Out Door Hiding House

Ever since we first moved here seven years ago, we have made a a game called OdHH, (outdoor hiding house.) OdHH is where we pretend that we are orphans living in the wilderness. When we were little, Sadie and I played by ourselves, but Ella, who was a toddler at the time, started wanting to play. Soon, our neighbor, Ellie Dog, joined in, and by that time we started making beds out of the soft pine needles that fell from our pine tree.

As we grew up our inventions became more and more ingenious. We started carrying water from the hose to our "kitchen" and we hung a strand of yarn from one branch of a lilac bush to another, for we played in the "fence" that the border of tall lilac bushes acted as, was. On the yarn, we hung a bucket, in which we placed water, leaves, mushrooms, grass and the occasional berry that we found.

We started trying to make all sorts of new things: ink (from some purple berries), a garden, a bathroom, (we seriously dug a pit and tried to go in it) and much more. Just recently, we added Eleanor's cousin, Tay Cat, into the game and she is playing the part of a british snobby rich kid, who finds us and gives us food.

Now that we have gotten older, we have started to make new inventions. For example, we made a stove, which would work if mom would let us use it. Next, we put the hose up in the lilac bushes, and directed it into a bowl, and finally we also have started "harvesting" chive plants, which we have in plenty.

Today we played a wonderful game of it, and yesterday, when we also played it, we had Kitty, Hanna, along with our other stuffed animals. We had a blast playing it and I can only hope that we can play it in the Netherlands.

As you can see, Sadie built herself a bed of pine needles. This is the quintessential bed of OdHH.

This pole is what began OdHH. This pole marks the spot where we always play. Without it, we would not of found it as young children.

This is our stove. (We are PRETENDING to cook food, Mom)

We are rinsing our chives in hose water.

The hose system in our kitchen.

"Drying Herbs"

I love playing outside and pretending to cook in a VERY old fashioned oven, but nonetheless, as I make tacos as my mom is out working, I can't help but be thankful for all the modern appliances that make cooking and baking much simpler. You should try cooking the old way sometime, it helps you count your blessings!