In Sacramento, everything you do is worry-free, well at least for me. I go there every year to visit my grandparents, and when I do, I feel like a whole different person. The sweet smell of pine, the glistening lake, and the taste of roasted vegetables fresh from the garden could be the reasons why I love the place so much. I also feel as if all of the stress inside my body is just melting, slowly becoming into sheer happiness. The reason for this is simple… Sacramento is the place I like to call my Querencia.
Even though I only visit my grandparents in Sacramento once or maybe twice a year, I still think it’s home. This is because I never really have to work, maybe a few dishes but I don’t call that work, and I can never get bored. There are so many things to do: like go golfing, go down to the river, or just hanging around the house.
I LOVE golf, even though I don’t have much skill. It’s just so much fun swatting at a tiny ball, and hoping it goes into a tiny gopher hole. As I play, I hold the club firmly in my hands, and look at the course, noticing how to play it. There’s group of trees, and a small hill off to the right. I think I’ll just hit it and see where it goes from there. Whack!!! The ball flies through the air, whistling as it goes. OOPS!! Out of bounds. Oh well, maybe I get it next time. I drive the cart to my ball. I also love driving, but I’m not good at that either, or at least that’s what my grandpa says. “Slow down… Use the breaks… Watch where you’re going… UGHHHHHH!!!” After the golf course, I feel sweaty, and the heat is beating down on me so hard, I feel like I’m right next to the sun. It’s time to cool off.
Just being in the car knowing that we’re going to the river cools me off. The water is so refreshing, and cold, but not too cold. As soon as we would get there, I would just run, drop my towel, and keep running into the water until I’m deep enough to where I can’t touch the ground. Another thing great about the river are the blackberry bushes. The succulent blackberries just melt in your mouth, and the taste is so sweet, that it can’t be described. There is also this little island in the middle where we can just lie on.
Golfing, and going down to the river is a lot of fun, but what I like most about Sacramento would be my grandparents house. There are so many things to do!!!!! For starters, when I just want to relax, and play a few games, I go to the camper. The camper is a sort of “mini-home” that my brothers and I like to use as a place to hang out. We have a mini fridge in there and a TV set. I would call that the whole package. Also, I like running around in the backyard. It’s huge!!! First, there’s the deck; a small platform where we can put a mattress and sleep under the starry sky. Then we have the hammock, where I can hang as the sweet smell of pine lingers on my nose. Also, we have a wooden post where we like to use it as a target for our beebee guns. If we hit the cowbells on the top, it makes a little dingle noise. Lastly, there’s the dinner table. My grandpa has a garden, and when veggies, and fruits are ripe, he harvests them, and puts them into the dinner. Whether it’s roasted squash, fried zucchini, or eggplant, it’s always fresh, and very, very, tasty.
Dinner will always finish off the day nicely, and after that, a sleep under the stars sounds good, and maybe a pleasant dream… who knows?
