A Blast from the Past. To all those born between 1930 and 1979. (Bethpage: military, trip)

[ClarkStreetKid]

Hey NB, in regards to snow forts, the corners where the plow would pile the snow were our favorite places to build. Some years we'd get piles on two adjacent corners making snow ball fights even better.

[nbres]

Originally Posted by ClarkStreetKid

Hey NB, in regards to snow forts, the corners where the plow would pile the snow were our favorite places to build. Some years we'd get piles on two adjacent corners making snow ball fights even better.

I Remember. Those were the days. What about sledding down the street. We would tie our German Shepherd up to the sled and try and get him to pull us.

[scammed1]

Somewhere in Valley Stream I recall a place that had a nice hill. We would go with our sleds and tobaggans. Some really creative kids actually used those round silver garbage can lids. We would sleigh down the hill and most of the time we stopped right before we would head into the creek that was covered with snow. After enough sledding we would head home and do the snow angel thing, snow ball fights and just leaving footprints in the snow.
When mom asked us to shovel the snow all of a sudden we became tired and too cold. Had to come in for that hot chocolate.

Just FYI-

If you have kids a book that brings back those days is Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.

[ClarkStreetKid]

I remember being around 9 or 10 and spending some days ice skating and sledding at Belmont Lake State Park. In the 60's I remember the state even selling hot chocolate on the cheap. The idea of being that young and unsupervised except for the park workers is something that I wish my kids had more of. NB was great because you could get to the park and the only busy road you had to cross was Belmont Ave.

[scammed1]

Where exactly was Belmont State Park?
I vivedly remember VS State Park but not Belmont. (OK, here come those early senior moments)

[ClarkStreetKid]

Belmont Lake State Park is right off the Souther State Parkway between Belmont Ave and Deer Park Ave exits if memory serves. The area of the SSP known as the Pines was originally the entrance drive to the old Belmont Estate. I haven't been there in awhile but it as a really nice park with plenty of trails ( a very nice painting of one hangs in my living room ), playgrounds and of course the row boats. It even had a playhouse in the little kids playground where they'd read stories to the kids.

[scammed1]

The rowboats-we had those at VS SP. After we had parades for Memorial Day, 4th. of July seems the entire neighborhood headed to the park. We picniced all day, grilling the burgers and hotdogs. Most of us would rush to the rowboats.
Belmont Park was a little further out on the island I guess. Since we had VS that is where we went for all the occassions.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by nbres

I Remember. Those were the days. What about sledding down the street. We would tie our German Shepherd up to the sled and try and get him to pull us.

We used to sled in the local sump (it was empty save for a frozen inch of ice at the bottom.) It was the only hill in our flat, south shore neighborhood.

[ClarkStreetKid]

Speaking of sumps, ever go exploring the tunnels?

[nancy thereader]

This post is silly because it has an agenda. This idea that lawyers and politicians have screwed up the country, it is all conservative nostalgia.

I'm not quite sure what you mean. How is reminiscing about one's childhood having an agenda ? Those of us who grew up in America in the fifties and sixties were probably among the most fortunate people on the planet , although we did not know it at the time. I am not sure how the recognition of this is having an agenda.