Deck The Halls (with Holly)

I am from Humboldt County. I am from a special place many have heard the name, but few have seen firsthand. I grew up in a small town where everyone knew your name. From five years old and on through adulthood we grew and learned together, one family with many last names. I am from a beautiful place, one way you can find redwood trees, another an ocean or lake. A land with great mountains, and incredible views. New territory to explore, not only for the traveling through, but a local as well. I am from the ma and pop shops, the businesses of our neighbors, supporting one another to keep a thriving culture. We do what we can with limited means, a days drive to the large city we don't care. I am from a place I will always cherish, memories galore. My first and forever home, I will always visit to reminisce. I am from a place I love, but a place I have outgrown. A Little Bit of Analysis: In creating my poem I began by of course reading through Lyo...

Growing up I was the baby, the youngest child, and in my opinion, my mom's favorite. Kidding!! I spent years and years of my childhood being the youngest out of my siblings and cousins. Often the one to get told "no way" or "get out of my room" when I asked the older kids to play with me. Being the youngest had its perks though, extra attention from my grandma and having a very laid back mom. Having already raised two teenage daughters, she was naturally much more lenient by the third and I tended to get away with quite a lot by the time I reached high school. The hardest thing about having siblings eight and ten years older than you is they move out of your family home before you are ready for them to leave. I watched my sisters graduate college, get married, and buy homes while I was still too young to drive a vehicle. It was tough on me because I missed them so much, luckily they live in the same town as me (before I left for college), but it was still hard t...