My friend V is an artist. We were going to paint yesterday but one thing led to another and we didn’t get to. I hope we can another time. When we explored the farm, V snapped several photos that I just love. This will bring back memories to many of you. When I was growing up in town, we had all the modern conveniences. But grandma’s house didn’t have indoor plumbing till I was six or seven. Up until then, this was the toilet. The bath was in a galvanized tub on the kitchen floor. Laundry was done in a gas-powered wringer washer on the back porch after many years of scrubbing on a washboard. The laundry hung on the line. I still remember how stiff and scratchy the towels were when they air dried but oh…the sheets were divine.

When we were rummaging around in the barn, we found pants stretchers. Who remembers using those? We always used them on the men’s work pants. They are a metal frame that you slipped into each pants leg, then stretched it out tight till the pants were smooth and had a crease in the front and back. That was before permanent press.

We also found an old telephone that was pretty cool. I do not recall seeing that in this house, but I wouldn’t swear it wasn’t from here. Those weren’t easier times and I will bet my grandma wouldn’t have called them simpler either. But it was an honest time where you went to bed tired, you burned your calories working, and you sure as heck didn’t have GMO’s on your plate. You were frugal and fixed things. You mended sheets, darned socks, took the buttons and zippers off worn out clothing before they went in the rag bag or the quilting stack. You didn’t sass back or you found yourself on the receiving end of a hickory switch. If you wanted something, you earned it. If you lied or cursed, you got your mouth washed out with soap. If you were good, you got to lick the beaters or ride to town to farmer’s market.

Those may not have been easy times, but in many ways, they were the best of times. In others, they were not. Discrimination, inequality….I’d love to say they’re gone, but I’m afraid they’re not. Hopefully things will become more peaceful and loving again. It hurts my heart to see some of the things in the world. I have wonderful memories here and I get to live them all over again. Days Gone By are here again. ❤️

“I remember the days gone by; I think about all that you have done, I bring to mind all your deeds.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭143:5‬ ‭GNT‬