Saturday, February 12, 2011

From farm life to city life

The year was 1958. We moved from the country life to city life (Insert Eva Gabor singing Green Acres here) One year of living in the woods had been enough for Mom. Especially after the spring rains made a retaining wall near the house fall down and in the muck were wads of snakes. I still can hear her screams, "We are out of here". Never mind that she would also have to kill a snake nearly every time she would hang clothes outside on the line.




1958

My first Easter in the new to me house. My dad, Shorty, and I posed on the front porch.



My brother, Wesley, and I pose for our Easter picture.



In 1961 my baby sister Lona joined us. This was about the time Mom and Dad added a "great" room all the way across the back of the house. We used it as a family room. I remember it was shut off a lot in the cold winter months. "Too much to heat", Dad would say. The summer months would have all 6 windows open wide. It was the pre-AC days.




Neighbor kids would come to our yard to play, just to hang out in the Mimosa tree in the front yard. In early summer the tree would be full of bright pink and green hairy blooms. Late spring we'd all gather the seed pods to play with, pre Nintendo and Wii days.

We lived there until my brother graduated from high school and joined the Navy. I made some life long friends there. Today we reminisce on Facebook about the good old days.


I tell you about this cute little house because, last week, I saw in the local real estate guide. It's for sale. For $89,900 you can own this house. It's been spruced up and updated. However the yellow brick and green cedar siding stayed the same. I see it has had central AC added.




2011




The front room now has carpet. I know that a hardwood floor is hidden under it.



The great room has been turned into a master bedroom.




I bet it's no longer closed off during the cold winter months.




The kitchen is now red. Mom had it yellow for a few years and then it was painted with a pink enamel. "Easier to keep clean" she would say.
So, if you are in the area tomorrow, there is an open house. Don't think I will be stopping by. It just wouldn't be the same. But if you do go by, would you look in the attic? Mom thinks she left a box of my toys there.



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved this post. What wonderful memories and wow that house sure is beautiful, I think I could live in the great room alone lol I love mimosa trees, I have a huge one in my front yard that I started from seed :o)

Rural Rambler said...

Patti this is such a fun read. I so enjoyed the pictures of you and your Dad and family. Shorty too! It is a darling house, it will be sold in no time. When I go back to my hometown I still drive by the two houses I grew up in. Just have to do it. The first house had a Mimosa I loved and now we have a huge Mimosa on the "tiny ten" and lots of little Mimosas! Fun post to read this Sunday morning.

Flat Creek Farm said...

I enjoyed this! Great photos & wonderful memories. The house is adorable! I'll take that master bedroom - nice. My parents still live in the house I lived in most of my growing-up life, but once in awhile I still drive by the apartment building where I started out... and the little house that I spent my toddler years in. Enjoy this Spring-ish weather!! -Tammy

Cheryl @ TFD said...

What a fun post! Your old home was well taken care of and should sell in no time. I often drive by the old farm where I grew up...it's not the same, but I can't help but check it out once in awhile. Enjoyed your photos and story. Take care!

Deanna said...

So cute. What wonderful memories. To think we grew up only about 2 miles from each other. You were a cute kid!

Sally said...

This is my first visit, from Karen's Thisoldhousetoo, and I loved seeing the photo's. This brings back memories for me as well. Every few years, I drive by our home from our growing up years. Nostalgia kicks in, and I just want to march in there and tell them to take better care of our house. :)

Carla said...

What a great trip down memory lane.

Diana LaMarre said...

What fun to see your childhood home all these years later! I would go to the open house to see more (but that's just me).

I smiled at your post today. There is something so sweet about getting the exact same thing every V. Day.