Happiest Childhood Memory (free, houses, the best, how much) - City-Data Forum

DBNN · 02-02-2007, 08:10 PM

Whats your happiest childhood memory. It could just be one happy moment, or a day that you'll never forget! Something that really touched your heart.
Thanks,
DBNN Husband

Sgoldie · 02-02-2007, 10:08 PM

Wow, there are several.

My dad had the most wonderful baritone singing voice, could have been a professional. He had the looks and charisma too. He sang endlessly at home and if he wasn't singing he was whistling. He was the most content, happy person I ever met and relished life to it's full.

Guess that's why I like music so much now. He was a great cook too. A joy to be around!

TakeAhike · 02-03-2007, 06:40 AM

I come from generations of farmers.

We all seem to be happiest---'Digging in the dirt'.

Red Georgia Clay, sand--all kinds of dirt.

My Dad loved his blueberry bushes and took great pride in the yard.

I have fond memories of the smell of fresh cut grass and he always seemed to feel more peaceful after cutting the yard.

My Mom --Tomatoes, cucumbers, assorted leafy greens, roses, camellias and almost any kind of flower that grows in the SE/US. LOL--she does not like mimosa trees or bamboo!!! Last year she had some incredibly large 'Moon Flowers'--large white trumpet shaped blossoms that hang down. Strange looking plant, imo.

I fondly remember having a very nice yard. Skated and rode my bike all around the neighborhood. A 'Kool Aid' kid---ate a lot of popsicles. Grape and Cherry are the Best.

pixieshmoo · 02-03-2007, 10:13 PM

Oh my god, there are too many!!!! My whole childhood was happy (except if I got punished for something LOL). I truly loved my childhood and only wish that my children could experience even half of the adventure, freedom, innocence and experiences that we did growing up in the 80's!!!! If I think of any specific, I'll be back, but I really mean it when I say, it was all awesome!!!

ElkHunter · 02-03-2007, 10:31 PM

I grew up on a farm in Eastern South Dakota. My brother and I used to say that we worked from "Can see, to can't see". We were in the field waiting for the sun to come up and we worked til we couldn't see anymore. Dad tried working us longer, but there was a problem with the headlights on the tractors. The wires kept breaking off.

When I was about 10 or 11, I figured out that if I broke the wire off the headlight, I wouldn't have to stay out so long. Summer days are long. We was already working from 5am til about 9pm every day.

One day, dad was over fixing the wire and he kind of looked at me out of the side and said, "You wouldn't know anything about these wires always breaking, would you?" I never lied to my father in my life. I kind of sheepishly said, "Dad, we work a lot of hours. I broke the wire off so I wouldn't have to stay out here all night." About then, he had the new wire hooked up. He kind of looked at me. Shrugged his shoulders. Grabbed a pair of dikes and cut the wire. He said, "I guess these headlights will never work." Put the dikes in his pocket and walked off. That was as close to an apology I ever had from my father. But I think at that time, he realized just how hard my brother and I were working. From that day on, Sunday was designated "Fishing day" Saturday afternoon, we all went to town. I say we all, Dad, my brother and I. I lost my mother when I was only 6 months old so it was just us three.

my3arabs · 02-04-2007, 09:26 AM

The x-mas of 1979 was the one and only x-mas that I loved. I was given my very first horse by a wonderful old couple that weren't my grandparents but I called them that.

I had been riding this lil mare, Yomah, since I before I could walk and my mother was their horse trainer. They saw how much I loved that lil mare and poof I was handed a bill of sale two days before x-mas. I was too young to understand what it meant till they told me she was mine. I still have the bill of sale 28 yrs later and many many great memories of great times with my friend Yomah!

TakeAhike · 02-04-2007, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgussler

I grew up on a farm in Eastern South Dakota. My brother and I used to say that we worked from "Can see, to can't see". We were in the field waiting for the sun to come up and we worked til we couldn't see anymore. Dad tried working us longer, but there was a problem with the headlights on the tractors. The wires kept breaking off.
He said, "I guess these headlights will never work." Put the dikes in his pocket and walked off. That was as close to an apology I ever had from my father. But I think at that time, he realized just how hard my brother and I were working. From that day on, Sunday was designated "Fishing day" Saturday afternoon, we all went to town. I say we all, Dad, my brother and I. I lost my mother when I was only 6 months old so it was just us three.

There is a poster in Georgia forum that wants stories of the rural south--that is just the sort of story he is looking for I think.

What a memory to have.

My grandfather might have said something like that. Had a farm just outside Atlanta during the Depression. 5 kids and they worked from sunup to sun down --had to. But, you know.(((Dads)))

SandyCo · 02-04-2007, 10:44 AM

One of my favorite memories was going to Laguna Beach with my dad and brother when I was 4 or 5 years old. We'd build sand castles; my dad would even bring a shovel! We also spent time exploring the tide pools, which were full of life back then (early 70s).

My dad would also carry me into the ocean, and I'd be clinging to him, looking down at all the water rushing around. I didn't get too wet, and I wasn't really scared. He was rock solid, so strong that even the mighty ocean couldn't knock him down!

(I e-mailed him about this memory a while ago, and his response was: "What a wonderful letter!", so if your parents are still alive and you have a favorite memory of them, tell them about it!)

MoMark · 02-04-2007, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgussler

I grew up on a farm in Eastern South Dakota. My brother and I used to say that we worked from "Can see, to can't see". We were in the field waiting for the sun to come up and we worked til we couldn't see anymore. Dad tried working us longer, but there was a problem with the headlights on the tractors. The wires kept breaking off.

When I was about 10 or 11, I figured out that if I broke the wire off the headlight, I wouldn't have to stay out so long. Summer days are long. We was already working from 5am til about 9pm every day.

One day, dad was over fixing the wire and he kind of looked at me out of the side and said, "You wouldn't know anything about these wires always breaking, would you?" I never lied to my father in my life. I kind of sheepishly said, "Dad, we work a lot of hours. I broke the wire off so I wouldn't have to stay out here all night." About then, he had the new wire hooked up. He kind of looked at me. Shrugged his shoulders. Grabbed a pair of dikes and cut the wire. He said, "I guess these headlights will never work." Put the dikes in his pocket and walked off. That was as close to an apology I ever had from my father. But I think at that time, he realized just how hard my brother and I were working. From that day on, Sunday was designated "Fishing day" Saturday afternoon, we all went to town. I say we all, Dad, my brother and I. I lost my mother when I was only 6 months old so it was just us three.

Damn, I choked up reading what your dad's response was upon learning the truth and you having been willing to state it. How cool was that?

MoMark · 02-04-2007, 05:07 PM

I have lots of great memories. When I was little, around six, seven, we lived in rural eastern Oregon in La Grande and my parents raised sheep on friend's ranch where we spent a lot of time. The Andersons were the family and they had two teenage girls, Lori and Angela. Angela was fourteen with big...um...I liked her a lot. Lori was always baking fresh bread.
My dad would be out riding the horses or working in cold/snow taking care of the sheep and horses and I was almost always with him. I still remember how wonderful it was when he'd pull me under his sheepskin wool-lined coat and I would be against his warmth and smell the tobacco in his pocket and I felt so SAFE! He always smelled like tobacco and leather which I loved.
I also remember when my parents got divorced and that first Christmas my sister and mother were living in an apartment together. We three took my mom's 1976 Volkswagon convertible out to find a Christmas tree. We found one, but it wouldn't fit in or on the car, so we opened the hood (front of the car) and laid it across the front and tied the hood shut! It looked like the car was eating the tree. We had eggnog and it was a cold northern California rainy day and I just remember it being so much fun and nostalgic.
I, like Pixie, also grew up in an area where we were virtually free during the daylight hours to do as we pleased. We lived out in the country and were forever racing our bikes down country roads to get to the lake or building forts out in the fields hoping the farmers wouldn't catch us, or picking fruit out of trees and eating them in the orchards, or racing to my grandmother's house where we'd arrive without warning and she'd automatically start making real chocolate milkshakes for us. I had a pretty carefree childhood. I think that same childhood is possible here in southwest Missouri where neighbors all take responsibility for all and any children and feed them if they end up at their houses and shuttle them around no matter whose they are.
I was a lucky kid.