My husband and I got a little nostalgic this week as we discussed that it was already time for kids to head “Back to School.” We were raised in different areas of the country, but when we were kids we didn’t go back to school until after Labor Day. We both remember long summer days to run, play, go on vacation, and get bored. You didn’t tell Mom or Dad you were bored because then they would find a chore for you to do. I was a avid reader so I spent many days reading a book or absorbing teen magazines. Mom and I got hooked on soap operas in the afternoon one summer but realized that we needed to give those up. Very time consuming to keep up with all those characters and their drama….now the drama is on our phones 24/7!
Weekends and holidays found us at our grandparents house. I would spend a week with my paternal grandparents each summer. They usually had a large garden and it was fun to help with prepping the veggies for canning or eating.. My Granddad liked those thin cut T-bone steaks and tossing a few on the grill for dinner along with about 10 different vegetables, sliced tomatoes, biscuits and cornbread, and a tall glass of sweet iced tea. Those were “good eats!” These were simple days. They lived quiet lives and time with them was nothing short of precious. They are both long gone, but memories of afternoons shelling peas, shucking corn, snapping beans, telling stories and then topping it off with dinner followed by a big bowl of ice cream or just fresh fruit remind me of my roots and make me smile.
My maternal grandparents loved hosting all of us for holidays and hot summer weekends always included making homemade ice cream with the cousins taking turns sitting on the ice cream churn while the men turned the crank to make mouth watering peach ice cream. The girl cousins often spent the night with them – all of us in one bed whispering and giggling and stealing the big box of Life cereal from the pantry to eat in bed while we tried to stay awake.
We didn’t travel much (usually a nice vacation week at the beach during summer) but for the most part we found ways to entertain ourselves with neighborhood friends, riding bikes and playing outside. Wonderfully simple and what good memories are made of.
LeRoy remembers Labor Day parades and that “last push” to go to the lake, beach or the pool before they all closed. We both recalled that by the end of a long 3 month summer we were actually ready to head back to school. My brother and I were never involved in sports or many extra things during summer, we just had the chance to be kids and truly “rest” while school was out. But once school started it was time to buckle down and do your best. Being lazy during the school year didn’t fly at our house.
So many good memories. I personally feel like kids go back to school too soon. You still need the “dog days of summer” to play, nap, snack and hang with friends and have one more big beach or lake day before it’s time for books, sweaters, sports and learning, but that’s just my opinion.
The Old School on the Hill is a wonderful place for re=calling those fond memories of lazy days and a time for rest. We share small town life with all who visit us during our open seasons. Come visit us this Fall. You’ll find festivals, pumpkins, antiques, and respite from hectic life schedules with us. We’re off the beaten path, just around the corner….
