We have have made it over hump day and now down to Thursday business. Coloradolady at http://coloradolady.blogspot.com has invited us all to join her for this special showing of vintage things.
WITHDRAWALS FROM MY MEMORY BANK
Recently someone much younger than myself, asked how we lived and entertained ourselves when growing up. Since I am in my 80's, I told them how we lived and played back in 1940's.
There were no televisions, computers, air conditioning, etc. It was a lot of work and little play time. We children did find ways to entertain ourselves. We played hop-scotch. You took a stick and drew off in the dirt squares to hop in. Used either a rock or piece of glass as your marker. Watched the clouds to see what formation they would form. Swing on grape vines across a creek. Sometimes we did not make it, but that made it more fun. Cut out paper dolls from anything we could find. Another fun thing was to catch Fireflies or Lightning bugs. We took a clear jar, poked holes in the lid and catch as many as we could.
(Internet photo)A favorite pastime was doodling for doodle bugs. Even as far back as 1876, Mark Twain included it in one of his novels,"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer".
They like sandy soil. These pictures are some doddle bug holes around my house. We got a stiff straw from a broom and used it to doddle with. As we did this, we would say "Doddle Bug, Doodle Bug Come Out, Your House Is On Fire". Usually nothing happened at all. There was a lot excitement when the straw would quiver several times. There were a few rare occasions when a little bug came up for a second and then darted down again. Life gives such a feeling of triumph when you succeed in calling a doodle bug out of his hole. Don't knock it if you have not tried it.
We did not have the modern conveniences. We did not have washers and dryers. We used an cast iron black wash pot for washing cloths. The water was pulled in a bucket from a well as there was no running water. We carried it by hand to the pot. Then a fire was built under the pot to heat the water. Metal rub boards were used for scrubbing. We used lye soap that our mother made. She made it from pork skins,lye and grease from butchering hogs. Then by hand, we rinsed the cloths in galvanized wash tubs with a few drops of bluing to make them whiter. We hung the cloths out on the line to dry. They always smelled so nice and clean from the fresh air and sunshine.
THIS IS AN OIL PAINTING OF MINE.
Since there was no electricity, we put food or milk in a bucket and lowered it into a well to keep it cool. Later on we were able to buy a block of ice from the ice house.
We used kerosene wick lamps for light or reading.
No dishwashers, just our hands in a pan of soapy, warm water.
To stay cool in the summer, we opened the doors and raised the windows. There was no worry about someone harming us; it was just not done in those days. We did a lot of walking - to school, church, or visit. Sometimes, a wagon was used.
Raised all our all our animals including chickens. In fact this is not a very good picture, but it is some of my family cleaning chickens. I will not go into that gory process. I have never forgotten it though.
29 comments:
LV, I am delighted by your post. I am from the country and grew up without air conditioning. Your memories are treasures. I am so glad that you blog! I will follow you. ♦olive
Even though I have been raised with all the modern conveniences, I've read by an oil lamp many a time because we were out in the country and the last to have power restored after a snowstorm. We even heated with a coal stove we could cook on!
Funny you mentioned the fireflies. I was out very late with the puppy last week and he was going nuts trying to catch them!
I agree with Olive - your memories are real treasures... it is an honor to read them.
I know we have some many more conveniences today... but at a cost of family time and use of imagination and creativity at play for children. I am a city girl at heart - but living in the country these past couple of years has made me appreciate just how wonderful nature is. Happy Wednesday.. Blessings...HHL
LV, what a perfect post. It is so much like my mother's life and even some of mine. Just last week I used the kerosene lamp when the electric went out. I keep it ready at all times.
It was a much simpler time when you were growing up.. I think that is a good thing. I remember catching fireflies and hopscoth. I taught my grankids how to play also. Those are very happy memories to hold on to! Great post LV!
I am a few years younger but remember vividly most of what you are writing about. I only wish that I could paint a fraction as well as you! That is beautiful and amazing.
Yes, I have killed and cleaned chickens. It does stay with you.
We still try to keep some of those family values alive.
Fabulous post, LV.... Kids today should read this... They don't know how some of us used to live. Life was fun back then --but not as 'easy' as kids have it today...
I am a little younger than you (67)--so we did have electricity and indoor plumbing... But--we didn't have AC. We didn't get a TV until I was a teen. But--it was SAFE --and we could go anywhere and do anything without fear of being hurt... I miss those days.
Hugs,
Betsy
I did grow up with most conveniences, although we didn't have A/C in our first house - what a revelation that was! I did grow up with hopscotch (with chalk on the sidewalk) and catching fireflies but also with the very first video games. Not a good thing in my opinion. Great post and a wonderful painting. Thanks so much for sharing!
I'm quite a bit younger, almost sixty, but I do remember a lot of similarities to yours, especially the games played (hopscotch) and catching the bugs.
Life was so much simpler, I worked with my grandma in her bakery, it was a thrill to be rewarded at the end of a long day, with a nice custard tart.
Lovely post, it brought back fond memories.
Jo
Thanks for the memories. I'm a little younger than you are, but my maternal grandparents had kerosene lamps before electricity was available on their street. I sometimes think we had more fun back then than today's kids have.
Delightful post...and I was just wondering the other day why we never see fire flies around here....I know they used to always be at my grandma's house...wanna take a ride down there one night with me, maybe I can fill a jar???
Happy VTT!
I so enjoy your posts. Thanks for sharing your memories. I'm a little younger and have had the modern conveniences but we did not have AC when I was younger. We never locked the doors or even thought about danger. Annette
I was born in a city and later lived in a suburb so I didn't have any of the really old-fashioned experiences. I did play hopscotch and catch fireflies in a jar. That was when peanut butter came in glass jars with metal tops.
Great memories and blog! I am glad I never had to clean chickens. Your painting is beautiful.
LV, I really enjoyed your post today! Such great memories. I was just telling/showing my granddaughter yesterday (while we were shucking corn) were we had a playhouse in the woods and all the great memories we had growing up. I can't even tell you how many times I have got down on my knees and called Doodle Bug, Doodle Bug come out and get your coffee or your house is own fire. Thanks for the memories. Blessings, Vicky
oh what delightful & simpler times!! a truly informative & delightful post, thanks for sharing LaVoice.
thanks also for visiting & for you lovely comments :) x
I am enjoying your post. I am a little younger then you, not a lot, but I grew up in the city and had all of the conveniences. But I sure remember the games, what fun. Did you mention jump rope? Remember those chants that went along with it? ...then going into Hot Pepper? I never did get tired of jumping rope. Lol... Remember Red Rover?
I loved your post! Thanks so much for sharing the things of the past. We certainly do take advantage of our modern conveniences.
oh LV, i really love reading this post.. the same story that I heard from my late grandma.. like you, she likes to tell us what she used to play or do during her time.. and these memories are real precious treasure! thanks for sharing.
This post was a delight! You should write these things down for your family - it would be something for them to treasure!
Just think of all the technological discoveries you have witnessed :)
As a young child growing up up in England, I have shared many similar experiences. Thank you for all the wonderful memories.
☼ Sunny
HI LV...thanks for joining my blog. Your's is really cute too :) :) We have the exact same header and background...how cool is that :) :) :) I noticed we both got them from the same place. Isn't that the best site? Have a lovely Thursday!!!! Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather :) :) :)
Dear LV, what a wonderful post. We lived with our grandparents in town who had running water and electricity our other grandparents lived in the country and did not have those things. I loved taking a bath on Saturday night in a big tub behind the kitchen stove. I had forgotten about using the bluing, but I remember it well. Do you remember playing Statue? You swing someone around and when you let them go they have to stay that way til you say they can move. We would stay outside in the summer til we got called home. Blessings
QMM
Your painting is fabulous, and though I'm still young, I remembered having fun finding our own ways to entertain ourselves too..
I was born in the country but moved when I was 4. We had plenty of visits to Grandma though and she did a lot of what you discribed. I have a vivid memory of my Aunt Emily ringing a chicken's neck and cooking it for dinner. I agree city kids miss a lot.
Your post was fun to read. My folks also raised chickens and I can never forget the smell of singed feathers. My little sister was the best chicken plucker! We also had rabbits, a cow, and a goat. Our doors were always unlocked. We played the games you mentioned, as well as cards, jacks, marbles, hide and go seek, and many others. At night we had to come inside when the streetlights went on.
This has been my favorite post. I forget how easy we have it. I always enjoyed having people telling stories of how things were. Sometimes good sometimes bad but, so simple! Thanks for sharing!
Hi LV!
Oh! I love your post, thank you for sharing all of this with us. I'm in my fifties and grew up in Los Angeles, so my childhood was a bit different (as mine must seem to my nieces). I have heard my husband use the words "doodle bug" many times but I never knew they actually existed, so much fun to hear they are real.
Happy VTT,
Sally
That oil painting is your? You are a great artist.
Part of my life in Borneo was like your, no washing machine, no TV, to telephone, Good to read about yours.
Have a good weekend,
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