Friday, November 14, 2014

Music and Memories

You can listen to sample tracks at Amazon

I've listened to Tingstad & Rumbel Christmas music for years. I love it. Right now it's what's playing on Spotify. With all the snow we've had, it is the perfect music for today.

Earlier today, when I took the dogs out at 6:15 AM (yes, because they still think it's 7:15 AM), I was thinking how thankful I am to have warm clothes to wear in our long winter months.

When I was a kid (get ready for this), we had black boots with metal buckles. We wore our shoes inside our boots and had to put plastic bread bags on our shod feet before sliding them into the boots. If we didn't do that, the boots would be really tough to get on and off. Also, we had wool mittens. They kept our hands warm until we got snow on them. We ended up with cold, red, nearly-frozen fingers, and when we went into the house, we'd hang the soaked mittens above the oil burner to dry. I still remember the smell of that wet wool as it got hot from the stove. Hm. I suppose that's what wet sheep smell like.



And you thought I had forgotten about him.
He's the 'real' Muker.


I don't remember ever feeling really warm outdoors (in the winter) when I was a kid, but we still played outdoors a lot. Built forts, went skating, etc.

Winter Uniform

I know I've posted this photo before, but thought I'd bring it back for a rerun on this cold, pre-winter day.
1. Wolverine hikers
2. Down-filled coat
3. Down-filled hood
4. Thick polar fleece hat
5. Ear Muffs (to wear over the hat)
6. Gloves
7. My cute little flip phone that's been replaced by a smartphone
8. Cuddle Duds long johns
9. Wigwam Merino Wool Sox
10. Denim jeans

Fill it and they will come.
First guest at the feeder.


View from the deck today
It's not going anywhere.

So here I am, feeling rather melancholy on this cold day, but I know it's mostly the Tingstad & Rumbel Effect.

Back to winter memories, do you have any childhood winter memories that come to mind? 


***

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Although I usually forget to do it, there is a chance that this post will be linked to one or more of these great linky parties:  Amaze Me Monday and Inspiration Monday and Mosaic Monday and The Barn Collective and    Treasure Box Tuesday and Vintage Bliss Tuesday and KatheWithAnE and Rubbish Tuesday and Our World Tuesday and Tuesdays at our Home and Tuesday with a Twist and  Knick of Time Tuesday (vintage)  and   Tweak it Tuesday and Vintage Inspiration Wednesday and Ivy and Elephants Wednesday and Adorned From Above  and Artsy Corner Thursday and  All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and Good Fences on Thursdays and  Time Travel Thursday and Freedom Fridays and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Saturday's Critters

45 comments:

  1. The year the icicles wouldn't go away! We lived in a huge old house with a wraparound porch when I was young, and one winter the icicles never left, they just kept growing longer and longer until the ones hanging from the porch nearly touched the ground!

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  2. Christmas music is banned in our house until at least December - but PLEASE remind me of T&R nearer the time and I'll give it a go. Can't believe how cold you guys get it out there. And if you don't stop feeling melancholy immediately, I will be forced to tell a bad joke. Which reminds me - and I need to put this into a post sometime - why is it that sheep don't shrink? Childhood winter memories - my brother chucking a snowball that hit me in the face, listening to a teacher read 'The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe', having black forest gateaux, schnapps and coffee in a forest in Germany (OK, maybe that wasn't childhood). Anyway, that's enough the moment.

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  3. I remember the boots that went over our shoes, but we didn't use plastic bags. You sparked lots of winter childhood memories. One of them was pulling up to school in daddy's car and seeing a nun on the curb telling us we wouldn't have it that day because of no heat. In our neighborhood school where everybody walked, that was the only time it happened in grades K-8. These days they close for wind chill and even a threat of ice!

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  4. It is cold here too and it triggers memories of scent of peanuts roasting on the stove in the living room... AHHHHH that smell was SO wonderful! Enjoy your day, the view and stay warm! HUGS!

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  5. Fun to read this --well fun on my part, probably not yours as your view is a bit melancholy. I suppose once you don all of that, you stay outside for awhile. I remember wearing boots like that to school--always over shoes with the plastic bags--although did we have plastic bags then? And even though in our suburban Chicago town we were half a block from school, our mom made us wear pants (we called it leggings) under our dresses…how I hated that. Just hated it. I remember when boots came out that you did not wear over your shoes. Quite something, But then you needed a bag to carry your shoes. :-)

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  6. I don't remember being all that cold as a child although when I went to my granny's and slept in the attic, in the morning we had ice on the inside of the window. I do remember putting many blankets and anything else on the bed to keep warm. Oh we are spoiled today.

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  7. Lovely view from the deck (if snow can be lovely!). It looks like you are well equipped to face the cold winter. I love down...haven't gotten a down coat yet, but I do have a couple down insulated vests which keep me nice and warm inside the house.

    My grandma made me wool mittens too! I think my best winter memories were sledding, building snow caves, and drinking hot cocoa!

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  8. I found myself laughing out loud at wearing plastic bags over my wool socked feet to make those feet slip in and out of the boots just fine. I remember frosty eyebrows and eyelashes . . . Ice skating as often as I could . . . Sledding often too . . . Fond memories of Winter Days!

    Really like your "Cranberry" Bird Feeder and your Downy like Woodpecker . . .

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  9. Oh Judy, that makes me cold just thinking about it!! I will not complain about our cold weather here. However I did get myself a knock off brand of ugg boots and I must say, they keep my tootsies very warm! Where have they been all my life?:)

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  10. Again I am struck by such differences. I didn't even see snow till I was around 10 years old and we bought a cabin in the mountains...Oh how surprised I was to discover you could get wet from the snow, lol. We had those boots you spoke about and wore both tights and socks and shoes under them to go out play and still our feet were red and frozen when we'd come in and strip it all off. I remember sitting in front of the fire place with my feet stretched out near the warmth for hours it seemed while our socks "dried" on the line behind us, lol. And I doubt I still saw the same kind of cold you do. It'd get down to maybe in the low teens or I remember once seeing the temp gauge reading 7! VERY different lives we lead. I remember thinking after spending a week in the snow that it added SOOOO much work to the day, lol. DUH!! Hope you have a good weel-end!

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  11. I found their Christmas Collection and have it playing now to see what they sound like... beautiful.. have not heard of them before today. i love youtube..
    i have never lived in extreme cold, the coldest would have been Kentucky, in the fifties, we had rubber boots that went over our shoes and gloves, can't really remember them though. don't remember ever being very cold even in the snow..
    winter wear here is a fluffy pair of socks for around the house instead of bare feet.
    love the shot from the porch, but don't want to be in it. stay warm, you are prepared, i can see that...

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  12. LOVE that woodpecker on the bird feeder. And how adorable that your dog has not yet adjusted to the time change. Have a super weekend :)

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  13. Judy, I remember those cold days with all the winter garb well, including the buckled boots. My mom tells of my brother coming home on the bus one day without his boots. When she asked him if he had forgotten them, he said he had given them to a kid who didn't have any boots, and he thought he could get another pair. I remember wet mittens on those old hissing radiators.

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  14. Ooooo...new music to try! I have never heard of this group, but I'll go have a listen.

    I mostly remember being bundled up like the Michelin man...even for a short walk or ride to school. My mom believed that we would "catch your death of cold" if we were not properly bundled. :)

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  15. Ah yes, buckle overshoes, bread sacks, and saddle oxfords - all a major part of my childhood. I also remember head scarves and mittens connected with a long string that went through my sleeves so I didn't lose one.

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  16. Good Morning!
    Freezing was a way of life as a child!
    Standing over the furnace duct was awarded to the child that could run faster. I love your list of the warm clothing, we must always be prepared. This last arctic blast hit so fast.
    Out trees still had their leaves on them.
    Thanks so much for visiting my blog; your soap is just wonderful I bet!
    You have a great blog here!
    Yours, Roxy

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  17. I have a lot of chilly memories of when we lived in Labrador..the coldest place I have ever been in my life. The white-outs, ski-dos, parkas, mucklucks..it was so cold my dad had to plug his car in, even when we went to the grocery store. Those are the memories I think of when I feel like I am whining about it being too cold at 30 degrees here in the south. It puts it all into perspective.

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  18. Morning, frosty is here...yes, learning to dress warm right of from childhood here in Winterpeg.... Love the birdy at the feeder, yes, fill it and they will come.Blessings Francine.

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  19. In 1958 we were snowed in for two weeks. We lived in the mountains and it was he heaviest snow ever recorded there. It was cold so there was no melting. We lived about 10 miles up the mountain from the nearest town. They came in with bulldozers and the snow was higher than the roof of our ranch house along the roadways. We had a dairy farm and the trucks could not get through to pick up the milk so we milked and dumped the milk out behind the barn. It was an adventure for us kids-not so much for our parents though.

    Great post-Judy. I don't ever remember being warm when we played outside either and those "boots" are what we called artics and I remember them well. xo Diana

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  20. we had those metal-buckle overshoes, too. the snow and ice would ALWAYS get in the buckles and make them hard to open back up and get off!

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  21. Wow, you got a woodpecker! Yes, I had the same boot problem, only no one used the plastic bags! In the coat room at school, I had to sit on the floor and it was a major deal to get them off.

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  22. I don't believe I ever got cold or wet feet as child, never wanted to quit playing outside, especially winter time too! But now give me all that super warm and cozy fuzzy stuff! It gets cold sledding and building snowmen these days!

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  23. I enjoyed this post so much. It rarely snowed here in GA but when it did, we used bread bags to cover our shoes to play in the snow. My funniest memory, is stepping out the door to go to church one Sun. a.m. Did not know there was ice on the steps...I slid Underneath the car to the otherside!!!!!

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  24. We loved to play in the snow! Usually my brother would "draft" us into his army and we would have to build a fort. Or we tunneled through the plow bank. Lots of sledding as our yard was hilly. And one year there was ice storm on top of the snow. We could walk around on top of it, it was so think. The brothers barrowed and old hammer and we played "mountain climbing"!
    We would wear two mittens at a time and come indoors to a new pair when they got wet. I think we must of had 30 pairs.... Very happy memories. I think that is why I still love mittens.....

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  25. Funny memory popped in my head - it was so nice to have two kids - we lived in Chicago - and then we didn't have to argue who was going to start the massive dressing routine to go outside - we both had one! I remember the black boots with the buckle too.

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  26. i have awesome childhood memories from my those old days. snow, playing in the snow, sleigh riding. hot cocoa. warm & cozy dinners with family. laughing. my brother picking on me. ( :

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  27. Boots over shoes... woolen mittens drying by a space heater... ah, yes!

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  28. Happy memories. :)

    I remember my hair would freeze if it wasn't completely dry before I went out to wait for the schoolbus. (We lived in Michigan.)

    Also...LOVE this quote from your sidebar:

    “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” - C.S. Lewis

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  29. I remember wearing miniskirts to school, and my mom telling me I would get fat knees standing at the bus stop in the winter because I would have to build up fat there to keep warm!
    Whenever I think of getting a dog, I remember that I'd have to do the early morning walks. Brrr,
    I had to look up Spotify, and compare it to Pandora, which I listen to. Spotify looks like something I might like even better. Thanks for mentioning it.

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  30. I'm late getting around to blogs today. You mentioned plastic bags and it made me remember getting ready for a day of ice skating on Buckeye Lake! We put on a pair of socks, then a plastic bag, then another pair of socks - then the ice skates. Of course there was thermal underwear under the jeans, a quilted coat over a sweater and a hat and gloves. We stayed out on the lake for hours and hours - and our feet stayed warm with the plastic bags on! No more, thank you very much!

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  31. Dearest Judy,
    As a kid we walked through high snow and indeed played for hours outside. Made us sleep tight like roses!
    Oh, keeping our bird feeders filled makes those feathered friends survive the winter too.
    Hugs and happy weekend.
    Mariette

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  32. I'll have to listen to that music some time. I don't think I've heard it before. You have a harsh winter ahead of you. I saw on the news how much snow you are getting! Hope you can find a way to stay indoors and keep warm.

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  33. When I see those pictures I am really missing the winters in Sweden, and your out fit looks perfect and right to me.
    We are heading in to a lovely season with all the decorations and music to keep us in the mood. I already have some Christmas CDs in my car, they keep my mood up when I'm stuck in traffic going home from work. I hope I'll see some snow when going to Philadelphia tomorrow.
    Enjoy your week!

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  34. I remember those overshoes. Your post brought back all kinds of memories of playing in the snow.
    I'm not ready for the snow but it is making me think of playing some Christmas music. I'll have to try to listen to what your playing.

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  35. Yes Judy - it's that time of year again where we wear layer upon layers!! thanks for reminding me - I need to get out and fill up my bird feeder today!!! STAY WARM!!

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  36. Have never heard of Tingstad OR Rumbel before! Listened on Amazon a bit, then added them to my Pandora Christmas station. Me happy! :) m & jb

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  37. Fun memories. I loved to sled, skate and build snow forts.

    I grew up in an OLD farm house. Each November we moved downstairs to sleep.So I had to close up my bedroom. Bring a few of my stuffed animals and other treasures. My sister and I would be sleeping in the dinning room until Spring.

    Good idea to give us a remainder of Winter gear. I usually pack a few extra gloves in the truck too.

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  38. We dressed much like you did but our rubber boots were brown instead of black and the bread bags were to keep our feet dry as the snow would inevitably get down inside the boots. We had home made wool socks knit by our aunt as well as the mittens. And wore big puffy snowsuits. My brother wore heavy wool pants that would get all balled up with snow just like the mittens. We walked several blocks to our school and I remember the snowbanks being so high that if you walked on they you could almost (or so it seemed) touch the telephone line. We didn't have a lot of snow days back then. Most kids walked to school. I remember the cloak room at the back of the class where we hung our outerwear. Lots of great memories of those days. Thanks for triggering them. ;)

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  39. I remember huge icicles and the snow seemed so deep..We used to get pulled by the car on our sleds..I love winter but I guess I'm not quite ready for this cold yet..Would be nice if we could just ease in to it...From 60 to 20 in one week???

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  40. Looks like you are properly outfitted for winter! It doesn't get as cold here, and I am a bit hot blooded anyhow, so I rarely put on much during the winter. It has to be below zero before I even button or zip up a coat. Gloves are pretty much an essential, however, because my hands get very dry and crusty. Grrr... I remember the galoshes with buckles! Hated them, LOL. I have L.L. Bean hiking boots that service me well if and when we have snow. I had to laugh when you said fill it and they will come (the bird feeder). Ain't that the truth?

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  41. We played out in the snow a lot too, and there was always plenty of it. I do remember hating these stretch pants type "leggings" I had to wear under my dress to kindergarten in the winter. After that, I think girls started wearing pants more. I also remember getting snow down inside my boots. Brrrrr...

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  42. I haven't thought about the smell of wet wool in a long time, but it was the smell of childhood winters. I grew up in Connecticut and it was cold for months. I'm not sure how I walked back and forth to school in a skirt under my wool winter coat. No lined boots and no down, and yes, we played in the snow all the time.

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  43. What a gorgeous coat that sheep has! The red-bellied woodpecker wasted no time getting dibs on the feeder. I remember it wasn't nearly as much fun and took much longer dragging the sled back UP the hill. I was always cold, too.

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  44. When I has young we didn't have central heat and air. I remember having lots of questions when we first got it.

    Anyhoo, we had a furnace in our big two-story house. Early in the mornings, before heading off to school, we would stand on the floor furnace to get warm. I actually miss those days.

    I am now following you via e-mail so I'll be sure to see your posts.

    Have a great weekend and stay warm! xoxo

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  45. I remember walking to school when I was younger following a serious of extreme snowfalls. The roads were impassible snow the snow plough came to do the business. The after effects of that walking home from school was having to climb onto and walk on a 3 - 4 foot high footpath.

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