One of my favorite pastimes is listening to stories about our area when someone is refreshing their memory of years ago. For instance a while back (which means days, weeks or month) our friends Ron and Marcia were here. One thing we can count on is going back to our childhood when we are around folks our age that lived in Oswayo Valley. That get together was no exception. One thing I learned last night........there was a bowling alley on Second St. and from what I gather it was where the saw mill use to be. It was a huge brick building and I don't know what it was before the saw mill. Ron remembered Dick was a pin setter. I didn't even know that and didn't realize the bowling alley was there. Of course I was a country kid. I only remember the bowling alley that is still on Academy St. and owned by Ross and Ellen Jones now. Years ago Durwood Van Epps owned it. Never was a bowler and the few times I tried it was more frustrating than fun, that ball never went the same way twice. Truthfully I am not athletic at all so spectator is my best sport.
It is fun "looking back" and remembering something that has been tucked way back in our memory files. Once a "remember when" is brought up everyone starts remembering and giving their input on how it was. Usually the first" remember when" ends up being quite a few, one thing leads to another memory etc.
There is a page on Face Book called "Shinglehouse Remember When". Like myself many are enjoying the pictures posted by Chris Hobson, from Shinglehouse and Lanny Lunn from Port Allegany. The pictures are wonderful and very clear to view. It's hard to believe so long ago our little town along with Millport, Coneville, Oswayo and Ceres were bustling with factories, trolleys, trains, hotels and mills. What happened? I have not a clue other than every tree was cut from our hills and forests. Maybe that was the start of the end for the bustling towns. Gone are the factories such as the glass and bottle plant in Shinglehouse and hotels. I'm sure the story is printed somewhere.
These small towns are now no more than a drive through on our way to bigger towns. Shinglehouse is the only one with a grocery store, drugstore, 2 gas stations, 2 doctor's offices and school. Wouldn't it be fun to slip back in time a see what it was really like? I'm sure it was not easy living then but the people probably thought it was so much easier that their parents had. I know from my mom's stories of growing up I can't imagine living through the Great Depression, WWI and WWII. Her father fled Germany in the early 1900s. Where I am today is quite satisfying.
Friday was fish fry. We like beer battered the best and usually we have fish every Friday night right at Cook'n by the Creek. It's an easy batter to make, 1 cup flour, 1 egg, salt, pepper and enough beer to make a batter about the consistency of paint. Make sure the fish is rinsed and patted dry before dipping in the batter. Fry in hot grease about 2 inches deep until golden brown on both sides. Lard or grape seed oil it my pick for frying and Icelandic Haddock is our choice unless we are lucky enough to have fresh Walleye from our Canadian friend. Dick makes the tartar sauce which is mayonnaise, relish, horseradish and a couple squirts of chipotle red hot sauce. So good, I even dip my French fries in it. That's it, fish and chips. Well, there was something else but that was much later, Perry's Ice Cream. For some reason ice cream tastes better on cold days than warm days for us. Maybe it is because it gets dark so darn early in the winter we think of food more. Either way about once a month we buy ice cream and tonight is the night and the flavor is......Bittersweet Coffee!
Saturday morning we decided to go to the Oswayo Valley Elementary School for Candy Cane Lane. There were 32 vendors set up and some great smelling food cooking too! The best part for me was some hello hugs from friends that I grew up with, worked with or friends of my family. It was wonderful seeing so many memories in one room. Thanks, Shirley Burrell, Sue Phillips, Nicky Howard, Mary Blanchard, Mary Kay Torrey and Colleen Hyde, it was great chatting with you all. I just had to use Shirley and Sue's maiden names. Makes me smile to remember the memories we have shared. That's the joy of growing up in our "little valley". At that time years ago we knew everyone. I don't think there was a house on any given street that we didn't know. As a matter of fact I'm sure if I went up every street I could remember just about everyone that lived in each house. Not so now, I see people downtown and wonder, who is that?
I was surprised and very happy to see husbands at the Candy Cane Lane, they gave my husband someone to talk to while I went solo looking at all the displays of the vendors. Shauna Jandrew Maxson and Olivia Jandrew had some awesome crocheted and knit items. If you are in for a specialty hat that is now in such demand give them a call. From what I see there is nothing they can't make! Adorable hats for little to big kids, the scarves that are knit by using your arm are gorgeous with beautiful large button to give them the "wow" and other items too. It is wonderful to see young girls doing such a nice job and something they will always be able to pass on to others. I only wish I would have taken my camera!
Speaking of "Passing it On" our grandson Kent just stopped in to take his Gramps hunting. There's that full circle. Dick was the one to take Kent hunting and trapping when he was young and now he is the one to take Gramps hunting. Nothing puts a bigger smile on our face and love in our heart than the grandkids. Here is a picture of Kent and Dick way back in 2000 heading out for a day of hunting.
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| Like we all say, "where as the time gone?" Seems like just a blink ago our kids were this little. |
