Movie still shot, 1946
Movie still shot, 1946
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Good morning, Marian! I like how this shot is almost timeless, and that so many people could probably relate to it. But for you, it’s your home and childhood.
We haven’t had any real snow yet. I hope we don’t get blasted in February and March!
Yes, I talked to my sister Jean about two weeks ago when snowstorm Jacob (?) was supposed to arrive, but turned out to be a no-show. Maybe you got rain instead. I’d like snow to see in Jacksonville sometime, just a light dusting. All the hurry-scurry would stop: no snowplows here! We had snow in 1987 and the kids used big pieces of cardboard to slide down a hill.
Thanks, Merril! 🙂
Something about stopped motion that seems a little eerie as well as tender. Life itself is motion. And then it stops.
You sound philosophical this morning, Shirley, a useful attitude when it comes to nostalgia. The black & white blurriness adds to the eerie feeling, I think, but the memory is sweet. 🙂
I love this! It would make a wonderful jigsaw puzzle, too.
Jill, I remember you said the same thing about one of the drawings in my memoir. I guess we had better get cracking on puzzle production. Thanks for your vote of confidence. 🙂
Yes, so many of Cliff’s drawings would make wonderful puzzles!
I agree, Jill!
🙂
Interesting that you use the word sleigh here (in your wordless post!). In Indiana we called it sledding if we used a sled like shown here. A sleigh was what a group of people rode behind a horse, or like Santa’s reindeer pulling a sleigh. Then I married my Virginia husband and they always called it sled riding. Not sledding. So, sledding, sleigh riding, or sled riding, it all conjures up wonderful memories, doesn’t it? Your mother’s bare legs though make me chilled to the bone! (Or perhaps she had on some stockings.) Nice January post.
Melodie, I chose the word “sleigh” for its (mild) shock effect. A sleigh has to have runners, so says the dictionary, but my Mennonite mother is hardly a horse. I’m sure mother is wearing stockings, probably the thick elastic kind for winter. She would never, ever have deigned to wear slacks – ha!
Yes, wonderful memories.
So sweet! Different time, eh?
Yes, indeedy, Ally! Now this street is busy, busy. Traffic would probably not slow down for snow like this; the county salts the roads immediately.
Marian, your post brings back memories of when I was a kid going sledding. We had an old wooden sled. And the snow lingered a lot longer.
In more recent times, we went sledding using garbage bags. So much fun! 😀
Thank you for the trip back to yesteryear. 😀
I’m glad this snapshot evoked memories for you, L. Marie. Was your sled a “Flexible Flyer” too?
It almost never snows in Florida. But once in a blue moon Jacksonville in NE FL gets some snow. The last was back in the 1980s when our kids used large pieces of cardboard to sail down the little hill on our corner lot. Snow is soft, white, and quiet – why I wish we’d get snow more often here, very calming unless you have to drive in it.
So…who was watching me? I like to think that Grandma was inside the house cradling me in her tender arms. I imagine this because that looks like her dog Sporty enjoying the outing.
The nice thing back in the ’40’s there was no salting of the roads so we could go lickity splat all the way down the hill to grandma’s house. And up and down, and up and down!
Based on the ages Jan and I look in the snapshot, you could have been a “twinkle” in our mother’s belly. If you were born, you may have been taking a snoozer in your basinet or crib upstairs. Mom was close by, just in front of our house.
Ruthie’s movie camera captured the moment, so she may have brought Sporty along in her car up the hill of our house. Fun to speculate. Thanks, Jean!
How beautiful and evocative of the era!
Thanks, Fatima! 😀
Marian — Even though it’s “Wordless Wednesday,” the word that immediately pops into my mind is “Brrrr!” I’m guessing that’s your mom pulling the sleigh. Her legs have to be freezing cold!
Laurie, thanks for adding a caption, the perfect one. Yes, my mother is pulling the sled with my sister Jan and me aboard. Melodie mentioned my mother’s cold legs too. Mennonite women of the era would not dream of wearing slacks, even though she would have been more comfortable wearing them.
Best wishes on your hiatus, coming up SOON!
Brings back memories of the prairies. I love the dog lurking in the corner. There was always a dog, wasn’t there?
We played with dogs at Grandma and Aunt Ruthie’s house. This one here is Sporty, the first dog I remember playing with. I’m glad my photo evoked happy memories for you, Darlene. 😀
Lovely! It tells a beautiful story, one that I imagine ended in hot chocolate!
Probably, Jenn, and I imagine Mother added butter and perhaps a marshallow too. Thanks!
Beautiful!
The first word that comes to mind when I look at this picture is ‘Love.’ The second word is ‘Warm,’ because love will warm your heart, even in the snow.
I like that one reader says “Brrr!” and another one, you,says Love. Both are true, actually in this picture.
And I like that you said too: “‘Warm,’ because love will warm your heart, even in the snow.” Thanks, Linda Lee.
You have such wonderful old photos. This one brought back some wonderful memories for me. Thanks, Marian.
Joan, welcome! I believe you may have grown up in Vermont. Yes/no? I do know you now live in Virginia, but you may be remembering childhood fun in the snow. Thanks for chiming in. 😀
Is that a Flexible Flyer or a hand-made sleigh? Great picture!
I believe it is a Flexible Flyer, not hand-mde. When Aunt Ruthie had an estate sale in 2018 I remember this sled and possibly one other offered for sale. We didn’t buy it back: No need for a sled in Florida, Barbara! 😀
Fond memories of those “Good Old Days”!
You are right, Bette. Those were the “Good Old Days,” many winters with blizzard conditions, just like Maine – ha!
The picture tells the story! The dog in the margin of the photo was creepy to me, as if he was planning to attack the children. The sledders and the mom seem to be blissfully unaware of it. That comes from a bad experience we had in Congo when a stray dog came running into our yard and attacked our daughter!
It’s interesting that one picture can evoke various memories. Actually, the dog was Aunt Ruthie’s pet, Sporty. We were fond of him and never were attacked. In the picture, I do admit, he looks menacing. Thanks for stopping by, Elfrieda!
That sleigh reminded me of the one I had when I was little. 🙂
You are not that old, Debby – ha!
On the other hand, sled designs don’t change much over the years. As always, you are kind to comment! 🙂
Lol, I’m not that old, but as you said, designs didn’t change much back then. Same wooden toboggan with metal red sliders. 🙂
😀
How fun! And there’s a dog as well. 🙂 I remember doing this with my brother, and my dad pulling us through the street. We kept that wooden sled for many years. It hung in the shed and every winter without snow (in Belgium), I’d longingly look at that sled…
Our Maya was called Sporty, a boy dog. Actually, he belonged to our Aunt Ruthie. Even so, it was a family pet.
Sorry you didn’t find much snow in Belgium, when you would have welcomed it – obviously. And now, it makes sense with Zesty to seek warmer climes in the winter. (I wonder if Mark found snow on his trip up north.) Thanks, Liesbet.
Mark had snow the entire five days he was in Boston, Marian. But, he had good heat inside. It was extremely cold in Northern Florida, as you know. Being in the shade for most of it, it was chilly in Zesty, as I had to be careful with heat and electricity…
Yes, I read about your experience on your latest blog. You survive through you sharp wits and high tolerance for risk, even alone for a short time. Yay!
GOD – good old days! Lovely timeless photo Marian!
I like your subtle play on words, Susan. Yes, the photo is timeless. I don’t think you have snow in South Africa, except perhaps at the higher elevations.
Did you grow up with snow, I wonder?
No, did not grow up with snow. But South Africa does get snow in the winter months, capping mountains and even low lying areas like Cape Town. We’ve had the odd bit of snow at the oddest times – I remember one October some years ago when there was snow in Johannesburg. October? Summer! But now I’m remembering – one July heading out to the airport for an international flight and we were snowed in. How we made our flight I do not know .. the snow gods must have been on our side ..
I know so very little about climate in the southern hemisphere. Thank you, Susan, for bringing me up to speed about weather where you live. 😀
For the reader’s information: When I selected the still from the short digitized 16mm film that Marian’s Aunt Ruthie took–Sporty was frolicking around and seemed to enjoy the snow as much as Marian and Jan on the sled.
Also in another short video clip just before this scene–Marian waddled out her front door of her house all bundled up for the cold, stepped down two steps on the porch into the snow…and Sporty joyfully pounced on her, knocking her down and showing his love by licking her all over her face! 🙂
Cliff
Thanks for refreshing my memory on what preceded the still shot. I loved Sporty frisking around and remember him as pony-size to my 5-year-old eyes. 😀
A wonderful moment captured in time . You can’t beat a real photo can you , something you can hold . We don’t get a lot of snow here on the coast but then we don’t get snow like that , full stop , anymore . I have always loved the magic of a snowfall …want some !🧣☃️❄️
Cherryx
Cherry, I long for a quiet snowfall – big soft flakes and all. People in Florida wouldn’t know what to do with it . . . just stay home and enjoy it, I say. It’s magical and puts a soft carpet around the noise.
Your emojis are so cute. Thank you!
Timeless and priceless!
Thank you, Lady Fi!