Monday, February 08, 2016

Antique Gnome and Fairy Homes

When my sisters and I were little girls our parents often took us camping. Money was tight for a while so for several years in a row our vacation destination was a little campground near Lake Ontario. Webster Park became our "home not so very far away from home." In those days parents weren't expected to keep their children in sight every minute and we spent hours on the campground playground.

When we got a little older we were allowed to play under the old pine tree woods that boarded the outer circle of campsites. One year some of the other kids showed us how to build little houses of sticks, pine cones, and dried needles from the forest floor. In no time at all I was hooked. Building one little hut was not enough. Instead we constructed entire villages.


Mom and Dad didn't take many photos back then so I count this particular picture a treasure. One visual reminder of a week one summer many years ago.

Priscilla also posted a camping memory. You can find it here (scillyspot.blogspot.com or on my sidebar), and if I can figure out how Mr.Linky works we can hook up for Monday Memories.

11 comments:

  1. That is a great photo!! I love it.

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    1. It's the only photo they took of our villages. I think they were impressed because they took one at all.
      :0)

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  2. What a great memory! Thanks for sharing it!

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  3. What fun. While you were doing that, I was on the east shore of Ontario, camping at Southwick, or at our camp just north of that, which we bought when I was going into fifth grade. (it was a mobile home in a grassy yard amongst other mobile homes, but we had beach rights). My younger brother and I spend hours and days and weeks on the beach making not sand castles, but villages, with stick fences, and roads and swimming pools. We had a sandy cardboard box filled with cars, which we divvied out. My mother let us go to the beach by ourselves, we weren't allowed to swim when she wasn't there, just wade in to get water or wash our hands and feet. We never even thought of disobeying her, that I know of, at least about that:) Anyway, thank you for sharing and bringing back good memories, and too bad we didn't meet when we were little!

    Della

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    1. Della, we would have been the best of friends. Your sand villages sound wonderful. I would write more but I am really tired from sitting all day.

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  4. My how times have changed. I grew up near Strong Hospital in Rochester and would ride my bike down Elmwood and over the bridge to Genesee Valley Park to swim. After being away for the day, I'd head home for supper. My mom was great, but if she were here today she'd never let her great grands do the same...we live in a different world today. Thanks for sharing your childhood treasures and wander back soon.

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    1. I think the triple initial murders in Rochester marked the end of an era, maybe not right away, but eventually, maybe in the hearts and minds of those who were children at the time. We suddenly felt much more vulnerable. Times have changed, but I often think the biggest danger is the neighbor who calls CPS when you discipline your child, turn your back for a moment, or deem your child mature enough for a spoonful of responsibility. I wouldn't trade my childhood in the woods for anything. I just hope my grandkids are able to enjoy a few of those things too.

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  5. This is a priceless treasure! I'm glad you have some photographs from your childhood summer vacations.

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