W. Purkey
I love singing hymns and I love singing secular songs. I like older songs where the lyrics have a meaning and tell a story. The following lyrics to the song “Playground in my Mind” do just that. There is a meaning and I can identify with the words as I watch children at play! The song is a very old song and was sung by British born singer/songwriter and Las Vegas entertainer, Clint Holmes. He co-wrote the song and it peaked at #2 on the Billboard Charts and stayed on the charts for 23 weeks. However, “Playground in my Mind” was his only big hit, but it resonated with me…and apparently a lot of other people and best described as “an escapist theme during a stressful post Viet Nam era”. It was nostalgic and the little son of the song ‘s producer also sang on the recording, making it more endearing.
Some of the lyrics are below.
“When this old world gets me down… And there’s no love to be found… I close my eyes and soon I find, I’m in a playground in my mind. Where the children laugh and the children play… And we sing a song all day.”
“Oh the wonders that I find, In the playground in my mind, In a world that used to be, Close your eyes and follow me. Where the children laugh and the children play, and we sing a song all day”!
I mention this to tell you about an experience I had while out running errands. I stopped at a fast food place about 3 blocks from our home to grab a SW Wrap and Sweet Iced Tea. I didn’t want to go inside to eat, so I went to the drive-thru and then I decided to take my food to the park which is near by.
I pulled into a shaded parking spot in front of a playground with all kinds of playground equipment, large trees and flower gardens. At first glance, there did not appear to be children at the playground, which I thought a bit unusual, since it was Saturday. The sun was shining and the temperature was about 77 degrees, so I took my sandwich and drink and walked over to one of the picnic tables.
And then I heard singing….a sweet little melodious sound coming from a stand of trees. I heard singing!
I peered toward the cluster of trees …which were about 20 feet from me… and I saw *”her”. There she was in the tree, partially hidden by the branches and shiny green leaves. She was standing on a branch which was about 5 foot off the ground… and she was singing her little heart out. Luckily for her, there were lower branches that she obviously used as “steps” to reach the higher level.
She looked to be about 7 or 8 years old and though I couldn’t make out her features, I could see a cluster of brunette curls which seem to get entangled among the leaves. She was in her own little world, oblivious to me or anything around her….and her voice was so sweet and so innocent and so pure. I couldn’t help but smile, because it took me back to my childhood when I climbed trees on our farm and sang to the birds, chickens or any animal within range.
So you see why I am singing the lyrics from the song “Playground in my Mind” today…
“Oh the wonders that I find, In the playground in my mind, In a world that used to be, Close your eyes and follow me. Where the children laugh and the children play, and we sing a song all day”!
Have a great and wonderful day. May your Blessings be many. And sing…we are told singing clears worry, sharpens memory, lowers stress, lifts mood, eases loneliness and deepens expression….and it makes me smile!
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing! Psalm 100: 1,2
*Oh, I would be remiss if I didn’t state the obvious question on your mind… but yes…her Mother was there reading a book and looking over at her young daughter from time to time. I couldn’t see the Mother at first, because of a pillar on the shelter house….but she was there…ever mindful of her young daughter.🤗
Kari, such a sweet post. The little girl is darling singing. I used to climb trees when I was young. We even made christmas tree forts. Happy singing.
How fun Linda…Christmas tree forts! We never made those but we sure loved climbing in trees…I wasn’t afraid of anything in those days…but now as I age, I know better…I think! LOL Thanks for stopping by. Have a great and blessed day.🥰🌸
Hurray, it went thru!
Yay! 🥰🫣🎵🇺🇸🌸🩷🙏🏻🤗🎶
Kari, Trying to catch up on some of your previous posts and hopefully will be able to comment. First a belated Happy Anniversary to you and the Captain. Your relaxing trip sounded perfect. I can just hear Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong singing “Summertime”. In your next post I loved your multicolored top and the sandals. I know what you mean about heeled shoes. I recently got rid of some of my favorite heels and replaced them with lower ones. As we age, we need to think about maintaining our balance and staying upright. Your Secret Garden is such a pretty spot and I hope your new umbrella has arrived by now. That was a pretty pink outfit you selected to wear during the pink themed Bible Study day. Who knew that pure beet juice would color the lemonade and not flavor it? I love pickled red beets such don’t give me Harvard beets! You keep singing, my dear friend.
Jan I will sing til I have no voice and even then I will make a joyful noise! 🥰 Thanks for ‘catching’ up on my posts. When I think of how I used to be able to wear high heels to work…well, actually I wore flats from the car to the front door of the TWA/American Maintenance Base in KC, because the parking lot was HUGE…and then I would change into heels in the elevator and walk at a very fast clip down the 1/4 mile hallway to the Boeing office…the offices were above the airplane hangars…and think nothing of it. Now, in flat shoes, I am good if I am able to just walk out to the car from inside our home! 🤗 🤗🤗 I smile when I think about those days now. I have some wonderful memories of my Boeing days and all the friends I made there. I still keep in touch with several of them…Thanks for filling in the blanks and stay cool doing the food pantry.❤️🙏🏻❤️
Dear Kari,
I loved this post. This little girl is so sweet. It reminded of when my sister and I used to climb trees.
Hugs,
Sandy
Isn’t that the way it goes Sandy? Feast or famine! Thanks my friend.
Dear Kari,
I loved this post. This little girl is so sweet. It reminded of when my sister and I used to climb trees.
Hugs,
Sandy
I’m not sure what is going on with this silly thing but I do appreciate your diligence on trying. hugs always dear one.
Hi Kari,
I’m your Pink Post, I loved picturing you in your fashionable outfit with those delicious goodies for your Bible study ladies. The singing little girl in the park was meant for you to hear as a gift from God.
I wish I was in your Bible study!
Love,
Kitty
P. S. I think my comment is going to work this time!
Thanks Kitty! Your comment did work this time…not sure what the problem was, but my IT guy said he fixed it…. he thinks. LOL
Thanks again for your stopping by and for working with me on this. Hugs and Blessings always.
What a sweet story, Kari! I sing along with the music. Actually sweet man and I both do.
Thank you for my morning smile.
Nancy, the Captain and I sing together too…sometimes with the radio in the car or A cappella! Words can trigger a song from my heart and I will start to sing and he joins in…sometimes remembering the lyrics far better than I. Have a beautiful day and keep on keepin’ on.🥰🌸❤️
Hello Kari! I haven’t heard that song in years, his voice reminds me of B.J. Thomas. I loved your story of the girl in the tree singing, how sweet and I am happy her mother was nearby watching. Like you, I sing all of the time. Whatever pops into mind I start singing! My girls know so many old songs because they have heard me sing them. My beloved parents paid for piano and voice lessons when I was growing up. I am so grateful for their sacrifice. Butch is a singer and plays the guitar quite well. Seth sings, plays guitar, mandolin, and steel guitar. We love music. I think you and I would be an outstanding duet! If only we lived closer, we could entertain. Thank you for this fun post. We have so much in common, my sweet friend 🎶
Yes Pam we would sing…sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things not bad
Sing of happy not sad…
It is so cool that the girls learn older songs…and your family is so musically talented. My mother wrote lyrics of many of the older songs of her day in a black & white Composition Notebook (remember those) and I would memorize them once she sang the melody for me. Later, I learned to play the piano and accordion and you are right, it was a sacrifice for my parents too, and I am so grateful. Wouldn’t that be wonderful to sing together?…someday we will, I am sure of it! As there will be singing in Heaven…right now the song I am singing is 🎶🎵 “Holy Holy Holy…is what the angels sing, And I expect to help them make The courts of Heaven ring;” 🎵 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC1osbp8rP0
Hugs and Blessings always my sweet friend ❤️