The Hard Times Cafe

Treasures from the past

With that said, I would like to share some of these stories as I think many would enjoy them.  Many of us work so hard to bring back the simple days that these folks watched slip away.  These folks that shared these memories, I would venture to say have pasted from this earth, or the majority of them anyways.  But though the memory might seem simple to some, in the end memories are all we have to pass on history.

I am very cautious about copy writes.  I wanted it stated that this is of no financial gain.  I will quote any and all credits to author and publisher.  If anyone out there has any knowledge of copywrite infringement and can share with me I would appreciate it.  I will be doing some research this weekend to see if I can do this and not worry about copywrite police at my door.

This is a story from the June 1974  issue of the Good Old Days entitled Mom’s Wash Tub by Shirley Lewis Calhoun: she writes

“When I go to do my wash in this day of modern laundry,-clothes washed and rinsed all in one machine- I think of my mom’s wash tubs.  Though I have a dryer, I, like my mom, hang my clothes out on the line.  My clothespins are the snap-on type.  My mom used the round top-peg, type, and us children used them, also, for toys.  How my mom would “get after us” on wash day, which was always on a Monday.

My bother used them for “his cars and trucks on the dirt pile”, and we girls put faces on them for our “dolls”.

What I remember most were the wash tubs, they were two big, black, round tubs, used for most anything.  Our home was in the country, sitting not far from a creek.  We had no electricity or running water.  WE girls would carry those two big tubs to the creek for rinse water, when Mom washed clothes.  On Saturday night, the same two tubs would be filled with water for our baths: at the time there were my three sisters, and we’d take turns in the tubs.

In the summer, when Mom went to can her jar vegetables, off again we would go to the creek and fill the tubs with water to wash the jars.  Mom would then, after filling the jars, place wood slats on the bottom of the inside of the tubs and place her filled jars, placing this over the fire in the back yard.  This was the way she did her canning.

 Come fall, how I remember peeling apples, throwing them over in the tubs to be washed and placed in a kettle for apple-butter making.  In the summer when the water was low, we had a natural spring.  We also carried water in the tubs for household uses.

  A few w years ago, we girls got our mom a set of the modern laundry tubs, which she uses on her wash day.  The other tubs she still uses for her canning, and are in the basement where she keeps them when not in use.

My mom also used two flatirons, which were heated on the top of the stove.  Our clothes were ironed beautifully in those days-never a scorch on them.  I have one of the irons in my hone now, a reminder of how hard it was on my mom, back when.  My mother’s mother is still alive.  She was ninety-five years old in March (1973), and I love to hear her tell stories of when she was growing up.

I, too, know what it is like to fill lamps, wash the lamp globes, get in wood and coal, walk to meet a school bus, help your dad to skin squirrel and rabbit, take cod liver oil, carry your apple butter sandwiches to school and wonder why it sank into the thick slices of “homemade bread”.  Most of all, eat you oatmeal, and bedtime, when the lamp was blown out at eight o’clock.

Those days will never be again.

Untitled Comment

06:44, Saturday, October 11, 2008 .. Posted by plantinthings

I enjoyed your story of days gone by......I remember a story my grandmother used to tell me of the depression days.....where they were so poor and barely had any food to eat.
She'd eat moldy bread with bacon grease (melted) poured over it. And you know she still ate that even when she was in her 80's.
If jelly had mold on it....she'd spoon it off and continue eating the rest of the jar.
Even tho this sounds gross and hard work to us, I can see the days of gone by happening again. Maybe it will be a blessing in disguse. Parents that aren't there for their children (becuz of having to work too much or having better things to do) will start focusing on the important things in life.....kids, family, friends, and each other. Pull together and become a stronger and better nation.
Yes, it kinda' scary what will become of this world nowadays (as most of us are so use to modern day technology).....but then again wouldn't it be better to tough this out and become stronger and learn to do without alot that we see as neccesities (cellphones, computers, credit cards), our grandparents turned out to be FINE people and they didn't have all this garbage.
Just my thoughts...........thanks again for the story and if your allowed to write more I'd love to read them.

I remember when...

12:52, Sunday, November 9, 2008 .. Posted by ajhelvie

I really enjoyed the sharing of this story. Thank you for also sharing a bit of what you remember. The last thing you mentioned was the lack of a bed time, well my poor childeren have one, it's 7:00pm get ready for bed, in bed with lights out by 7:30pm. It is nice and they are up and ready for breakfast by 8:00am. I know our son is up by 6:00 or 6:30am but he is not to get up to play until seven. *smile* I think our daughter is up by 7:00 or 7:30am but is not to get up to play until 8:00am as we have no age appropriate chores yet. *smile* Oh, the days. *smile*

Harvest blessings. -me- (Mommy of two little blessings)
p.s. I am reading your blog backwards as I keep checking back for entries and instead get to read entries that have been here for a little while. I really like what you write here. Thank you. *smile*