I remember with such fond memories when my sister and I were little kids and we spent the summers on a farm during summer vacations in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia … windows wide open, curtains blowing in the breeze, screen doors banging, flypaper hanging over the dining room table, and the utensils upright in a pewter pitcher on the table - handy so you could take what you needed for the meal. There was no air-conditioning in those days, only roll-up blinds pulled down in the parlor to keep it cool in case company came to visit.
We all slept on feather beds - kids, parents and grand-parents. There was electricity – a bulb in the ceiling of each room; oil lamps if you wanted to read. There was no indoor plumbing so you can guess what was under the bed. If nature called in a "big" way, that kid had to empty the jar in the morning. As kids, the "outdoor plumbing" was a novelty. A bench with two holes (known as a "two holer") and a sears catalog draped over a wooden bar. Is this too much detail? ^.^
We (and the other kids) ran barefoot on the cool green grass and sought relief in it from the rocks and stones we walked on. After the bottoms of our feet toughened up, there was practically nothing that could stop us. Yes, there were occasional cuts and nail punctures sometimes requiring a trip to see the town doctor; however, I don't remember him ever having to come to the house to give us treatment of any kind. There were many home remedies.
We had our Saturday evening bath in the huge tin laundry tub and rinsed our hair with the help of a pitcher similar to what Robert Redford did for Meryl Streep in the movie Out of Africa (only we were way too young for any romantic ideas, but the water still felt good pouring through our hair).
We caught run-off rainwater from the roof in a barrel and the cistern. [Did I just read that collecting rainwater is against the law somewhere in the U.S.?] There was a hand pump outside with a dipper in a bucket (just like you see in old Westerns). It was there for the taking if you needed a drink of water. We all drank from the same dipper and poured any remainding water in the dipper over our heads to cool off.
Now that I've laid the groundwork and set the scene, the next entry will be about kids summer playtime in the country.
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Reply to Artist Anika:
Thanks Anika, for commenting once again on my blog entries. I do love to get your thoughts AND opinions if you ever feel so inclined. For example, in the second paragraph, I hesitated about putting all that detail in there, but that's exactly what the conditions were. Being from the city, it was a novelty to us.
As for chickens - I must admit I've sent a few to chicken heaven - gave them their last bit of cracked corn and even said a prayer for them. When I think about it now, I cringe at just the thought of what I would do for Sunday dinner. They were tasty rascals though. Well fed. ^.^
But all that was a few years later when I was older after our dad had bought some acreage and became a "weekend" farmer. The man across the road took care of the plowing, garden, and the few animals we had. I'll do an epilogue about that after this series (2 or 3 more parts to go).
The next installment is up on the Kids Buzz category - Playtime On A Farm. Living on a farm during summer vacation was fun, for sure.
A world of bare feet and 4-footed animals is definitely a Buzzing Kids World.
Hm, never been on a farm myself, though I've heard horror stories from my Grandpa about the food he had to eat and the beheading of chickens. Despite that, I've always thought the idea of a farm sounded fun. I love animals and would love to learn to horseback ride or milk a cow or something....something that doesn't include beheading. Lol.
I look forward to the next installment of this story. It's always fun reading new insights on different life styles. ^.^
I remember with such fond memories when my sister and I were little kids and we spent the summers on a farm during summer vacations in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia … windows wide open, curtains blowing in the breeze, screen doors banging, flypaper hanging over the dining room table, and the utensils upright in a pewter pitcher on the table - handy so you could take what you needed for the meal. There was no air-conditioning in those days, only roll-up blinds pulled down in the parlor to keep it cool in case company came to visit. 
We (and the other kids) ran barefoot on the cool green grass and sought relief in it from the rocks and stones we walked on. After the bottoms of our feet toughened up, there was practically nothing that could stop us. Yes, there were occasional cuts and nail punctures sometimes requiring a trip to see the town doctor; however, I don't remember him ever having to come to the house to give us treatment of any kind. There were many home remedies.
