Today I'm happy to share my morning with Terri (and friends). Have you any olden black and white images, just bustin' to tell their stories? Don't wait … come on along!
Things I Forgot to Ask my Mother.
…. Like, did she ever grow wistful while listening to the Soliloquy in Rogers and Hammerstein's Carousel? "My little girl, pink and white as peaches and cream …"
(Insert audio clip: needle scratching a record.)
In spite of my mother's efforts to dress me in pretty clothes and shower me with baby dolls, I preferred barnyards and boxer jeans.
Funny. I still believe mine were the best parents in the whole world …
...but my stomach clenches when I watch the old movies of toddler Myra walking around -- underneath and in back of grandpa's cows. (Involuntarily or not, one swift kick …)
Tom and I watched the grainy film in amazement while the cattle ran in the opposite direction! LOL.
Life in Los Alamos' outdoors was a kid's dream come true! Blessed with a fertile imagination, my playmates and I spent most of our daylight hours outside -- fighting injuns, bears and guarding against enemies, both foreign and domestic.
Cowgirl on roller skates
I LOVED my Davy Crockett outfit!
Wearing my daddy's (security) uniform. And yes, I suppose that was his gun. I don't recall me and my friends having any fascination with our fathers' weapons. Things were far different then!
* * *
It's not rocket science, but I thought the following (excerpted from another blog) is spot-on:
"When looking at family photos, always pay attention to the background. There are so many memories hiding out in the space around the people being photographed."
Sure enough! Not until this morning did I notice my mother's favorite plant stand hiding in plain sight!
* * *
Tom and I are off to the V.A. in a little bit to have his hearing examined (again).
Cross fingers … stay safe!
Hugs,
Myra
Myra
I am having a slight fit of jealousy, pigs, cows, donkeys, oh my! I wanted all that and did not have it. My brother had the same Davy Crocket suit, he wore a coonskin hat for many years. i was not a girly girl, but not a tom boy either. mostly i played with Tarzan and Bomba and Cowboys and Indians in my books. i don't have access to my black and white past, they are in my grandmothers hope chest 400 miles away. when mama died i let my niece take the family treasures since i had no need for them. now i would like a few of them. i am loving your memories, keep them coming
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandra! I wonder if your niece might make copies for you? She won't require a scanner … I just use the camera on my phone.
DeleteThank you Mevely for this trip down memory lane shared with us. It must have been great fun being raised on a farm. We were always raised in towns.
ReplyDeleteYour comment "encore" on my Blog has also sent me down memory lane. Link on my Blog.
God bless.
Ah, I should have been more specific. I was raised in a 'government town' in northern New Mexico and only visited my grandparent's farm in Minnesota while on vacation.
DeleteHeading to your blog when we return!
Hope the appointment goes well! Such cute pictures, Myra! Glad your mom went with the flow and allowed you to wear what you wanted to wear!
ReplyDeletebetty
Yes it did ...thanks, Betty! I was a pretty 'willful' child; she probably figured it wasn't worth the hassle. LOL.
DeleteAw, what a great childhood you had. I know there are some things we do better now for safety's sake, but today's kids miss out on so much and they're not allowed to do so much that we survived and learned common sense from doing.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Stacy. These days, I'm guilty of being a 'helicopter parent' to my dogs … never mind a poor child!
DeleteWonderful photos! It's obvious that you had a great childhood in an ideal setting. I envy that.
ReplyDeleteMost of my childhood memories involve my father screaming at me - warning me not to get dirty, supervising every move I made, belittling me, and generally extracting the fun out of everything I attempted to do.
Do I sound slightly bitter? Well, hell, I am.
I always look at all the details and background things in old photos. It's fascinating.
Hope all goes well for Tom at the V.A.
The security uniform photo with the gun and flashlight is funny!
DeleteIf that photo was taken nowadays, the gun would be confiscated and your parents would be arrested for child endangerment.
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DeleteAn 'ideal setting'? Funny, as we grew older, most kids couldn't wait to escape the Hill's cloistered environment. Nowadays, it's cute how many have returned … or want to.
DeleteSo many great memories!! So you were a tomboy too!! Thanks for linking up and sharing your memories, Myra! I really enjoyed your post!
ReplyDelete...and I really appreciate you starting this fun get together!
Deletewhat lovely memories. love your outfits.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteI loved your pics of you in your different outfits. I was a tomboy, too, but I did a lot of my rough playing wearing a dress. Funny how things have changed. We played with the neighbor boys all the time and loved their cap pistols. My brother also had a Davy Crockett outfit and hat.
ReplyDeleteCap pistols … yes! I used to love the 'aroma' of burnt caps.
DeleteWhat wonderful photos, Myra! I, too, never liked to dress like a girly-girl, but was such a tom-boy. Wish I had photos here at the house to share with you all, but will have to peruse at my mom's house next time I'm down there.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Oh, I hope you will!
DeleteLike you I have many great memories of times spend at my grandparents farm, but unlike you I don't have many pictures of my childhood at all. I did inherent a batch of black and white pictures from my mom though and most of those were of people she spent time with, family and friends not much of my childhood. I'm going to have to sort through them again to see what I can come up with to share. I love your black and white memories. Good luck with your trip to the VA. and have a happy Thursday !
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pam! I look forward to seeing your own black-and-white memories sometime.
DeleteAS ALWAYS love it and seeing more of your childhood at LA. And YES things were so different. My boys in their DAvy Crockett outfits are some of our best memories.
ReplyDeleteBackgrounds in old pics. I cannot help but look for the automobiles. LOL
The best to Tom at the VA.
Davy was sure a popular icon, wasn't he? King of the wild frontier! :) Thanks for your well wishes … it's all good.
DeleteI am loving these memories!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, I love all the black and white photos. They have been and always will be my favorite form of photography. Times are so different or parents have become soft in the head. Today's world offers too many choices for young children and parents are scared to death to parent! Anyway this was so much fun! As for backgrounds in photos I must dig up the photo of my sister and I standing in what appears to be the aftermath of a lightening strike or electric meltdown! Anyway we survived! That is what is important. We are still alive to talk about it! IN another photo I see my grandmothers clothesline behind her and my older sis Pat as a tiny toddler wandering the chicken coop. Goodness these memories made me so happy! Thank you for sharing. HUGS
ReplyDelete