Friday, April 23, 2010

simple times

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As I was going through some of our photos tonight, I came upon this one. It made me stop and think about life – life now and life years ago. These little children – these cute little barefoot kids – grew up in a very modest home. Times were always hard. Two of their homes had honest-to-goodness dirt floors. They did not have a lot. For play time, they made their own toys from found objects. For art, they drew in the dirt. Shoes and clothing were hand-me-downs. They made the best with what they had. There was always a hot meal on the table, even if it was only corn bread in warm milk.

My mom shares stories of her life as a kid. One of the stories that I love is of my grandfather playing his fiddle on the front porch. If grandpa wasn’t fiddlin’, he was strummin’ his guitar or playing a mean harmonica. Now grandpa wasn’t the only musically gifted person, grandma could play a mean harmonica as well. Now you get the two of them together, and it was a knee slappin’ good ol’ time!!

Even though they did not have a lot, the one thing that they always had was love for each other. They were family. They were inseparable. They did not yearn for what others had, as most of those they knew lived simple lives as well. At the end of the day, no matter what, they had each other. Family. Absolute Love. Together. Glue.

This photo is my family. My roots. My foundation. My inspiration. My blessings.

Left to right: My late aunt Sondra, my dear sweet hair-in-braids momma and my uncle Butch. My very favorite photo of my sweet family.

51 comments:

Jeanette said...

My grandma grew up in a home with a dirt floor, two bedrooms, and 11 kids. I think she had an amazing childhood and she doesn't resent anything.

I think kids today could learn a lot about life from listening to the stories of their elders.

My kids think life is hard if someone has a cooler skateboard than they do.

They have no idea!

And I think that has so much to do with the attitudes of the next generation. Frankly, it scares me a little!

The Strawberry Mallard said...

Oh TY angel for helping everyone remember that life could be like that again...if we try...

(and bring back the B&W tv with the rabbit ears :o)

I love the photo....I may dig mine out tomorow (yet again!)
Love ya!!!!!!

Simple Home said...

Your mother grew up just like mine did, dirt floors and a fiddle playing daddy! I love the stories of her life though, and at 84 she can still share them. My dad is quieter, but he has his share of these kind of stories too. We love hearing all of them.
Blessings,
Marcia

becky up the hill said...

Becky this is a sweet picture and a lovely tribute to your family. Blessings my friend.

Pondside said...

Your gift in all this - aside from the precious family - is your appreciation of your heritage.
Lovely post.

Sandy, Sisters of Season said...

What a great memorie of your family. Out of all the gifts God give us, the greatest of these gifts is "Love" . . There has been times when my kids were little and it was tough times for my Husband and I, but we were always all together, making each other laugh, watching movies at home all together, having poor man dinners, potatoes and eggs and my kids (grown up now) tell me those were the best memories and now that I look back, they were. Simple times are really the best times . . Have a nice weekend!

fiberdoodles said...

What a sweet, sweet picture and a very heartfelt post! There is a lot to be learned from the good ole days.

marie said...

Wonderful post! I wish more families today focused on the glue...

Sweet, sweet photo!

Jenny Holiday & Aaron said...

Ohhh what a super sweet photo! And lovely post!! Thanks for sharing!!

xoxo Jenny

Anonymous said...

I'll bet there was a whole lot of love in that dirt floored cottage because they sure look happy.

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal

Unknown said...

Sittin' out on the stoop! Snapping green beans, shucking corn or cranking ice cream. There was always something that needed done. I have similar stories from my mom. I'll have to share some. :) So fun!

~Liz

Julie said...

Such a NEAT post. I concur!
Lives lived simply are lives lived well and with gratitude. Contentment is being satisfied with what we have...
I'm convinced it is the greatest giver of Joy and happiness. :-) I just got a porch swing because I have memories of one on my grandmother's porch and I long for that sentimental vision of simply sitting and swinging here at my house....Loved the picture Becky. Loved visiting here. Hugs to you for a great Saturday. Thanks for a sweet reminder.

Beautifully Veiled said...

They look like happy kids to me! My husband loves being in the bush in Africa. He says he has never met anyone on anti-depressants. Maybe because they don't have tv to see what others have that they don't have? It is amazing what we have come to think is necessary...Your post says a lot. The dirt floors sure didn't hurt them....
Blessings!
Linda

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I thought she was holding a doll at first! Such a sweet photo and good memories. Sitting on the front steps...good times! ♥

Denise said...

Oh my...... so much like the stories my grandmother used to tell.. I tell you as a child growing up around her and in her modest home was wonderful. Outside playing and climbing trees.. Life was so simple then.......... I would go back there in a heart beat....... How did we get so off track!

Thanks for the sweet comment on my blog.. I do not have anyone here to talk to except my precious DH and it is good to be able to talk to you gals....... You may be miles away but you are my friend..

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

It's funny that today, everyone thinks they are facing hard times because they might not have the extra money for a fancy restaurant meal, or a vacation to Disney World.

We definatley take our comfortable life for granted...

I loved this post and that picture of your family.
xo
Penny

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

Becky,

What a sweet photo. And it bring back so many memories of times gone by. Those houses in our neighborhood with the dirt floors were always the most welcoming. When I pass by them now, I always think of how it was "back then". I only hope and pray that I still retain some of their values and that I passed them down to my own children. It was a generation when no one felt "entitled".

Have a fantastic weekend.
Lynn

Debby said...

What a wonderful picture.
Times are so different now, aren't they. Sometimes it really bothers me to see how wasteful our generation is. Perfectly good buildings torn down, so many foreclosures, people living on the streets, children getting their only meals at school, and on and on. We could all do with a little less and help those that have nothing. Anyway, a really thought provoking post. I do see simpler times ahead, people are learning, I think and I HOPE.

Anonymous said...

Oh Becky my husband and I talk all the time about how simple life used to be! Now it's just a big cluster!

xo
LeAnn

Sandy said...

What an adorable photo of your family. It wasn't an materialistic world back then. We didn't have much but nobody did. We had our family and we were happy. Hubby and I have always lived within our means because we grew up after WWII. I don't know where things started going crazy. But having a government that just spends, spends and spends...forces their agenda down our throats...and is in debt to foreign countries is disgusting and I fear for our country's future for the first time in my life.

Connie said...

That picture speaks volumes. Thanks for sharing.

Claudia said...

What a wonderful family photo. Children in those days - even when I was a kid - used their imaginations and created a whole world of play.

They appreciated their blessings.

xo
Claudia

Vee said...

You enjoy an amazing heritage! Loved reading about it, Becky, and I can so easily see why you treasure this photo.

English Cottage in Georgia said...

I love vintage photos and the times which are reflected. Even my own childhood was so much simpler than that of my children. We made our own skateboards from outgrown skates and floated boats made with scrap wood, nails and string.
We played Red Rover, 3 Flies In, and had kid organized track meets. No way would we be watching TV during the day - yuck soap operas.

Pansy Cottage Girl said...

Bring on the kleenex! oh sooo sweet. I just love it. And look at who you became because of them. What a blessing.

Rochelle said...

Oh Becky....it is wonderful to have old photos of our families to look back on, isn't it? I love the stories they tell, the simplicity they show, and the pure innocence of a child's face in these gems.
Oh to live in a simpler time when we didn't "want" for more because there was no "more" to get. When just sitting around visiting was enough.....sad to say those times are so far away....
Thank you for sharing a bit of your past!
xoxo
Rochelle

Joy said...

Family photos always say so much...simple times are sweet times to be sure. P&L Joy

cathleen said...

I love old photos, especially when they are family. Their faces and the clothing they wore then are so fascinating to me.Very sweet, Becki.

Elyse said...

hi becky,

what an awesome photo. i love the look of it but it tells such a happy story of what's important, just like your eloquent post. very sweet.

xo
elyse

Molly the Airedale said...

What a special photo with wonderful memories!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Connie said...

Funny, but we used to call my brother Butch, honey. That photo could almost be me and my sister and brother. Hah
xoxo,
Connie

clairz said...

This is a beautiful post and a wonderful reminder of simpler times. I wish my grandchildren could have the kind of childhood that I had. My own kids, at least, had a kind of "Tom Sawyer" life when they were young--great adventures in the woods that they remember with fondness.

Amy said...

Loved this post Becky. Getting back to basics is key! You know I remember when my husband and I first got married we struggled and worked hard but those days are fondly remembered. I wouldn't trade them for the world. We didn't have dirt floors but we made a very modest house a home.

Anita said...

Your words are beautiful and captures the memory of your photo perfectly. It seems that your family had a lot of love, and that's what matters the most.
Thank you for sharing.
Blessings,
Anita

trish said...

What a beautiful post and lovely picture!

*I am hosting a give a way tomorrow.*

Please drop by.
It will be fun! :o)
Sincerely ~ Tricia

Tins and Treasures said...

I love looking through my mom's old photos too...hearing the stories about how they got by with so little.

Thank you for sharing this sweet picture...and wonderful reminder about the importance of family.

Happy Spring ~Natalie

Maryjane-The Beehive Cottage said...

Oh Becky what a precious post! I love the picture. Sweet days of old, yes the simple times. Makes me miss my momma. Nothing like family...

Love,
Maryjane
xox

P.S. Your post always pull at my heart~strings, which is a good thing! Stirs the soul!

P.S. Love your summer blouses!

P.S.S. The banner I bought from you looks so cute in my vintage trailer!

~Lesa~ said...

What a lovely post. Cannot wait to "explore" your blog further.

Kathleen Grace said...

I grew up with very little and I thought everyone lived that way. We played outside and rode our second hand bikes and played dress up. It would have never occcurred to me to think I needed the latest of everything. It just wasn't an option. I spent long hours in the garden weeding and hot hours in the kitchen canning it with my mom and grandmother. It gave me a great work ethic and made me a strong person who has been able to handle adversity in many situations. Being poor isn't an excuse for crime. It isn't an excuse for poor moral character. It isn't an excuse for drug use or becoming a pusher. I was poor and I was none of those things. Maybe the adversity wwe are seeing now in the U.S. will help shape us all into stronger people.

Mimi Sue said...

You're so right. A simpler, sweeter time. Maybe we've lost something along the way. Mimi

linda said...

Such a sweet photo...sometimes I yearn for those simpler times. Our society has gotten away from the values that made our country great, but I see many people wanting those times back.

Love your site!

Elizabeth and Gary said...

Hi Becky,
I love the old family photo's so much! I was going through mine too over the weekend, while packing and was side tracked for a while. You look like you were a blondie and I love your braids! My Mom always had my hair very short,I always wanted braids.
Yes in deed "Love is all we need" is so true and remember hardly never watching tv, as kids we would stay out side and play until Mom called us in for dinner. Good times for sure.
Have a great day, Love ya, Elizabeth

Dena said...

Becky,

This is the sweetest photo! What a wonderful reminder of what is truly important. :)

Hugs,
Dena

Anonymous said...

Very cool picture and story, Becky! My mother loves to tell the stories of her life on an Iowa farm during the depression. They went to school in a one room school house. They didn't have much but they had each other. They are wonderful memories for her.

We sure are spoiled and our kids are even more spoiled.

Debbi

Elsie said...

They were always happy no matter what. Back then seems like everyone got along just fine with
no money and not much food. My Daddy grew up on a farm and had to
quit school in the 7th grade to help on the farm. My Mom's dad was
educated and taught school so she
grew up in nice houses and had a
better life. I have a sling shot
that Daddy made when he was a small boy. Daddy was born in 1914.
I don't have any pictures of him as
a child. I love your family picture. I have several of my mom
with her friends. My sister looks
just like her in her childhood pictures. It's hard to tell them apart. I also have mom's autograph
book from school and she talks about the T-model car they went so
fast in and her friend got her bloomers caught on the seat. It is
so entertaining to read her old books. It gives you an insight of
what she did as a kid. Mom was born in 1913. Both are gone now and
I love to look at the old pictures and read her schools books and papers. :O)

Carrie @ Cottage Cozy said...

~and family is all that really matters~ Beautiful Photo!

addie373 said...

Becky,

What a precious picture. I too have a old photo of my Dad as a little boy with several of his younger brothers and sisters all of them sitting on a step, and my dad holding a baby sister. I love that picture. But it makes me a little sad, he looked as though the wait of the world was on his young shoulders. He grew up without material wealth also. It was a hard life. We have so much to be thankful for today. So much we take for granted.
Thanks for sharing!

Blessings
Sheila

"Create Beauty" said...

What precious memories! Oh your momma in braids, isn't she just so cute? How important to pass down the stories from those who went before.

And I so enjoy your photos and stories that go along with the adventures of your ADORABLE dogs!!!
They are delightful : )

~Violet

chasity said...

it must be the season for reminiscing...

that was a beautiful story becky.

hugs to you~~
chas

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

A dear photograph indeed.. and though times might have been hard.. values and ties were strong!

Less is more.. though we don't always realise it.

Much love
Michele xx

Esther Sunday said...

Precious indeed, dear Becky!