This week's Sepia Saturday theme screams baby carriage to me, and I found this picture of my Mom, Jody, when she was around 5 years old (c. 1942), pushing her doll carriage out on the farm. The girl in the prompt photo looks a bit young to be the baby's mother, so I have expanded on the baby carriage theme to include family members helping each other.
Mom, you had such beautiful long hair! Those shoes look a bit big though. I wonder if you borrowed them from somebody so that you could play outside and not get yours all dirty. Oh! Mom just emailed me about the shoes:
Hi Kathy,
The shoes were sturdy leather. We are talking about life during the 2nd world war. We all had stamps for different things. The shoe stamps had to last for some time. I don't remember how often. If you out grew your shoes, tough luck to get more shoes.
Can you imagine that happening now?
Mom
Since last week's post about "The Saggy Baggy Elephant" was such a big hit, I decided to scan the 1962 Little Golden Book, "We Help Daddy" for this week. It was written by Mini Stein and illustrated by Eloise Wilkin. My daughter Kristin wrote her name in as the owner, but then it was crossed out in green crayon, most likely by her older sister Kari. Kari must have sensed a pattern going on with Kristin making claim to their books and did her best to undermine that process. It wouldn't be the first time! Anyway, I hope that you enjoy this sweet book, and remember, you can click on each photo to enlarge them for easier reading.
So, there you are, my friends. If you enjoyed this story, please visit my Sepia Saturday friends by "CLICKING HERE" to find other neat photos and stories. To read more about my family and other stories featuring old photos, memories and more, please look for this picture of me and my dad on the left-hand sidebar and read whatever else catches your fancy. Thanks so much for visiting!
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| Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews |
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At Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy, if you miss a day, you miss a lot! All material on this post is copyrighted and not for use without my permission ...Please click here to go to my home page and see what is happening in Mayberry today.  |
What amazing chidren, where Daddy ad Mommy get them from and why weren’t mine like that?
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet book and what perfect kids and parents. A book of the way things should be. Goodness they sure got a lot done.
ReplyDeleteNell, you are so funny!
ReplyDeletePatti, that is exactly what I thought, that and that I became worn out by just reading the book. I thought, dang, I used to get a lot done when I was younger. I'm glad that I had my kids when I did (when I had the energy, lol.)
What a delightful post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Connie :)
Just the sort of book I remember from my childhood - what an amazing Daddy, and why can't I find the energy to do all the chores like that?
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet book and a sweet post! Little Nell made me LOL. I was wishing I'd had a husband like "Daddy!" Except the pipe. And maybe his fashion sense. ;)
ReplyDeleteYes,Daddy Smoked A Lot!!!
ReplyDeleteYour mom looks like a good mother taking her baby for a walk but those shoes look like they might last until the end of the war, size wise.
ReplyDeleteI have the golden book "We Help Mommy" and the little tykes are just as amazingly helpful in that one too. I think the thing is, kids can be helpful but even wonder dad would not do all of those chores in one day! At least around here each one might have taken one day.
I had the same thought as you -- your mom had beautiful long hair. I always wanted those sausage curls, but I never had long hair. As for that book --no wonder people think their own lives are wrong. Who could live up to that? (although wouldn't it be nice??)
ReplyDeleteYour mom was a beautiful child, a lovely pram she had. I guess the shoes had to last a while! I loved to play with dolls and prams and always thought my three girls would do. They never have, so I bought them prams and dolls, all neglected. I wonder if
ReplyDeletechildren today play with dolls. My 16 year old grand daughters did not play with dolls and my 9 year old neither! The picture books have changed too! Now they have an Ipad!
Thanks for this great post, Kathy.
It must have been hard to push the doll carriage on the rough ground.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you needed shoe stamps during the war. Amazing. The book is too cute.
ReplyDeleteNancy
No prams in the book but I was glad to see that the children could get a ride in the wheelbarrow.
ReplyDeleteYour mother had lovely hair.
Enjoyed your post! I didn't know about stamps for shoes either. I know I had a book similar to this one - certainly the same illustrator. Now I wonder what happened to it...
ReplyDeleteKathy, this is such a fun post. Your mother was an adorable little girl with such pretty hair! I LOVE Eloise Wilkins artwork - this book reminds me of my favorite all-time Golden Book entitled "Little Mommy". Very similiar in looks to your book. Thanks for taking the time to scan this book - I thoroughly enjoyed seeing it.
ReplyDeleteA lovely photo on the theme, made even better by the explanation of the shoe size! The book made me laugh mainly because of Daddy's pipe on every page. A curious accessory even then, maybe a secret subliminal propaganda by the tobacco industry?
ReplyDeleteLovely picture of your mom, even in these difficult times.
ReplyDelete:)~
HUGZ
I really enjoyed your post. It was great to see your mum's comment about the shoes. Makes me think that I really need to get mum to go through her photos and tell me stories about them.
ReplyDeleteAlso loved your little golden book. I had that one too. I remember getting it when mum was about to have my youngest sister (a hint that she was going to need our help) and my sister got one about mum bringing the new baby home.
Keep them coming :)
I love that photo of your mom. I was about 6 in 1942 and remember the rations used back then. Love the story of the shoes. Wonderful children's book.
ReplyDeleteQMM
Your Mom's shoes looks sturdy enough to go for miles with the pram, probably stopping just long enough for the photo:-) The picture book is lovely. No wonder daddy does not appear on the last page he is probably asleep, with or without his pipe I don't know.
ReplyDeleteI love your mom's pram with its pattern quite like the one on the prompt. The picture book does bring back memories!
ReplyDelete