Thursday, March 5, 2009

A walk Down Memory Lane

This week has brought back memories from my past. Have you seen or used one of these, it is a butter mold. I come from a family of seven children, We were raised with growing our own food and having live stock even though we did not live on a farm. We always had a milk Cow, Have you ever tried to Milk a cow? I never could get any milk when I tried, My sister could. Neither did I like fresh milk and still don't, nor fresh butter, I prefer margarine, I wasn't to fond of the cow either as Sheila, my sister and I were responsible for having her to the barn two time a day to be milked. Had to go to the mountains with the dog and bring her in. Every morning and every evening,

My MOM did most of the milking, She would make buttermilk and churn butter, Sitting for hours pushing the dasher up and down in the churn to make butter was a real choir. Now, I look back to it as good times, Mom would put the butter in this butter mold along with others. When it harden you would push the plunger to get it out and it had the design in the top of the butter. This has been used in our home many many times, She would sell fresh butter and milk to neighbors, I did like the home made cottage cheese Mom would make, She would put it in a cloth and hang on the clothes line outside to drain. If you are not a country girl then you probably don't know what I am talking about, Yes we had a clothes line in the yard where we hung clothes to dry. No automatic washer or dryer. Washer was the old wringer style and the washing was done once a week.

I have so many wonderful memories of my childhood. Of course then I thought it was hard but now I know just how wonderful it was, We who were raised this way and in the country will always be able to survive no matter how bad this Economy gets.


My Dad was in the trucking business and ran a salvage yard for automobiles, This is a picture of his first Truck in the 40"s. He hauled hay from Ohio in the winter to sell and hauled watermelons from the south in the summer, My son took this old black and white photo and using the computer he colored it, so you can see both versions.





I guess the family memories have been strong these last few days as we are having a family affair this weekend, One of my older brothers, David and his wife Connie are renewing their wedding ceremony this Sunday at our Church. Hopefully all my brothers and sisters will be there.
I hope you have wonderful memories of your childhood and will share then with us.
Hugs
Judy


4 comments:

rustycupboard said...

I just sold one at my store. A lot of people didn't know what it even was.

Shirley said...

You really did bring back memories. I am one of ten and we did live on the farm. I do know how to milk a cow. I always left the ones that kick to my brother to milk. We raised chickens, hogs, cows. Do you remember the wash board? I remember when we got out first refrigerator. We really had a lot of fun. Thank you for the memories.

Simply Debbie said...

DEAR JUDY,
I JUST DROPPED BY FOR PINK SATURDAY AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THE MOST HEART WARMING STORY...I LOVED READING EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
I HAD NEVER SEEN A BUTTER MOLD AND I AM 53 YEARS OLD.
MY GRANDFATHER WAS A HAY TRUCK DRIVER AS WELL AS CUTTING WHEAT AND TRANSPORTING IT...THAT WAS WHEN THERE WERE NOT AIR CONDITIONERS AND THE WORK WAS HOT AND GRANDMOTHER FIXED THEIR MEALS......FRIED CHICKEN, MASHED POTATOES, CORN ON THE COB...TOMATOES...TEA IN A JAR......THEIR HANDS ATE THE BEST MEALS AROUND.
THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR MEMORIES
debbie

Myra said...

Yep, Judy, I too grew up on a farm, and I too loved the cottage cheese my mom made. So much better than what we get at the store today. Your comments certainly did bring back a lot of memories to me as well. I never liked hanging out the wash, but in later years I realized how much I missed that wonderful smell of sheets hung in he sunshine to dry. I don't care what kind of softener, detergent you use, nothing will replicate that scent. I thought we had it bad too, but we always had plenty to eat, enough clothing, and money to go skating or to the movies, plus giving our tithe to the church. My parents were real sticklers about that! I guess that's why I'm such a believer in tithing today. Thanks for the memories! Myra