Once upon a time, there was a grandma and a grandpa who lived on a farm. Let’s call them Bert and Howard. Both of them had only known farming life in a rural area. They grew up in a day when most folks didn’t have automobiles. Their travel was limited. They never expected to do much more than live on their little farm, have a few cows for milk, butter and beef, raise a pig or two for pork, have a big garden, take care of their land, raise their family and mind their own business. They had no neighbors so they had no one to impress. There were no “Joneses” to keep up with.
At some point, automobiles became popular, trails became dirt roads and later, those dirt roads were paved. Somewhere along the way, Bert and Howard got indoor plumbing in their little house and they got a telephone. It was a party line so if you wanted to be real nosie, you could listen to your friends’ conversation! That’s probably when some folks in that area began their desire to have and do what the neighbors did! A few years later, Bert and Howard had central air conditioning installed in their house. They felt like city folks!
Bert and Howard worked so hard. Up at daylight, tending the garden, feeding and milking the cows, feeding the pigs and chickens, mending fences, canning the garden produce, sewing clothes for the family . . they did it all by themselves and rarely went to the grocery store. The last thing they needed was a TV. There was no time to watch it and even if they had it, they would have been doing good to get one channel.
There was no need for a shopping mall. If they couldn’t make it, they probably didn’t need it and even if they did need it, they didn’t have the money to buy it.
They did eventually get a TV and they turned it on once a week . . to watch Lawrence Welk.
Bert and Howard got old enough that it was time to leave the farm and move to town to be closer to their son and daughter. They moved into a home on a small lot. How things changed! They had neighbors to watch! They had a color TV with cable . . lots of channels! They no longer had to feed and milk a cow, or feed chickens or a pig. They no longer had to grow their own food. They had lots of time on their hands. Thank goodness for that TV! 🙂
This morning as I was sitting here laughing at Vince, I realized . . that’s what’s wrong with society. Too many it seems, do not have enough work to do and too much time to watch TV or play video games. Oh, yes . . some will likely comment with why they live in town but in my opinion, especially our youth . . they just don’t have enough constructive things to keep them busy and out of trouble. And, when they do have down time, which I’ll be the first to admit that we all need, there’s too much negative influence and too many of us as parents, are not paying attention to what they’re doing, what they’re watching . . what’s being allowed into their heads and their hearts.
Maybe it was the way I spent my younger years but I have a real hard time sitting and being entertained. I have to be doing something . . knitting often fills that need. In my heart I know that me knitting wool garments when I live in central Texas is just as much of a waste of time and money than someone sitting in a movie theater for three hours. For me though, I’m doing something when I’m knitting so that makes it ok. I’m not saying it’s wrong to go sit in a movie theater or sit for hours and watch TV . . it’s just not right for me.
Vince and I were sitting here and the chickens began squawking and making all kinds of noise. I knew something was wrong so I got up to go check on them. Yesterday there were two cardinals fighting out there. I told Vince I thought one was trying to kill the other. He thought they were doing other things. Men . . is that all they think about? 🙂
Cardinal
When I went out, I found the injured cardinal under the edge of the Silky chicken coop. The Silkies are all in a panic. I think they got that from me. I panic easily. 🙂 By the time Vince got out there, he was deceased.
Silky Babies
Sorry for the nasty egg picture. If I knew how to use Photoshop, I would have cleaned them up but . . that’s how they look after having a mama sitting on them for 21 days.
Yesterday morning I checked on the new baby chicks and there were three .. two yellows and one black. Vince said last night that when he looked in on them the black one was gone. I didn’t think much about it because he’s usually not as careful when he looks at something like that as I am but when I went out this morning, I opened the big door and the black one was out of the nest and on the floor. Thank goodness both Tiffany and Louise are claiming the babies .. both have been sitting on the nest, so Tiffany was on the floor keeping the black chick warm while Louise was on the nest with the two yellow babies. It was a cool night and he would probably have not survived without Tiffany to keep him warm.
The babies hop out of the nest but then they haven’t figured out how to get back in. It’s too high for them to hop up there and they don’t know how to fly yet.
Steps
I came in from checking to see why the chickens were making so much noise. I told Vince about the cardinal and about the Silky babies needing a step to get back into the nest. He was in the middle of doing something else and was moaning that he had to stop one project and go take care of that. Just before he went out the door, one of the smoke alarm batteries started chirping. He looked at me and I know he was thinking about saying a bad word .. there’s always so much to do.
He came in from taking care of the cardinal and fixing steps for the baby chicks and said “We pretty much make our own entertainment around here, don’t we?” Definitely! I’m so happy that we’re finding pleasure by discovering things on our land, dealing with nature and when we’re bored, we take a ride through the woods, smell the cedar trees and fresh air . . we don’t need to go to a movie theater or a shopping mall for our entertainment.
I know our life isn’t the life for everyone. I’m happy that we all have choices. I wish more people knew what it truly takes for them to be happy . . I feel like there are too many folks searching and never finding real happiness. I’m so thankful we found our little piece of land in Texas and we’re enjoying every minute of it . . even dealing with crazy critters and chirping smoke alarms.
Patty says
To each their own. And for that I thank God!
Paula says
Third sentence – last paragraph. You hit the nail on the head!
Kay Sorensen says
There is something relaxing and tranquilizing about knitting…better than TV, sewing, booze, drugs, and so many other things.
julie says
I grew up on a farm, and it seemed to me that there was always something to do, either with food production or animal care, or canning, or freezing food or drying…I loved it, and feel like I could survive where many other people could not. Hurrah for the farmers!
Linda says
There are some weeks I do not leave the house from Sunday to Sunday. I’m happy and content at home. But let someone mention traveling and my bags are packed. Love to quilt and knit. But I do watch Y&R and the CARDINAL ball games. And last but not least have to read your blog daily.
Terri says
I enjoy your stories so much! And alot of time you have a little (or not so little) moral to your stories. Always great food for thought!
Donna Williams says
Lovely. And true. And, do I sense a novel up in there? I’d read it in a heartbeat.
Vivian Oaks says
Judy, you forgot one thing… the computer! That takes up a LOT more of my time than anything else. I wouldn’t have a huge supply of beautiful quilt patterns without the internet, but I know that I, personally, spend WAY too much time on the computer. I’d love to live out in the country, away from everybody and everything….maybe in my next life!! 🙂
RobinCrittenden says
You described my childhood. Love the little town I grew up in. As I get older I wish I could go back however my job wouldn’t go with me. And someone in this family has to work. Hubby is having back surgery Tuesday so I’m doing it all. Your life is perfect in my eyes and I share the same values you do plus hobbies. Keep it up, you always get me in trouble, my excuse for shopping.
Vickie VanDyken says
I love what you said. It is all true. I wish parents took more time with their children instead of letting the TV and video games “babysit” for them. The hardest part for me is not being able to do what I used to. I sometimes have a hard time doing daily household chores. I get tired way to easily. I get depressed because of that and then more depressed when I see what needs to be done and me not doing it. Health is an issue, no insurance is another, but I plod on. I sometimes have to really push myself and then when I finish I am so tired. It’s a good feeling though. I think youth is sometimes wasted on the young…hahaha isn’t that the old saying?? I just think the more I push and try to do, the better I will be. Doesn’t seem to be working, but I am not giving up. I love Quilting and hand work and knitting because I can do it without falling down from vertigo, or tripping over my feet because I can’t feel them. No pity party!!! Just do it !!! Thanks for the words of wisdom, they encourage me 🙂 Especially as I go to mop the floor !!!!!
wanda ll says
Well like some of the others you and I shared growing in the good old days.Like yourself there isn’t much on tv to watch.My grandmaw said idle hands were the devils workshop so we always stayed busy and I still like to. I don’t get bored I’ve got plenty of things I like to do to many matter of fact and not enough time. Thanks once again for the memories. I could have written this myself but your much better at it.
Love the baby chicks they are so cute …
Susan says
How boring it would be if we were all the same. I enjoy many of the same things you do, but in the same situation, I wouldn’t have chickens. =) I love to read YOUR stories about chickens, though.
Karen says
We grew up out of town, but we did have neighbors. We had chickens, ducks, geese, and quite a produce garden. That is what fed us. We raised a cow one year and a pig the next. We went into town for a few things, but not much. I am so glad we had that childhood. You do not have lots of free time, you learn where your food comes from, and appreciate it more.
We made cloths, and I quilt and stitch. My mother would see us wandering around and would give us a chore if we had nothing to do. Us girls were taught to sew and cook, better know how to do what is coming for you. I am glad I know these things.
And do not feel guilty when I sit in front of the TV and sew.
Rosalie says
Agree with you. I would much rather sew, read or garden and even bake before watching tv, and never sit and just watch the tv, usually doing some sewing also. I have one grandson and his wife who work at a place that develops video games, so they play those games at work and also at home and their world is very small. I am grateful that my world is big with my animals and nature and outside activities. I can certainly say that retirement is not boring!
Linda Steller says
I prefer your entertainment, Judy! I’d been away for the past few days and just came down from repairing my longarm and switched on the news. I turned it right back off again. Sometimes, I just don’t want to know. I do have a Roku box plugged into my TV and, with Amazon Prime and and Acorn TV subscription, I manage to watch a lot of my favorite kind of entertainment without commercials and without the rest of the world intruding into my house. I often wish I was living outside of town with no neighbors and just nature for my entertainment. Oh – and I lived with those folks who just watched the TV once a week for Lawrence Welk – they were my grandparents – Marge and Theed (Theodore). Life was simpler then!
Janna says
“In my heart I know that me knitting wool garments when I live in central Texas is just as much of a waste of time and money than someone sitting in a movie theater for three hours…” You could always send those beautiful wool things to your friend in Montana!
JanetB says
You perfectly described my Dad and stepmother except that Dad’s name is Bill, and they never installed central air conditioning. My stepmother, Bert, passed away last May. My Dad is alone and unable to work in the garden or tend the cows any longer, so he spends his days sitting on the carport counting the cars that go up and down the road. He, like you, loves the simple life.
Lemon Tree Tami says
That sounds like my grandparents and their house just outside a small town in CA. I’d go and visit them and we rarely had the TV on. Instead we’d go outside and tend the garden, feed the chickens, look at the cow. Occasionally we’d make the drive to the beach for a walk. I remember those times fondly. Now I’m not as bad at watching TV as I once was. There’s a few shows that my husband and I enjoy watching but for the most part our time is spent on other things. We’re also experiencing rural life for ourselves. But it’s without the care of the land or animals other than our two dogs. But we do have neighbor animals that we enjoy visiting. 🙂