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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Swingin' in the Summer Breeze



Life was just a tire swing.

'Jambalaya' was the only song I could sing.
Blackberry pickin' eatin' fried chicken
And I never knew a thing about pain.
Life was just a tire swing.
Jimmy Buffett



Ahhh....to be a kid once again....just a swingin in the breeze.

While time just stands still.
All is good with the world
when you're swingin' on a tire swing right?

When I was a kid we had one.  It hung from a large old oak tree in our front yard.  It was quite the attraction at our house.  We would swing like mad during the hot summer days, higher and higher we climbed with each shove.  My brothers and I could sometimes be found climbing the nautical ropes that the tire hung from about 25 feet in the air.
(Well that never pleased my mother!)

The stunts that could entertain a group of neighborhood kids during our daredevil shows.  Oooohing and ahhhing with each foot climbed, it was enough to take your breath away while you sipped your cup of red Koolaid.
The death-defying tailspin in which I would sit in the tire center and my brother would spin me at a rate of 50, yes 50 miles per hour folks....he,he. 
Okay it might of been 10 mph!

Twirling round and round, I would flip my head back to stare at the sky through the tree's canopy and my long hair would sometimes drag through the dirt...and I didn't pay any mind to it either.  That dirt washed out with each evening's bath.

Oh, we were never bored.  If you admitted to that, your mother made sure you had something to do. When you were bored you thought up stunts or shows with the neighborhood kids.  When you were sad you headed to the tire swing to do some thinking.  It was always home base too.  I often wondered where my brother hid that he was so quick to be waiting on that tire swing huming a tune when we arrived. 

We had a wood slat swing out back too.  For some reason that one just wasn't as popular though.  On the tire swing you could pile a handful of kids....ours was from a very large truck so it was quite big.

Life seemed so much simpler then.  Kids now are so interested in things with batteries and plugs. 

We didn't worry about that.  On a summer's morning you headed out the door as fast as you could throw your tennies on to meet up with the local kids in the field or fort and you planned your day from there.  The swing is long gone at my parents house and I will someday have to search through their pictures for an afternoon of my childhood of my brothers and I all piled on that old swing. 

My son found the joy of a tire swing while at his uncles and what a joy a summer afternoon could be.....It brought back a flood of wonderful childhood memories for me when I saw the fun he was having just swaying in the breeze!
Oh, the things we will remember!


Now onto an important announcement on the winner of the KINDRED SPIRITS SIGN GIVEAWAY....
I'm sorry I'm getting this up so very late, we had company this evening and well you know how it goes when you start talking about good times with loved ones....the hours get away from you!

I want to start out by saying how much I enjoyed the stories of your Kindred Spirits you have each found.  They were truly inspiring stories of women starting their family and getting support from a K.S. from across the country.  The grandmother one had never met, the women who have sent words of encouragement, support, gifts, money and prayers to one another.  Even the ones who have met one another and gained a family member or friend in person!  It makes you know the world is a much warmer place with folks like that around, even if you cannot physically sit with them!   Thank you to those of you who put a link on your blogs too.

After reading all the comments it would have been difficult to pick just one since I enjoyed each story told.  I also tallied up the commentors, posters, and customers adding to the grand total of entries...so I use the random number generator.  And do you know what happened?  It chose a single digit number...I haven't seen this before but it chose #2.........out of 95 entries!



Congratulations to Kathleen Grace
You have won the Kindred Spirits Sign....


Check out her adorable blog for inspiration and good ideas...
who knows you may find another Kindred Spirit there!

Thank you all for your entries and sharing your beautiful stories.
As usual, I wish that I could give each and everyone who comments here a sign of their own...but I can't, sorry!   But, if you are still interested in this sign for yourself or as a gift for your Kindred Spirits I will be extending a bonus discount of 10% off to those of you who took the time to comment and customers who have ordered this year.

I will be listing it in the Mercantile in the coming days so when placing your order let me know that you were a commentor and your profile name so I can adjust the invoice.

Have a great week!
Take care,
Dee

17 comments:

  1. Love the story about the tire swing. We didn't have one, but the community house had one, and you're right it was fun. I agree, too much technology for kids to appreciate the simple things in life. I try to get my kids interested in the little things, hoping they will find it is better for them and the world, if that makes sense. Great post :)

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  2. AHAHAHAHA! The memories ! I as a child loved the old swing, I would swing for hours listening to nature, watching the sun set or just flowing with the breeze ! Thanx for memory !

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  3. Oh my gosh! I won!? WooHoo!!! Thank you so much!You made my day:>)

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  4. I couldn't agree more...when we put up tire swings the fun seemed to never end! We have two "regular" ones, then two that are horse and dragon-shaped...oh, they inspire the imagination! A good reminder for us to enjoy the simple things of life.

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  5. Congrats to the winner and your little one too cute. Emelia

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  6. I think I am going to have to put up a tire swing for my grandsons. Kids need to learn to play outside and I know this would entice them to go play. thanks for the memories.

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  7. I loved the tire swing post! There are so many memories that flooded my mind about a swing on my grandparents farm growing up! Nothing really beats that...those were the days for sure!

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  8. thanks for the trip down memory lane. it really took me back. :)

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  9. How I miss childhood summers. Life was easy then!

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  10. Hi Dee,
    Such great memories! I could never swing long and I still can't, if I do it has to be very slow.. You see I get motion sick.. Not a pretty site to behold LOL.
    We have a swing in the back yard and I love to go out and just swing ever so slowly and my husband comes out to sit with me and starts moving the swing faster..He thinks its funny, NOT! LOL.
    A very sweet post. Have a good day, big hugs~Elizabeth

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  11. This Ozark farm chick never had a tire swing but I do have wonderful memories swingin'. I would spend time with my Granny Walden and we would take the cheese and crackers to the old porch swing hung in a big old shade tree. I'd snack as Granny told her tales of growin' up. Your little guy is just adorable!

    From the happy hills and hollers of the Missouri, ya'll have a wonderfully blessed day!!!

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  12. Ahhh...what a lovely post, Dee. Your little one is a cutie. I feel so sad for the children of today who don't know the wonders of exploring outdoors during their childhood. I say 'unplug' and see the sights outside your door.
    Thanks for sharing with us all.
    ´*•.¸(´*•.¸♥¸.•*´)¸.•*´
    ♥•.*.Thank you.*.•♥
    ♥•.*.from Vicki.*.•♥
    ¸.•*´(¸.•*´♥´*•.¸)´*•.¸

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  13. Such a sweet blog ! I just found you and joined up to follow. I'm a fellow jersey girl from Bergen County and have heard of the Pine Barrens, but really know nothing about them. You definitely make them look wonderful !

    thanks for sharing ~
    gena
    www.thehouseonlavenderhill.blogspot.com

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  14. The Lazy Days Of Summer~Don't you just love them!!!
    We had a tire swing too growing up... My Dad would give us these great big pushes that we would call "Underdogs"~Such fun!!
    Thank you for sharing the fun memories.
    Blessings,
    Carissa

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  15. Oh shucks..(as I snap my fingers)..LOL
    I realy was hopin to win but congrats to the winner anyway.. I'm a bit sad though I love your sign.. Is it for sale???? Well any how I love your story on the tire swing and the pics of your lil boy he looks like he is havin quite a delightful time.. Boy wouldn't it be awfully nice to be a lil girl once again for a day.. Havin fun in the ole outdoors with the breeze flowing through your hair as you swing under the old oak tree.. Well come and visit me sometime sweet dee..
    Tootles..
    Shabby T
    shabbytammie.blogspot.com

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  16. Hi Dee! Thanks for stopping by my blog and signing up to follow me! I'm your newest follower too. Great pics of the tire swing! Have a wonderful day, Nan

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  17. Hi Dee,
    Thank you so much for stopping by!!! I would love to put you on my list once I go private, I would need your email address though to do so... If you would still like, you can put it on a comment to me and I WILL NOT publish it.
    I so enjoy your blog too! Can't wait until the next post!
    Carissa

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