Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Wistful Wednesday : 1955


This photograph was taken in 1955, My Mom and my brother and me! My Father took this photograph, I know this because I have another one just like it with him in it that my Mother took. My brother was about 18 months old, I was 4. We are on the front step of the house on the farm where I grew up.

Yes, my brother is wearing a scarf! He was very prone to ear infections and would not keep a cap with ear flappers on, so Mom would tie a scarf on his head to keep the wind out of his ears. Keeping the wind out of your ears stopped all earaches, or so we thought. He was a pretty cute little kid..even with a scarf on his head. I have no idea why he is wearing a skirt, maybe I dressed him myself..just like one big doll.

My Mother's hair is all pinned up in pin curls. Sometimes they were called "spit curls." ( You can take that however you like.) Real spit..or maybe just a little bit of water on dry hair. You got pin curls at night or all day on Saturday so you looked good for church on Sunday morning. Your hair would be damp and you had to sit still and get your hair wound up into little circles that were attached to your head by two bobby pins that formed an X to lock the curl in place until it was dry. Then you put on a head scarf to cover up all the pin curls. All the ladies from the country would go to town on Saturday morning with their scarfs on. I guess I didn't realise it back then..but most of them were going out on a Saturday night..hence the curls! :)

If anyone else would like to join in on Wistful Wednesday with their old photos please do! Stop by and leave me a comment and I will be sure to stop by and see your old photo too!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh - you were so sweet all of you. And so blonde! You look like a lot of Swedish kids do.

I love your brother's dress! perhaps he wanted to have it on himself... my son is five and is only now growing out of wanting to wear skirts and dresses!

Unknown said...

I could not help but laugh! My mom tied a scarf around my brothers head once, he forgot to wear a hat and she was not going to let him catch a cold!
Then the bobbie pin curls! OMG! My mom wore those too! Did your mom clean your ears with those bobbie pins? Mom did, and it felt good to have my ears scratched. Thanks for the memories.

Linda said...

I like your digital scrapbooking picture. I remember Mom trying to give me spit curls, I hated it!

DayPhoto said...

You and I are of an age...I have memories of most of the same stuff as you. I also had to wear pincurls, just like Momma's. They were easier to sleep on than those HUGE curlers we moved to in the 60's

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Far Side of Fifty said...

Milah, I had forgotten all about using the bobby pins for ear cleaners..but yes she did.
Lady Fi, We were all very blonde except for my sister, she has brown hair and eyes. Little/Finnish/ German/Norweigan kids!
Linda! It is a program called Memory Mixer, I am finally getting the hang of it.
Linda, Pincurls are much better than those big honking pokey rollers..I hated sleeping on them too. :)

Julia said...

You are so blonde...your little brother looks cute skirt, scarf and all!
Pin curls, bobby pins to clean your ears, I remember these things from my childhood too.
Thanks for the memories.

alphawoman said...

Maybe he's wearing an apron?? You all are so cute! My Mom to this day puts her hair upin bobby pins. She always gave me those chemical Toni perms b/c my hair is so straight! I'm going to post an old photo in a few moments.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Julia, Mums in Australia used bobby pins as ear cleaners too!
Alpha, Yes it could be an apron.. I remember those home perms too..stink to high heaven for days. The different color rollers and those papers..what memories. :)

Jewel said...

I really need to start scaning old pictures into my computer, it would make them easier to share. and In case of fire they would be saved.
My mom used to use bobby pins to curl my sister and my hair, she would wrap our wet hair around her finger and stick the pins in to hold the curl until the hair dried. Oh and the bobby pins were used to clean ears also.

DayPhoto said...

You headers are really great! Keep up the good work! I love seeing just what you have done today.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

I remember those spit curls and being done up for Sunday School and Church. Shining up those patent leather shoes too.
Love the picture. I bet you may had a hand in dressing your little brother. Sounds like something I would have done. Mama always like to tell about when she left my baby brother in the bassinet and came back, I had filled his mouth with a peanut butter and jelly biscuit. I was 2.
I really like your header too.
Have a great day.
Pam

The Silver Age Sara said...

I loved the old photos. It reminded me of a time gone by when life was really sweet and seemed so much simpler.
I look forward to Wistful Wednesdays.