"Summertime and the Living is Easy......."

LtoR Betty, Ronald & Ramona Lynam
Trixie on the kitchen stool. Aug. 1, 1951


Summers were easy when we were kids. When we woke up in the mornings we peeled off our nightgowns and pulled on a dress - no shoes - not even flip-flops. We probably didn't even brush our hair before eating some cereal or toast and running outside to play.

Our hair was combed in this picture and our dresses were probably better than everyday ones, but still no shoes. We only had a month left before school started; third grade for me and first for Betty which means Ron would have been going into sixth grade. We would have a new teacher that fall - Vera Kimball. She would stay at Jasper #2 until it closed when Les was in Kindergarten.

It would be a few more years before we started wearing shorts and t-shirts during the summer. And 'baby-doll' p.j.s would replace the nightgowns. It was so hot upstairs in the summer. For some reason it seemed 'baby-dolls' were cooler to sleep in than nightgowns. I do remember that when we did begin wearing shorts, we were embarrassed if someone drove in and saw us.

Betty and I spent our days playing in the sand box, making mud pies, playing cowboys and Indians, playing house or having tea parties and, our favourite, trying to sneak out to play in the stock tank without getting caught.

We also spent a few days with Grandpa & Grandma Ridnour or at Grandma Lynam's. I never wanted to admit I got homesick but the first thing I would do when I got back home was pick a fight with Ron or Betty or do something to make Mom yell at me just so I could cry. Once I cried I was o.k. - the homesick feeling was gone.

Ramona & Queenie; Betty in our buggy. June, 1955

Four short years later and we were old enough to harness the horse to the buggy and take water to the hay field and to threshers in the oat field. That was so much more preferable than staying in the house to help Mom get dinner for the men who came to help. It seemed there was time to help do the dishes though before jugs of cold water would be needed again!

Our horse and buggy was also used for pleasure rides especially if some of our cousins were visiting. I remember the summer bumble bees made a nest in the seat of the wagon. We knew they were there but decided to go for a ride anyway. Cousin Frank Childers was standing behind us. He decided it would be fun to jump up and down which stirred up the bumble bees. They started stinging us and Queenie. The horse started running. By the time we got her stopped we were halfway up the lane at the other place. We all jumped out. Frank & I started running back home. Betty was more concerned about Queenie. She unharnessed the buggy and led Queenie home. Betty was the only one who didn't get stung.

Now that we are retired, summertime living is once again easy. There is no alarm clock going off, no schedule which has to be kept, air conditioning when it gets really hot and humid and a nearby library full of books to be read.

Happy First Day of Summer!!