I grew up on a farm in Central Texas. I have one sister and one brother, but they're a lot older than me, so I was pretty much like an only child. And there weren't any close neighbors. I would spend my days roaming the fields and pastures, barefooted of course. I'd catch crawfish, pick wildflowers, investigate creekbeds, collect pretty rocks, you name it. Our cats and dogs were my companions. My mother said she would look out the window and see me disappear over a hill with three dogs and a number of cats in single file right behind me. I played in the dirt too, all the time. My kids laugh when I tell them my favorite toy as a child was dirt! Ahh, those were the days of simple times and freedom to explore.