I happened across a photo of an antique John Deere tractor yesterday, pictured at left. This machine was well before my time although I could not find the date of the antique.
The photo as compared with my current John Deere mower, shown below, indicates that it is probably one of the first tractors manufactured by the famous J.D. firm since the wheels were steel with cleats instead of the modern day rubber tires.
There were no specifications accompanying the photo, as to the power of the machine available, nor were there any explanation as to why the cleats on the wheels were essential. I take it for granted that the above machine was designed for work in the fields, and /or new grounds, rather than to mow domestic lawns.
I do know that very few rural folks maintained a smooth and well cared for yard in the olden days when this antique was in its hey-day; and, even then, homeowners would object to the steel cleats digging into the surface of their yards. Instead, they kept a weed free, swept, landscape.
The few city dwellers that insisted on grass in their yards, relied on a push- mowers for keeping the grass trimmed. I experienced the drudgery of using a push, reel-type, mower as a teenager and even when my child-bride and I were trying to keep up with the Jones’ by sowing grass in the yard of our first home.
In later years, and with the both of us working, we were able to afford a power, rotary, push mower; but it was close to our retirement years before we were able to sit on a comfortable seat, turn a key, and let a machine do all the work.
The ease of lawn mowing was not necessarily to our advantage since we were then required to resort to diets and additional exercise in attempts to control our ever expanding waistlines. However, we did enjoy a more laid-back lifestyle, even though it was detrimental to our health.
Now, in the twilight of our advanced years, we can accept or reject the fact that we are keeping twenty-eight Doctors employed full time.
It’s true that we’ve come “A long way, Baby.”
And the medical profession appreciates it.
Demijon
February 26th, 2010
Posted by
demijon |
Uncategorized |
no comments
I can vividly remember a time when females would not venture outside the home without full length dresses complete with long sleeves and even stockings. Anyone breaking this dress code would immediately be branded as immoral, promiscuous, brazen, and in extreme instances a fallen woman, or even a slut.
Not only was this code strictly enforced, their actions were also subject to scrutiny. Very few of the fairer sex would chance being observed entering an establishment that served any form of alcoholic beverages. In fact, most would cross a street rather than walk by a den of iniquity such as described above. To all outward appearances, their virtue was beyond approach.
So strict were the customs of this time, care was taken on washday to exclude any article of female underclothes (unmentionables) from the outside clothesline. They were dried within the confines of the house and immediately stored out of sight from any visitors who happened to drop in unannounced.
If anyone from this period had even imagined that one day, they could open a magazine, or turn on a television set and view women dressed in low cut mini-dresses, sitting on a bar stool, nursing tall drinks and exchanges four-letter words with the opposite sex, they would have regarded it as so much fantasy.
But; they had their own ways of verbalizing which was, at least, as emphatic as the words and phrases used by their male counterparts. Examine, if you would, a gathering of neighborhood wives and daughters at one of the more popular events of this by-gone era, the quilting party.
“Dad blame it, I stuck the needle in my finger again.”— “If you weren’t so all-fired interested in Mertis’s problems, it wouldn’t have happened.”— “Dezzie tole me that she was that way.”— “Lan’ sakes, the wedding ain’t ‘til next month.” — “I swannie; she an that boy both ain’t nothing but roun-here-buddies.” — “Y’all don’t breath a word of this but Orville said he seen them at th’ Wal-Mart t’other day an’ her bosoms were just a’shining.”— “Law-law, you can’t expect nothing better from somebody what was just snatched up by the hair of her head.”— If she really is that way, when is she supposed to get down?” — Dezzie sez, th’ middle of August. “Dag nab it, Maude, put some more cotton in that hole you’re working on.”
“Lonnie said he passed by the Rollins farm yesterday an’ they was a whole bunch of bloomers and teddies hanging on the clothesline.” — “Bless their hearts; what do you expect from somebody that was raised up there in Maryland?”
“It’s just not decent, Allie; that’s all.” — “Bless pat, look at the time. I’ve got to git home and git Jed’s supper before time to milk.” “Bye y’all.”
Demijon
Now you know. And remember, you heard it here first.
February 26th, 2010
Posted by
demijon |
Uncategorized |
no comments
I happened across a photo of an antique John Deere tractor yesterday, pictured at left. This machine was well before my time although I could not find the date of the antique.
It’s true that we’ve come “A long way, Baby.”
