Writing About a Place 63

The Hill
There is an old hill on my Grandma’s property. The hill is grown over with grass, dead sting-
ing nettles, and skunk cabbage. There is an old rickety bridge that you have to jump off to get
safely to the ground because blackberries block the way.
After the bridge you have to walk through matted dead grass, then you get to an old cedar
tree. You cut through the small trail around the cedar tree to get to the road-like flat slanty path
to the field. You sneak through the long dead grass. Finally you reach the fence. Be careful not to
let the big white dog see you looking at the horses. (He thinks he owns and is guard of the fence
and all things on both sides of it.) For a better view, go to the funny shaped tree, it works as a
good lookout, and it’s a safe place where the neighbor dogs can’t get you. (No matter how hard
they jump.) From the tree you can see a lot — my Uncle’s horses (down the hill) the Kapowsin
and the Shady Ridge creeks, the place where the creeks meet together, the trail (both of them),
the two bridges, the neighbor’s houses, Mr. L’s cows, and all the other trees and fields.
When you’re done looking around (and when the coast is clear of the big white dog) you can
jump down and head for the one still usable trail that my mom made and used when she was
little. I’m not sure how its possible that the trail is still there but I think the coyotes, deer, pos-
sum, skunk, rabbits, mice, and snakes use it, and keep it there.
Be careful when you go down because if you’re behind someone pesky, pushed aside branch-
es will slap you in the face. When you get to the waterside, sit down, listen tot he rushing, slurp-
ing, sound of water, the lapping against the sandy bank, the birds chirping, watch for animals. If
you stay still and quiet the animals will relax and come out of hiding, and the birds will start
chirping.
Walk back to the big cedar tree and wander eastward, up the busy hill and you will find your-
self in the cemetary. If you don’t want to go there, go west and take a swim in the icy water. (If
you don’t freeze.) When you’re really cold, dry off. If you want, catch a couple of crawdads.
Then, go home and fry your crawdads, and eat them, and think about your day on the hill.

Student sample papers are © copyrighted by their respective copyright holders and are provided here for non-commercial educational purposes only.
For more information, or for additional teaching materials, please contact: Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. • E-mail stevepeha@aol.com • Web www.ttms.org