Things growing up have fallen by the wayside

[Stormy Kromer]

What was your knickname for this activity? We called it "skitching"

We called it bumper skiing.

 

[Badger]

At 3-5 yrs old (1951) living in Arlington Va. an old black man in an old truck would drive down the street selling fruit and vegetables. He would drive slowly in the neighborhood singing out what he had to sell that day. We called him the Watermelon Man since watermelon was part of the song during the summer. I used to ride my tricycle down the sidewalk calling out watermelon to play like him. He was a gentle man and a treasured memory of mine.

Cheers!

 

[Koolau]

People had chickens in town that were fenced in was a common thing also. I don't see that anymore.

With the price of eggs now it would be a money maker today.

When I was a child, I had neighbors with chickens and they always got out. They loved picking through my dad's cornfield after harvest (dad didn't miss much, but the chickens always found some.)

Now, 65 years later, I wake up to roosters crowing outside. Honolulu has a huge problem with feral chickens. I've seen plans to spend millions to "fix" the problem. I'm thinking "chicken dinner." YMMV

 

[street]

When I was a child, I had neighbors with chickens and they always got out. They loved picking through my dad's cornfield after harvest (dad didn't miss much, but the chickens always found some.)

Now, 65 years later, I wake up to roosters crowing outside. Honolulu has a huge problem with feral chickens. I've seen plans to spend millions to "fix" the problem. I'm thinking "chicken dinner." YMMV

That is very interesting! I would never have thought that.

Only thing I hear at daybreak are coyotes signaling the start of a new day.

 

[braumeister]

At 3-5 yrs old (1951) living in Arlington Va. an old black man in an old truck would drive down the street selling fruit and vegetables. He would drive slowly in the neighborhood singing out what he had to sell that day.

In my neighborhood there were a number of similar vendors. They were of widely varied ethnicity, and the big difference was that they used horse-drawn wagons.

One had vegetables, one was a grinder who sharpened knives, one was a "rag man" who collected your old rags (they were made into paper), a few others. The one common thread, besides the horses, was that they would call out with completely unintelligible cries. Nobody ever figured out what they were saying, but they were loud enough to get your attention and go out to see.

The part that you may find hard to believe is that this was in New York City. I stopped seeing them around the mid 60s.

 

[Koolau]

[/B]
That is very interesting! I would never have thought that.

Only thing I hear at daybreak are coyotes signaling the start of a new day.

There's a windward state park where they feed the feral cats (it's one of those catch/neuter/release places) There are as many feral chickens as cats. I don't know if the chickens eat the cat food or what. But the cats and chickens co-exist peaceably (possibly because the chickens still have spurs.) It was a real shock to me. Oh and we have a feral pig problem as well, though the pigs tend to stay in the valleys. Pigs ARE hunted for food! YMMV

 

[W2R]

In my neighborhood there were a number of similar vendors. They were of widely varied ethnicity, and the big difference was that they used horse-drawn wagons.

One had vegetables, one was a grinder who sharpened knives, one was a "rag man" who collected your old rags (they were made into paper), a few others. The one common thread, besides the horses, was that they would call out with completely unintelligible cries. Nobody ever figured out what they were saying, but they were loud enough to get your attention and go out to see.

The part that you may find hard to believe is that this was in New York City. I stopped seeing them around the mid 60s.

Back in the 1950's we had all of those in our neighborhood in St. Louis, too, although I don't think they used horses. I remember being especially intrigued by the rag man; it seemed miraculous that somebody could earn a living from rags.

 

[Koolau]

Back in the 1950's we had all of those in our neighborhood in St. Louis, too, although I don't think they used horses. I remember being especially intrigued by the rag man; it seemed miraculous that somebody could earn a living from rags.

I believe it was the Amish or German Baptists who sold eggs and other farm products in our neighborhood out of a horse-drawn wagon. For some reason, it didn't seem strange to see horses in our town. It would now.

 

[JoeWras]

We called it bumper skiing.

Yeah, it seems like every region -- even neighborhood -- had a different term for it. It is fun to find out what it was.

And the story about manholes sure rings true!

 

[Gumby]

Here where I live, we have several people right downtown who have chickens. Most are fenced, but some roam free.

 

[Marita40]

On my daily walk I go by several chicken coops, some very fancy and, of course, heated for the winter. A local guy advertises his skills in building them. Parents especially like to bring their kids in strollers to ooh and aah over the chickens. It is fun to see.

 

[Winemaker]

Chickens, ducks and goats are verboten in my township unless you are zoned agricultural. I don't necessarily think it's to squash fresh homemade products, but to keep the fox, coyote and skunk populations at bay. We have had an occasional bear sighting now and then in the spring.

 

[Ronstar]

I'm seeing more chickens now than I did in the old days.

 

[pacergal]

Anyone remember Pop Shoppe soda? So many flavors!
I think from the 70's, and probably bankrupt now.

Our local shoppe was an old gas station, go in, grab a plastic bin holder, fill up your case of 24- 36 bottles (I think). Return and refill the next time.
Less expensive than coke or pepsi products.

Oh, and Shasta soda!
Ugh and powdered milk :-(

 

[MRG]

When I was a child, I had neighbors with chickens and they always got out. They loved picking through my dad's cornfield after harvest (dad didn't miss much, but the chickens always found some.)



Now, 65 years later, I wake up to roosters crowing outside. Honolulu has a huge problem with feral chickens. I've seen plans to spend millions to "fix" the problem. I'm thinking "chicken dinner." YMMV

A few people have chickens here. Always good for fresh eggs. There's no problem with ferals as they wouldn't live long.

Our vet is a throwback to a different time. Always easy going and enjoys people coming into the office. Always greets me no matter what he's doing. One of my first visits he stops operating to say hi. He tells me he's trying to get the rusty screws out of a chicken's crop that it's eaten. I'm wondering about the chicken as this is hundreds/thousands in vet bills to save a chicken. I asked if it was a fancy bird, some are expensive? "No it's a white leghorn, available for 99 cents around Easter". I volunteered my vast experience at disassembling chickens but had to admit I had no experience at reassembling them.

 

[JoeWras]

Coincidentally, I just went down a YouTube rat hole featuring "banned" commercials. You know, the typical smoking, sexist and racist commercials. Interestingly, there were a lot of toys that I had or friends had. I guess the guy putting it together considered them banned since these toys could kill you or had bad social overtones, like the "Shrunken Head" makers.

I still can't believe I had a Wham-o Whing-ding. This is basically a martial arts weapon. Amazing we didn't all end up with caved in skulls.

 

[Montecfo]

There was a lot of kids starting up bands trying to be the Beatles or country music stars.

Yes. My air guitar band was pretty well regarded. We played gigs on our porch for neighbors and also school talent show.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Anyone remember Pop Shoppe soda? So many flavors!
I think from the 70's, and probably bankrupt now.

Our local shoppe was an old gas station, go in, grab a plastic bin holder, fill up your case of 24- 36 bottles (I think). Return and refill the next time.
Less expensive than coke or pepsi products.

Oh, and Shasta soda!
Ugh and powdered milk :-(

Shasta is still around, I have some in my fridge right now.

https://www.shastapop.com/history/

 

[JoeWras]

Banana seat bikes. A staple of the "Easy Rider" era. Among my friends we had 1 broken arm and 1 broken collar bone when we attempted to emulate Evel Kenievel.

 

[GenXguy]

Anyone remember Pop Shoppe soda? So many flavors!
I think from the 70's, and probably bankrupt now.

I remember the Pop Shoppe where I lived in the late 70's or early 80's. I remember going there at least once, but it wasn't a regular thing in my family.

 

[omni550]

In my neighborhood there were a number of similar vendors. They were of widely varied ethnicity, and the big difference was that they used horse-drawn wagons.

One had vegetables, one was a grinder who sharpened knives, one was a "rag man" who collected your old rags (they were made into paper), a few others. The one common thread, besides the horses, was that they would call out with completely unintelligible cries. Nobody ever figured out what they were saying, but they were loud enough to get your attention and go out to see.

The part that you may find hard to believe is that this was in New York City. I stopped seeing them around the mid 60s.

In late-1950s Toronto, we not only had the fruit and vegetable guys (mostly Italian) slow-rolling through the neighborhood, calling out whatever they had that day. We also had the random scissors & knives sharpener guy, popcorn man, and chestnut man ...all calling-out while walking though our 'hood pulling their little hand-carts.

I still remember the ice man and milk man making deliveries to other homes. And the bread/baked-goods man with his horse-drawn (!) cart.

Oh, and the brown-outs from 50-cycle electricity, before they upgraded to 60-cycle.

omni

 

[Venturer]

Banana seat bikes. A staple of the "Easy Rider" era. Among my friends we had 1 broken arm and 1 broken collar bone when we attempted to emulate Evel Kenievel.

My cousin and best friend had one of those. It was a 20 inch version and so cool. I wanted one but finances would not allow it. He had gotten his for Christmas. My birthday was in March and my stepdad worked in the local ford dealership body shop. One of his coworkers had an old 26inch bike that he bought for $5.00. He then stripped it down, bought a bannana seat & high handlebars, painted it purple and gave it to me for my birthday. I bet my cousin and I rode those bikes thousands of miles over the ensueing years. I still get amazed how he could keep up with me on that little 20" bike but he did.

 

[JoeWras]

My cousin and best friend had one of those. It was a 20 inch version and so cool. I wanted one but finances would not allow it. He had gotten his for Christmas. My birthday was in March and my stepdad worked in the local ford dealership body shop. One of his coworkers had an old 26inch bike that he bought for $5.00. He then stripped it down, bought a bannana seat & high handlebars, painted it purple and gave it to me for my birthday. I bet my cousin and I rode those bikes thousands of miles over the ensueing years. I still get amazed how he could keep up with me on that little 20" bike but he did.

Cousins. Probably another thing fallen by the wayside. I was so close to mine. It was my older cousin whom I looked up to who had one of these. Besides the leopard seat, his handle grips had tiger heads. So cool!

I got one for my birthday, but it was a generic version without the cool leopard seat and handle grips. It was OK. I dealt with it. Hit my head pretty hard on my first attempt at popping a wheelie.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I see so many things on this thread that were a big part of my life in the 1960-1980 era.
I grew up on a rural farm. Some of mine:

Party line until about 1975. It was still rotary when I left there in 1980. By 1978, you could have a push button phone, but it still "dialed". You had to wait for the dial of one digit to finish before you could press the next button.

Unprocessed milk straight from the cow. To this day, I still shake my milk carton thoroughly every time I pour milk.

We lived on a dirt road. Our closest neighbors were about 1/2 mile away. My best friend was a mile away. So I spent many, many days/nights riding my bike back and forth or even walking if my bike wasn't working. We would spend all day and into the night playing whatever we could think of to do. Parents looked after the neighborhood kids just as much as their own.

Sleeping in the cabin we built in the woods behind the house. Playing Kick the Can after dark.

 

[Winemaker]

Anyone remember Pop Shoppe soda? So many flavors!

Tommy Tucker was a brand I remember. 32 ounce bottles of brightly colored soda pop. We used to have a glass with popcorn on Friday nights watching Tarzan. It was filmed in Mexico IIRC.