I enjoy going through the museums of small towns and poking around and talking with some the people volunteering there. There are lots of things from pioneer days of homesteading on the plains. It helps me to appreciate how easy my life is. Yet when I pause I wonder what kind of life people will have in 50 years, hundred years or more. Will the life of the Jetson’s become a reality.
There are a few who lament for the simpler times of the past. Homes are decorated to give it an early day look. Discussions on homemade breads and foods, how to preserve and can foods, preparing foods and in general trying to live like great granma n granpa lived over a century ago. Granny n gramps had to work hard and put in long hours those days if they wanted food, clothing and shelter. There was no plumbing back then or electricity, central heat was the wood stove and no air conditioning.
So when I hear people talking about the good ole days I wonder what they are talking about. A myth arises from dreaming and the mind creates an ideal dream to strive for but is it possible. There are bloggers on here and other spots that post blogs about doing things the old way. There was one that found the Foxfire books from the hippie days. Some city slicker college kids went to Appalachia and interviewed some the hill people on how they lived off the land. Many people gobbled up this idea. Upon closer reading and some aging of self, the leg pulling starts becoming evident. There are some helpful things but lots of it is fiction.
Yet people dream of this life. To live off the land requires lots of work and it is very time consuming. Day break to sunset was a typical day. No union insisting on breaks or a wage scale. If one wanted a garden they had to work it, have animals for food, chickens, cow, goats or sheep for wool. Raise cotton to spin and weave clothes. Make needles and thread for sewing clothes. There were no big stores back then to go buy things in. Like the nursery rhyme said; the butcher, baker and candlestick ,maker..
The big business of farming and ranching has created a convenience beyond measure that gives most a generous life of leisure. One can into a store, buy clothes, ready made or material, food ready made or easy to prepare and look at all of the gadgets to do all the home style fixins.
This is a bread box, here the loaves of bread were stored, along with the flour and other ingredients. The counter is just a few inches deep and maybe two feet long. Yet on here the bread, pies and pastries were prepared. There were no large counters and cabinets to work from instead small side boards and the table. No refrigerator, the sink was a small tub, water came from a cistern that was also a cool room for storing a few items. The stove was wood fired, no gauges, a wet finger on the lid.
Would I want to live like that, I don’t think so. So when I hear people talking about living off the land I kind of chuckle. I wander how many could make do without the modern conveniences of today. Look at the machine I am using to put this together. What a gadget.
I have a garden but not to supply all my food. It is nice to have fresh garden produce in the summer and I freeze some. I also like squash and they keep in a cool spot. Without the conveniences of today I would struggle to keep my self up fed. I marvel at what my grandparents did and how they progressed but I do not want to live like that. I wouldn’t have the foggiest notion on how to make material let alone sew a pair of britches. If the world stopped producing electricity, I would be lost.
Longing for the good ole days….. hah…. forget it….. simpler times…. that would be nice.
Anybody out there know how to butcher a steer?
Ya’ll Have a Good Weekend.
God bless you.
.
9 comments:
Valid point about the good 'ol days John. I don't know about everyone but when I think of the days past I think of morals and a closer walk with God for society as a while however this may be the same thing of seeing grass being greener not just on the other side of the fence but a in another time. I appreciate your thoughts John, thanks for sharing.
Steer? Of course. Any number of critters. I do not know how to tan hides.
I think the longing for the good ol' days is not for the hardships that were endured but what would seem to be and perhaps often was a simpler less complicated time where family came first and crime was not as rampant. And drugs weren't as recreational, and kids had SOME manners and families were a tight unit. I Think that may be part of the nostalgia for the old days? When I think of the old days as I read about them or as I have lived them.
I agree with Ramblington, when they talk of the good old days here in NZ, they were talking of a less crime filled world and people actually loved thy neighbours. Today we lock the doors and mistrust most for the ways of the world are changing and that's what I think the good old days mean, well that's what they mean over here.
Lady Jude
I enjoyed your article it was very interesting. I forgot to mention it.
I cant even tell you how much I loved this blog . How many valid bits of information you put in here and yes hit it on the nail.
The good old days were hard work , less sleep, plenty of muscles mix that with sweat and a few blisters and yes its the good old days. John your so right in everyway. I remember coming to the farm at the age of 17 and wondering what and how to do anything let alone get enough time to do my house work after I finished workig outside in acers of garden , cutting lawn , feeding chickens, hauling water and yes it was the best of times , not that long ago and the air was clean ,life was good and after a days works sleep came easy and in the winter we lived off of what wer grew in the summer both in the garden and off the land.
I remember and Im not old. I have just lived.
xo
Simpler life is away from the cement cities and greedy politics and over taxed for services. I admire folks who are trying to homestead and home school and be self sufficient. The mix of tech (computer) and other help sell their wares and craft. I guess some folks are afraid of hard work and it's inconveniences. Processed food and fast food not healthy. It's hard times again on a limited income. Interesting post and view John.
You are right on with this post John. I can't help thinking of the movie Jeremiah Johnson. What a learning curve! It can be done but, whew. Can I take my recliner with me?
Yes John the simply life is really not so simple. I have done many things over the years that make me so happy now for the modern conviences. When we had no power here. I actually used an old ringer washer with the generator. Love my new washer and dryer even though I still dry outside in the summer. Use to make all my bread by hand and now use a bread machine. Hated all the kneading. We use to hand split all our firewood and two years ago bought a log spliter. We still only heat with wood and have no other sourc. We heat all our water in the winter from coils going thru our stove. That I would never change. I still do all my cooking on top of that big wood stove. It's a blaze King that is over 30 years old. Takes huges logs and has a 48 hour burn when stoked good. Wouldn't trade that for anything. Would like a second source of heat. Hard to get away for more then 3 days when it turns really cold. I will soon be gardening less as well. I can now buy so much organic. As I do all my gardening and turning of the soil by hand it is getting harder on me. In the 80's I came across all the Mother Earth Magazines. They were my bible to learn all I had to learn about living off the land. I finally just this year passed them all on to some young girl who wanted to do the same. One has to remember those people in the older days that did all those things also died early. It was a very hard life. When I was young I loved that life but now I am certainly appreciating those things that make my life easier. Have a wonderful week. Hugs Carrie
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