Summer memories.

[Bugman]

Since many of you are enduring the winter cold, let's think warm thoughts from childhood. The first house I remember was built by my parents when my father came home from the Pacific in 1946. One of my grandmothers lived with us, in an apartment added after grandfather died. The house had a huge front porch with a glider swing much like the pictured one. I remember sitting on that porch with the family and shucking corn or shelling peas or beans from our garden. In the morning eggs would be collected from the chicken coop, and hens that stopped producing often ended up on the dinner table. Anything from the garden we didn't use right away would be prepared and put in Mason jars for the winter months.

There was a small creek behind the house lined with trees. During the day we would catch pollywogs, keep them in a water filled jar for a few hours, then let them go. At night the Milky Way could be seen in all its glory. We would collect lightning bugs in Mason jars, (with holes punched in the cap for air) or play tag or hide and seek or some other game under the stars.

It was in many ways a simple life, but a very good life as well.

 

[PhilipRJ_UK]

Well, if we're talking summer memories, 2003 stands out for me. Long days spent round at my local park and down in Durham, riding BMX, discovering Green Day and The Misfits for the first time, kicking ass on GTA Vice City and THPS4, and generally messing about and having a good time 😀

 

[Bugman]

Well, if we're talking summer memories, 2003 stands out for me. riding BMX, discovering Green Day and The Misfits for the first time, kicking ass on GTA Vice City and THPS4, 😀

I have no idea what any of these things are, but that's OK. The memories are all that matter. 🙂

 

[PhilipRJ_UK]

Lol, I had a feeling you wouldn't know what I was talking about, but trust me, it was a good time!

 

[Bugman]

Lol, I had a feeling you wouldn't know what I was talking about, but trust me, it was a good time!

You know me well. 🙂 And if you enjoyed those days more power to you.

In 1961 my parents bought a new house in a growing neighborhood. Often on summer evenings our neighbors would bring lawn chairs and congregate on the driveway. Sometimes, my father and I would go to the local ice house, picking up the ingredients for home made ice cream. While ice cream was being made (using an old hand cranked ice cream maker) the kids would run around the yard or street playing some game.

I grew up surrounded by the Great Depression - WW II generation, and many was the night I sat there, captivated by their stories of those years. I suppose that's what first got me intrested in learning about history. The house had a full basement and my mother set up a small print shop there. I was strictly forbidden to touch any of the equipment, but the forbidden fruit is always sweetest. I often managed to sneak down there and play to my hearts content.

 

[paracarl44]

I remember my mother canning food, but it was a great invention of frozen food that I remember most.
Instead of having to wait until May for fresh strawberries, Birds Eye came out with a square can and that allowed you to have strawberry shortcake any time of the year.

 

[Bugman]

but it was a great invention of frozen food that I remember most.
Instead of having to wait until May for fresh strawberries, Birds Eye came out with a square can and that allowed you to have strawberry shortcake any time of the year.

Sure, I remember things like that. Not as good as fresh, but better than nothing. As I've already mentioned, at night the sky was not really affected by outdoor lighting for the most part, and sometimes we could see one of the early Telstar satellites passing overhead. Our manned space program was also in its infancy then, and what had been the stuff of science fiction was unfolding before my young eyes.

 

[voided9]

My family would go on vacations sometimes, not too long but maybe a few weeks. We loved going camping with this other family, we were all very close - my mom and their mom, both of our Dads, the two older boys, plus me and the youngest boy - we were all very good friends. Lots of memories of camping with that family. Me and the youngest boy [Ian] were the same age, always so comfortable with each other, slept together as kids, always staying up too late giggling over nothing. We'd go swimming, roast marshmallows, typical camping stuff. One thing that stands out is that at age 8, I had my first migraine - it felt like I was dying, never knew pain like that before, I spent the entire day lying in bed crying because everything hurt. Ian, instead of playing with our brothers, came in and laid down next to me the entire time. I will always love him dearly for that even though we don't talk much these days!

 

[Bizkit]

Man Bugman, reading your description of summer memories really sparks my imagination to try and visualize that way of life. It's always seemed to me that the country lifestyle would put you more at one and in sync with nature, which sounds very desirable, especially now. Growing up around here, what stands out to me is hanging out in the park or walking the city blocks amid the cool summer air.

This seems like a different lifetime now, but I was probably around thirteen at the time, that era, we had a spot that lead into the park which was behind a church and was highlighted by like three or four large boulders. That hang out spot was amazing and everyone always gathered there, especially at night. That location was also great because the boulders acted as a barrier for vehicles to enter the park and there were many convenient escape routes in case the cops rolled up and we had to hightail it the fk out of there...LOL...The good ol' days.

With summer now approaching, let's hope we all make some unforgettable memories. 🙂

 

[Laugh]

1975. One word: Jaws

 

[paracarl44]

I remember visiting my aunt who cooked a big dinner for us all. Before dinner was served we made up a batch of home made ice cream and it was the first time that I had ever cranked it.

 

[Bugman]

My family would go on vacations sometimes, not too long but maybe a few weeks. We loved going camping with this other family, we were all very close - my mom and their mom, both of our Dads, the two older boys, plus me and the youngest boy - we were all very good friends. Lots of memories of camping with that family. Me and the youngest boy [Ian] were the same age, always so comfortable with each other, slept together as kids, always staying up too late giggling over nothing. We'd go swimming, roast marshmallows, typical camping stuff. One thing that stands out is that at age 8, I had my first migraine - it felt like I was dying, never knew pain like that before, I spent the entire day lying in bed crying because everything hurt. Ian, instead of playing with our brothers, came in and laid down next to me the entire time. I will always love him dearly for that even though we don't talk much these days!

Ah yes, the family camping trip. Every summer we went on one long trip, to Colorado, (usually near Estes Park) Table Rock Lake which is in both Missouri and Arkansas, or somewhere on Lake of The Ozarks in Missouri. We always enjoyed the Ozarks, but that was not always returned. I remember, on more than a few occasions, breaking camp late at night, loading up the old Ford Station Wagon and heading home because it was so hot and humid we could not sleep. I could go on and on about our camping trips but I'll leave it at this for now.

Sorry about your migraines, but Ian sounds like a great guy.

 

[Bugman]

Man Bugman, reading your description of summer memories really sparks my imagination to try and visualize that way of life. It's always seemed to me that the country lifestyle would put you more at one and in sync with nature, which sounds very desirable, especially now. Growing up around here, what stands out to me is hanging out in the park or walking the city blocks amid the cool summer air.

This seems like a different lifetime now, but I was probably around thirteen at the time, that era, we had a spot that lead into the park which was behind a church and was highlighted by like three or four large boulders. That hang out spot was amazing and everyone always gathered there, especially at night. That location was also great because the boulders acted as a barrier for vehicles to enter the park and there were many convenient escape routes in case the cops rolled up and we had to hightail it the fk out of there...LOL...The good ol' days.

With summer now approaching, let's hope we all make some unforgettable memories. 🙂

I'll get back to you tomorrow on this, nice post. 🙂

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

This:

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Drew

 

[Bugman]

Man Bugman, reading your description of summer memories really sparks my imagination to try and visualize that way of life. It's always seemed to me that the country lifestyle would put you more at one and in sync with nature, which sounds very desirable, especially now. Growing up around here, what stands out to me is hanging out in the park or walking the city blocks amid the cool summer air.

I actually grew up in what was then a small Kansas town, but most of the county was rural in those days. Some things you might get a kick out of: We had a milkman who came by twice a week. Yep, milk, eggs, (which we didn't need) butter and cheese, delivered to your door. For a brief time when I was in third grade we lived on a farm north of town, and I attended a one room school, just like you've seen on TV or in films. A few of the kids rode horses or mules to school. The teachers were two old spinsters who ruled with an iron fist. After the Pledge of Allegiance, random students were called on to recite a Bible verse. If you didn't have one ready, a few licks with a wooden paddle were forthcoming. Picture that happening in a public school; today, it would be unthinkable.

With summer now approaching, let's hope we all make some unforgettable memories. 🙂

Indeed. 🙂

 

[Bizkit]

I actually grew up in what was then a small Kansas town, but most of the county was rural in those days. Some things you might get a kick out of: We had a milkman who came by twice a week. Yep, milk, eggs, (which we didn't need) butter and cheese, delivered to your door. For a brief time when I was in third grade we lived on a farm north of town, and I attended a one room school, just like you've seen on TV or in films. A few of the kids rode horses or mules to school. The teachers were two old spinsters who ruled with an iron fist. After the Pledge of Allegiance, random students were called on to recite a Bible verse. If you didn't have one ready, a few licks with a wooden paddle were forthcoming. Picture that happening in a public school; today, it would be unthinkable.

Are you messing with me?...LOL 😛....That's pretty crazy. That really highlights the passage of time and how things evolve, for better or for worse. To think that it was a common thing for some kids to ride a mule to school.

 

[kopfhorer]

... discovering Green Day and The Misfits for the first time...

I discovered the Misfits in the fall of '77 ("We are one-thirty eight...").

As for summer, my siblings, cousins and I loved star gazing at my grandparents' farm. None of the light pollution from nearby cities. Our view of the cosmos on a clear night was fantastic. I had a reflecting telescope which we all took turns using.

Bugman: I think we had dairy delivery right up until the early seventies.