I was two years old in 1953. I was still an only child. Spoiled. The center of attention. It was my last year of being an only child.
I used to go along to the barn. I liked being in the barn. I had to go along to do chores. If both of my parents were in the barn..then that is where I was. Dad made a pen for me to play in, it was made out of straw bales...I loved the kittens..the Banty roosters and hens not so much.
In the winter when it is cold outside it is cozy and warm and aromatic in the barn…wet straw with a slight ammonia smell..fresh cow pies plopping into the gutter…steaming…very odiferous. The smell of silage thawing out.. a little fermented.
The nails in the walls of the barn covered in frost. The hay dust gleaming in the sunlight as the hay is thrown down from the hay mow. The cobwebs hanging in the windows.
The sounds..the cattle munching their ration of grain, shuffling their feet..mooing softly or sometimes not so softly. The swish swish of the milk hitting the bucket..making bubbles on the surface. The sound of milk being poured into the strainer that sat on top of the milk can. The kittens meowing for milk in their dish.
My parents trying to carry milk in buckets while the barn kittens swirled around their legs. Hollering at the Banty’s to leave me alone.
The terror of being pecked by a mean old Banty Rooster that was flapping his wings ninety miles an hour while pecking my legs! Crying..
Walking back to the house.
My boots must have been too large for my little feet. The dogs..I think one was Frosty..and the other was maybe.. Fido? My Maternal Grandparents were always bringing me a dog..cause they knew I liked dogs!
Smiling for the camera:)
Oh, I loved that. A little pen out of straw bales. How inventive. By the way, I was two in '53 and it was my last year as an only child as well. Have a great "extra" day.
ReplyDeleteHey, I was two and it was my last year as an only child, too! Whoohoo! But I was living in Minneapolis and visiting relatives who lived on farms. I could still see and smell and hear and touch what you were describing so well. Happy Leap Day!! :)
ReplyDeleteYou have such a fun blog :-D. Love your pictures and stories and your trunk treasures!
ReplyDeleteI forgot it is Leap Day until I read your comments. Happy Leap Day! This year you will have 366 posts. You certainly evoked what it must have been like to hear and smell the barn when you were little. I thought that one dog looked a little bit like Chance...
ReplyDeleteI was two in 1968 on a hobby farm ,I was raised on the farm till I was in my late teens , my story is very much like yours as is the photo only in colour only I got pecked by a big white goose our bantys were friendly . I miss the animals , cows, horses, sheep, chickens,geese , dogs and cats thats what we had on our hobby farm. Awesome post and photos ! Have a great day !
DeleteHow wonderful to have those memories!
ReplyDeleteYou look like a little angel, I too grew up on a farm with cows, pigs, dogs and several cats..Hard work for my grandparents but I always remember the delish food each day, breakfast, lunch and dinner..Birthdays were reserved for the birthday gal or guy getting to choose the meal, oh, my I so remember mine, May baby at that, always asked for some kind of roast (grandmother excellent cook) and a strawberry pie or a cake with strawberries baked in it and on top of it with fresh whipped cream..I always felt so special since my siblings birthdays were in the summer and fall!!!!!!!!!! The barn on the farm I grew up on was huge we always swang from the top of the straw bales down to straw bales, rabbits were kept there and tenderly taken care of, a huge garden for growing all kinds of food and even a shower my grandfather hooked up to take by a outbuilding so he would never walk into the house with any mud or anything..wow whee..your pictures remind me of wonderful years of living with my grandparents.....
ReplyDeleteYou look so cute all bundled up in your snow suit. I love your memories of the barn...all of those fabulous details remembered from every sense.
ReplyDeleteI remember the smell of my grandfathers barn.
ReplyDeleteYou were so cute!
So cute in your snowsuit. The only thing missing is a scarf tied around your face. My mother insisted on smothering me inside one - I hated it. Nothing like the smell of a barn. It's an acquired appreciation. I remember it well.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! What a great memory you have--loved all the details! ~Abra
ReplyDeleteLoved this post, brought back memories. We have similar pictures of Larry as a youngster, and then also our kids. Never thought of making a hay bale play pen, but Meredith used to sit in the stroller and watch me do the chores, clean out stalls, etc, and then as soon as she could walk she had her own little shovel and 'helped'.
ReplyDeleteGreat little story. :)
ReplyDeleteI swear you & I were born in parallel universes - my parents took pictures of me in the snow that almost look like yours AND my baby brother was born in .... 1953!! Born the same year, graduated the same year, brothers born the same year...
ReplyDeleteThat brought back some memories that I had not thought about for a long time. I liked being in the barn with my dad too while he milked and fed the animals.
ReplyDeleteI love this post....nice to read your memories of the sights, sounds and smells. Such cute pictures, too!
ReplyDeleteI was the only child 'bout nine years then I got a baby sis. I always wanted a big bro! Heeehehehehe!!!
ReplyDelete'Just look a your cute little girl self in your snowsuit and big boots!!! You were a dog lover back then too!
God bless and have a wonderful day sweetie!!!
Fantastic blog. Beautiful writing....great memory!
ReplyDeleteAwesome story. When I tell my kids about this part of my life I can hardly believe what I'm saying. But just like you, it was all true. It was a totally different life.
ReplyDeleteConnie, this was a delightful post recalling days gone. I never lived on a farm, but can imagine what life was like then through your sharing these stories which are wonderful memories it seems.
ReplyDeleteGreat memories...and dog lovers show their colors young. It was wonderful to have grandparents who fed that love.
ReplyDeleteAwww! Bantam roosters are not fun when you are their size. And even curious hens looking for something yummy can be major intimidating. I constantly have to remind myself what chickens might seem like to our little visitors. But what memories of a beautiful time of a family working side by side.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in the city according to our country cousins. Our city cousins thought we lived in the country. Suburb was not in our vocabulary. Thanks to my country cousins, I got to play in the barn and climb peach trees (after they were finished producing) and made little homes in the cornfields.
ReplyDeleteWeren't you a cutie patootie! The mittens look like they might have been a bit big too. What great memories. I'm older than you and still waiting for that brother or sister! I asked my parents why they never had any more kids and they just laughed and said I was enough (and not in a good way either). Legend has it, I was a handful.
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky to have siblings or a sibling. When my parents died I really felt alone and still do. The aunts and uncles are all gone now and I only have a few cousins but we don't stay in touch. I should fix that! I bet you had a great childhood! I loved spending summers at my Aunt and Uncles farm.
I am sure I told you Grandpa had a dairy farm. I loved the smell of the inside of the barn - - - really did. It was a peaceful comforting place to be when we were too young for chores.
ReplyDeleteI was the youngest so I guess I was never spoiled that way -- but my siblings said I was spoiled nonetheless. I have vivid memories also of the smell -- the sounds, and the dust from the hay reflecting the sneaky sunlight through the knot holes and cracks. And during the cold days I can visualize the steam rising from the fresh cow pie and I can hear the buzz of flies and bees that replaced it in the warmer months.
ReplyDeleteHow I loved this post!