Saturday, June 11, 2011

Summer Time - Trip Down Memory Lane

The last of my Mother's Day flowers - picture taken 5/20. They are long gone now - but a beautiful memory. Gotta have a picture for each post ya know!
The schools are out for the Summer in my area now, and the children are planning their Summer activities. Summers now days are so different from when I was growing up (I know - many years ago).

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Next to my parents house, there was a wooded area and on the other side of that red clay hills and a cow pasture. That is where my siblings, myself, and neighborhood children played every Summer for many years. We built forts, playhouses, climbed trees, swung from vines and took many chances that we as parents and grandparents now caution our children/grandchildren about. No one worried about us back then as we played in the woods barefooted, and slid down red clay hills on cardboard boxes. Not taken to the doctor for stitches when my brother ran from a bull, slid under a barbwire fence and cut back of ear, or when I cut side of foot (still have the scar) on a shovel. Not to mention the time I fell out of the tree (on my head no less - OK! You can stop laughing now), and my Sister asked me what I had for lunch to determine if I was OK !!! WOW!!! What a way to do a medical diagnosis !!!!
What did I have for lunch that day ?!?!

I remember !!!!!! - A bologna sandwich! Fried baloney (not sure mine was fried that day) on white bread and yellow mustard - a lunch time staple. We usually had what was called rag bologna, as the casing was made from some type of cloth with a wax/paraffin coating on it, and tasted so much better than the presliced/packaged stuff. The butcher sliced it fresh for you and the thickness you wanted. I have not eaten bologna in so many years, I don't remember the last time, and don't know if you can still buy that kind or not.

What was our snacks between meals? More often than not - leftover cold biscuits from breakfast and made a sandwich of left over bacon (on a good day), thin sliced onion and mustard. That was everyday fare for me, but I had a neighborhood friend that loved biscuit snacks at my house. I suspect my arteries were clogged before I started school.

My friend's older brother played trumpet and I remember during the Spring and Summer months when windows were open, he would practice late afternoon and early evening hours, and the neighborhood enjoyed his talent.

When blackberries came into season, we were told to put on long sleeve shirts (to keep chiggers off) and pick blackberries on the fence line - which meant blackberry cobbler and if got enough - some jam. Do you want to know what happened one year when I decided to get a sun tan and wore a halter top instead of protecting against chiggers while picking!!!! Oh ! OK !! I did not think so.

No one seemed to worry about us, and our tummies told us when to go home for lunch or dinner time, and we knew one thing for sure "You better be home before dark".

Just a trip down memory lane - How times have changed !
Glenda

ETA: Just did a little google work - It seems that kind of bologna is still made. I some how have the feeling it doesn't taste like it did back in the day.

8 comments:

Teresa@1800 Farmhouse Rd said...

Oh yes mam things have changed! Of coarse my child hood was 100 years ago, lol. These days, you don't let a child in their own front yard alone to play. Back then, we stayed out until dark. All of the neighborhood children were together, riding bikes, or "climbing the big hill" arcoss from our house as we called it. Oh, those were the good ole days for sure, when it was safe. I can actually remember sleeping with the windows open at night, something I would not do this day and time!

Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said...

Thank you Glenda for this trip down memory lane. I do remember those long summer days, we were always outside. Sometimes we'd entertain ourselves all day with a box of chalk by drawing out floor plans of our imaginary homes all over the street, hopscotch, roller skates, playing cards pinned to the spokes of our bikes.
I also remember making forts in the trees, playing in the creek (with poison oak to prove it). We sure had imaginations back then!!

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

You are so right Glenda. Things have changed so much! We didn't need to go out and buy something to play with. We hid in corn fields; climbed trees (and yes,fell out of trees - hopefully not on our heads. LOL); we made up plays and performed for adults in the neighborhood and rode our bikes behind the truck that was spraying for mosquitoes (that had to be dangerous, but we all did it!) You brought back some wonderful memories. Thanks! laurie

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

Absolutely nothing tastes like it used to. Especially peaches, I've noticed.
I Loooooove the awesome necklace you made below. The perfect solution to a hot day, I'd say. : )
Mary Lou

Unknown said...

So true! I still eat bologna .... but it doesn't taste as good as it used to. Its is soooo much better for you now. YA Right! :)

Your flowers are lovely! :)

~Liz

no spring chicken said...

I loved your trip down memory lane...

I'm afraid that my bologna memories are probably to good to mess up by trying it again too!

Blessings, Debbie

Sue said...

My summers weren't much different than yours. We had a wooded park in the circle of houses where I lived. We could crawl under and inside the huge pine trees for our "fort" and spend the day on blankets with a picnic. We rode our bikes, picked cherries and as you did...came home when it was dark. We also had fried bologna sandwiches at our house...with cheese, no mustard. You should treat yourself to one...I've done it and they are still good!

Domestic Designer said...

Great Post. Thanks for taking us with you down memory lane! Have a great week.
DD