My aunt’s house is small but it is always full of happiness and comfort. On the outside it is painted a deep calming blue color and has a rough texture to the outside wall. A tall palm tree sways in her small front lawn. A narrow cement walkway leads to her backyard from the front porch. Once in the back, she has a large wood deck- with tons of lush plants and bright colorful flowers surrounding it. I can always identify the scent of jasmines that grow in her backyard. In the very back of her property there’s a small cramped house that she usually rents out. Beyond that is her driveway that backs up into an alley. She has a black gate that is at the end of her driveway. I always found this very interesting; it seemed so cool to me.
I have visited her in California almost every summer since I was three years old. So- as you could imagine- I had many great experiences at her house. I will mention a few that I remember the most. On her front porch, she has a little window. My sisters and I would pretend we were princesses and look out the window and act like we were stuck in a tall tower. I also remember sitting on her red front steps and painting in paint books. Her house is only about five blocks from the beach, so we would pack a lunch and ride our bikes down there and stay all day. One summer my sisters and I got a tin box and we dug a hole in the ground and buried the box; it was so long ago I can’t really remember what was in the box or why we buried it, but we did. On her front sidewalk we would color with chalk and play hopscotch in the cool but warm California air.
My aunt always makes sure she has lots candy for us when we come to visit. She usually would take off a few days from work and spend time with us. One thing we always did with her was go to the farmer’s market. I love visiting my aunt and creating new memories and remembering old ones.