Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Old Ways - Old Things -- It's ALL NEW Again!

You know I'm right!!!
I sit back and watch people, and all these new TV shows, and You Tube videos that promote the very things my grandparents did, my parents did, and I still do!
I know many of you embrace the older ways as well.  I guess we are just trendsetters and pioneers!!!!

I remember back, that Mom used every spare piece of material she had to make clothes or quilts.  She altered clothes all the time.  So many of us do this same thing today.  Many of you love quilting, and I know there are several who like to re-invent clothes into newer styles, or just make new craft projects from them.

What I find hysterical, is the young gals and their fashions.  They all think they "invented" the look.  Can we all say "been there - done that"?  LOL
My nieces are wearing what I wore in high school, and can't believe their old Aunt could have ever been so cool!!!

Any how, things are coming back into style, trend, or maybe people are beginning to see the reality in front of them!

 
It's pretty isn't it.  I know many of us are striving to have this type of pantry.  It used to be the norm.
 
Aint it the truth!!!  Now with off the grid living, Doomsday Preppers, and those of us who feel IT will hit the fan in our lifetime - it's called PREPPING!
My parents were sure ahead of their time - NOT!  That was how we got fed.  Had it not been for that lifestyle, many of us wouldn't be here today.

Solar and wind power - new fangled notions!  NOPE - been harnessing those things for years and years.  Farms used to have windmills to pump water and harness power.  I even cool my house with wind power a good part of the summer - and that 'solar stuff' well it is just amazing.  It can heat up a house, run your appliances, grow your garden................ well shoot it is pretty awesome stuff!
What a notion!

Who remembers this guy?  I used to get so excited when it was milk day!  MAYBE I could talk Mom into buying what I thought was REAL ice cream or popsicles.  She made those things at home - but it wasn't the same.  Remember, if you didn't collect it quickly on a frigid cold day - and the milk froze and popped over the top? 
Well younger generation think they have found this wonderful new thing called milk delivery.  There are a few companies that are doing this again.  I am sorry - but it will never be the same!


I like 'old' things - except at my house they are just normal items.  I use old jars for storage, have many hand powered appliances and gadgets that have been in constant use for the past 60-70 years by someone.  I love aprons (they are coming back too).  I enjoy sewing (coming back).  I hang my laundry outside.  I cook from scratch.  I garden and preserve my food.............................
You see where I am going with this - ALL THINGS OLD ARE NEW AGAIN! 
Isn't it amazing - that our ancestors actually had it right to start with?!!


I do love my vintage tablecloths.  They may have a stain or two, but in my eyes that truly means they are vintage!  Vintage is the NEW thing now.  Folks are after vintage clothes, furniture, appliances, accessories, you name it!
I guess I fit in - I have 'original' vintage!!!!  I guess you could call me vintage as well.


Well gang, I guess I have digressed enough for one day.
You all know that this is all true - as most of you are just like me.  We love the 'old' ways.  It makes life seem a bit more simple and down to earth.
It is up to us to keep these things going, if at all possible, for the younger generations.  Once all of us "preppers" or "old-fashioned" folks leave this earth - so much will die out.
These things have lived on through so many generations - I hope they continue to in the future.

WHAT old ways or old things DO YOU still keep alive?  Let's trade some stories or ideas!


 
I do indeed long for a simpler time. 

20 comments:

  1. I love the old ways, Cheryl. I can food we've grown, cook from scratch, hand clothes to dry, make clothes out of things we've outgrown. I am making cloth pads for my daughter right now using thrift store material and baby flannel blankets bought at yard sales. I love this kind of life.

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    1. Belinda - whew - I am glad it's not just me. There is so much to be said about the lives that we lead.
      We are learning each and every day and we enjoy it along the way. Not a lot of people can say that for sure.

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  2. Cheryl, after being 'odd' or 'different' for so many years, we are finally in 'vogue!' How about that!!!

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  3. I remember the milkman that left bottles of cold milk on our steps. Somehow this stopped and Mom bought her milk at the grocery store. We got a larger fridge as well. The vintage tablecloths are charming. They add atmosphere to our homes. I hope I can find some more as mine were ruined in our house fire. The hunt will be fun as I hope to stumble upon some more.

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    1. Deanna I remember we had a milk 'box' on the front porch. Suddenly things changed and the grocery store was the new 'hot' place to be!

      I hope you can find replacements for your table cloths. The hunt is always fun!
      Sorry for the losses you suffered in a fire.

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  4. I love the old ways. They are not always as easy but they are satisfying that's for sure. I don't remember the milkman but we had a milk door on the side of the house. I remember making ice cream in the summer and snow cream in the winter. I find that I'm a mix of old and new. I just can't do it all but I find myself doing what I can and loving it.

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    1. Vickie I agree, I think I am a combo of old and new ways as well. Some things are great and convenient and I would hate to lose those - but other things just somehow seem a better fit when done the old fashioned way.

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  5. I'm with you Cheryl. The daughters boyfriend had a bit of an aha moment here not so long ago. We were gifted a huge bag of mandarins. When the BF was peeling his mandarin the daughter got him to put his peelings into a big jar of other skins steeping in vinegar. At first he couldn't believe we would do such a thing. He works in the solar industry and he was cleaning something with an orange based cleaner. He suddenly realised I was making the same thing from what we had at home, and that what I made was many dollars less than the cleaner he was using. He isn't laughing so much at what I do anymore.

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    1. Oh I love that! A fantastic learning moment for sure.
      They don't always believe us at first, but many have that moment when they realize we aren't so crazy!!!!

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  6. I use aprons to preserve my clothing from food splatters when I cook homemade meals, and yes homemade meals are good to do, now we can get them 'delivered' and 'all you have to do is cook them up.' Remember home delivery service from grocery stores? That is now available too. I guess we are busier than ever so those old ways (when we were really and truly busy) are back in vogue for sure.

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    1. Ellen isn't it amazing that it all comes back around? We had a small store that would deliver when I was younger, but I don't think we ever really used that feature.
      I have heard of the meals delivery that you cook - I can't imagine that it is cheap by any means.

      I guess my pet peeve is that "we are busier than ever". We all need to slow down a little and enjoy this journey!

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  7. I love this post!
    My Mom's pantry would look like this when I was little. I remember her lining up her jelly jars on the window sill for a few minutes, so she could admire the sun shining on them. They looked like jewels! I so miss Mom and Dad, and I miss their wisdom. So much has been lost.
    So you think IT will happen in our lifetime? I have been feeling the nudge to be more prepared. What are the most important things that you think we should stock up on these days? I need to go back and look at your past posts too. Thanks1

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    1. Kathy, I remember those days as well. Funny, I still like to stand back and admire my canning because it looks so pretty. I miss my folks so much as well. I learned a lot from them, but still have so many questions that only they could answer.

      Well I am in my early 60's and healthy, so MAYBE in my lifetime IT will happen. I see war as inevitable in the near future. There are so many crazies in this world, you just never know.

      I want to be prepared with enough food, and supplies for at least a year - 2 in many cases. You will need water (just in case). This is where I lack. I do have a system to catch rain water and a manual filtration system (we made) that will clean just about any water for drinking.
      You need an alternative heat source or a good way to stay warm for you and pets. (Never forget them)
      How to books, first aid, LOTS of knowledge about the old ways, oh geesh I could go on and on.
      I have done posts a while back about this. You may go back to the beginning and read along.

      I don't mean to sound like a worry wart - but I think we are about due! I just want to be as prepared as possible in any catastrophic event!
      Hope that helps.

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    2. That is awesome that you want to be able to have a year of food and supplies! I think that I will start building up a 3 month supply and work up from there. I would love to know how you made a manual filtration system. Thanks!

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    3. We all have to start smaller and then build up over time. It has taken me a long time to get to this point.
      3 months is a great start!

      I guess my worry is the grocery stores. We all know what happens if the weatherman just mentions snow! Stores only have 2-3 days worth of supplies - so if trucking and shipping isn't happening - well we are simply screwed!

      I think I may have to do a post of the water system - it may help several people.

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  8. HI Cheryl, I am a mix of the old and the new also. I enjoy making our bread, but I mix and knead it in my big Kitchenaid mixer because I just don't have the strength in my hands to do it all by hand anymore. I love aprons and wear them when I am cooking and frequently when I am in the garden because those big pockets come in handy to drop beans and things in. ;) I line dry most of our laundry, have a garden, preserve food, and we have family members that hunt and fish and provide us with healthy meat. I mend clothing and darn socks and cut the buttons off clothing that needs to be turned into rags. I used to crochet and am thinking I should get back into that.

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    1. Debbie, it is so nice to hear that so many people are still keeping a lot of the 'old' ways alive.
      I guess to us - they are just THE way to do things. Hopefully the younger folks in your family are watching and learning too.

      I think most of us are a little of both - hard not to be.

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    2. Both my girls are very similar to me in many ways. Our Heather cooks from scratch and is teaching herself to sew. Our Rachel is also learning to cook more and more from scratch and is an expert at budgeting.

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    3. That is great. Those are great things to know. Love that Rachel is an 'expert at budgeting'. A life lesson that is essential to prosper.

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