This old house above stands across the road from the bottom photo shown in this post.And the photo below is from right beside the cows in that same photo.
It is a lonely place....but I imagine at one time this old two story home was full of kids....and that there was a lot of living going on here. Did the children get tired of living so far from everything or did they simply want a different way of life than what they had? Or is it possible there were no kids, and the old folks died...and some other farmer on down the road bought the place. I would love to know just how long it has been since anyone lived lived here...I have been passing this place for at least 6 years, and no one has been there.At least it has not been sold and divided into lots to sell. Yet. I know people have got to live somewhere, but it sort of upsets me to see places that were farms sold and turned into a subdivision.
I go home to Tennessee now, and the places I used to play have homes on them...oh, it is not a subdivision...I/we had a BIG playground. We knew all the people that owned the neighboring farms and were free to roam their land as well as our own, plus the a national park bordered part of our property.
We were not allowed to just run all the time. We all had chores...from a fairly young age. I think I started washing dishes in about 3rd grade...and of course for me there was making beds and sweeping and dusting...though mom was not big on dusting...but the beds were made every day, and the living room and kitchen were swept at least once, and I think the front porch was swept most days....but I cannot remember that for sure.
My brothers all had chores, too...depending on the season....there was wood to cut, and wood and coal to be brought in--first for the stove, and later we had a wood/coal burning furnace. When we got the furnace, I remember really feeling it was something to not have the stove standing in the middle of he living room....
Also, I usually had about three pair of socks to last me a week in school...and I washed them out by hand at night and laid them over the vent from the furnace. Back then everyone wore knee-highs...I don't know about anyone else but me and some of my friends used rubber bands to keep them from sliding back down our legs. We would put the rubber band about an inch from the top...and fold the top down over the band.
Back to the subject...there was work galore on a farm. My brothers did the heavy work...and there was lots of it. We didn't have all the equipment for baling hay, so my brothers always helped other neighbors/friends put up their hay and in return we could use their equipment to cut and put ours up. Usually someone else would run the haybaler...not because my brothers weren't capable, but because their muscles were needed to load and haul the hay in. I can remember one time I think my two older brothers along with someone, maybe my other brother, driving the tractor and wagon...I remember it as they put up 1500 bales in one evening/night..I am saying night also cause they didn't come in till about 10:00 or 11:00...they had worked long after dark.
I am afraid I cannot imagine a 3 boys under 25 yrs. of age doing that this day and age...there are probably a few but sure none that I know. I just remember even back then being so impressed by them doing that. I don't think Neal remembers it, and not sure about George. They had did the field there by home...and the field that belonged to my brothers...so I am pretty sure I have the number of bales right.
Anyway, when we did have time, we were allowed to roam at will...and like I say we had a big area. I was going to get a map from google, but in looking I just could not do it justice on here.
Beautiful images. If it weren't for the green of the pine trees-it sort of looks like that here today. Glooomy and gray.
ReplyDeleteLove old homes and I often wish we could travel back in time to see how folks lived in them. Were they happy? Content?
And don't forget milking the cow. I can remember going to milk the cow when it was dark and you had to kind of feel around. Had to do that before heading to school. Of course, if there was a cat around I got to squirt them in the face. :)
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful and whenever I see an old homeplace like this, I wonder about the family too. I enjoyed reading about your early memories.
ReplyDeletesuch wonderful photos and memories,
ReplyDeleteGill in Canada
I love these two photos! I always had chores assigned to me to do as well.
ReplyDeleteThe photos look great in black and white.
ReplyDeleteLove your description of chores and knee-highs!
Very nice images. I can identify with your feelings about land being developed. We have lived in our home for nearly 33 years. We are across the street from a major university and had quite a bit of wooded area nearby. Our kids played in those woods, but now they have been cleared and are parking lots. Sad.
ReplyDeleteGone are the days that kids can go outside all day long to play unsupervised. I guess that's one reason kids of today don't get enough exercise, parents can't watch them outside all day long. I used to go out in the morning and come in at dusk. A much kinder and gentler time. Your photos and thoughts are haunting.
ReplyDeleteLove those black and white photos, Rose... BUT--what I love the most is hearing yours and Neil's stories about your childhood.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that kids today would work THAT hard? I think we as a country are raising some lazy kids now. My grandchildren can't even sit at the table for a meal --without their cellphones... Life has changed--and I'm not sure it's better.
Hugs,
Betsy
Love your photos and story. I often wonder the same things when I see abandoned old homes.
ReplyDeleteA lot of kids today don't know what work is. I can remember my brothers helping on the farm at a very early age. I had chores to do myself. My brothers both helped haul hay bales from the pastures to the barn and sometimes worked well into the night. Great post!
I really like your black and white photos, and your memories are wonderful.
ReplyDeletethere are many old houses just like this all over Georgia, and i have wondered why they were left there. my grandmother lived in one a lot like this. i was the workhorse in our house from childhood, we did not live on a farm, but we had a garden and that is how we ate, mother and i canned everything we ate.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post, filled with lots of memories...much that I can relate to well. I was born in Alabama, but did not live there growing up, since my Dad was in the Navy, but visiting I was aware of the rural lifestyle and the hard work the kids had to help with...plus the joys of running around wild all over the place and enjoying the out-of-doors!
ReplyDeleteReally great B&W photos of the old houses. You see a lot of houses very much like these in rural Virginia and elsewhere...forgotten, left to rot and be taken back by the forest. It is sad.
Love your photos, Rose, but especially love your recounting your days on the farm. I enjoyed it so much. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, my word! Hadn't thought of rubber bands to hold up my socks in forever.
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures. I too hate to see the old farms lay waste.
Great story! That house looks like a great place to host a Halloween party.
ReplyDeleteThese photos look great in B&W. I think it's hard to go back to where you grew up because so much has changed. I like reading YOUR memories though. :)
ReplyDeleteI just love shooting these old abandoned places, they make for great photographs. It IS sad to see these old places demolished & see a subdivision go up...
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of chores... I was listening to the radio on my way to work the other morning & the DJ asked people to call in & tell about the chores they have for their kids. A woman called in & said she doesn't make her kids do chores, because, as she put it, why cause more fights than what's necessary & that you have to pick your battles! Can you believe that? She's in for a rude awakening when they grow up, to be sure! I just don't understand people's thinking... I had chores & that's part of teaching your kids to WORK, not sit on their butts & mooch off others, or the government!
Sorry about the rant, but I had to get it off my chest! =)
ReplyDeleteB&W is perfect for these photos. I always enjoy hearing your memories. Some dovetail with mine so well. I haven't thought about how young we began doing dishes, but now that you mention it, I can remember having to stand on a little chair to reach the sink. I think I also fell off it and cracked my head at least once. Dishes, dusting, running the dust mop, gathering laundry, ironing when older, washing the bathroom baseboards (I hated that one). We didn't have as much outdoor work as you, because he weren't on a farm, but we did have large gardens, an orchard, and chickens to care for. Too much work, was always my feeling!
ReplyDelete