Nostalgia

Horse and Slide

I took my niece to a sleigh ride birthday party at Hatfield Farm yesterday, and that and seeing all the old horse gear and the sawmill on the property reminded me of years gone by when Dad would use his horse to pull out the wood for the stove and logs for the mill.

Back then and earlier most people had a horse in the family, and while it was a pet to some degree, it was mainly a work animal. And I guess, depending on the owners, how much a pet and how much work varied. I know while ours did a lot of work, I think its obvious by her name, “Pet” how dad felt about her.

In the fall of the year, we’d usually make our way in on “the level” and cut wood from some stand. While we liked birch for wood, in our part of the province at least, firewood was usually softwood, generally fir and spruce. We’d cut (dad more than me, I can’t say I was much use being a scrawny dude with not a lot of interest, but I did go and help) our wood and lay some cross pieces to keep the majority off the ground, and stack the rest in lengths on top.

Come winter snowfall, and I can’t really remember many winters without snowfall back then, we’d hitch up the slide (If anyone has a picture of the old double slides, please send to me, so I can add?) and put some horns in it and get Pet to tow it and us in. We’d load it up with the wood or logs, and she’d pull it out.

I remember Pet was larger than a lot of the horses in our area, and strong as, well, a horse. And she’d pull a huge load with us on top of it.

She did have her quirks though, being a true Smith at heart, and would not, could not pass a certain water hole without taking a drink, and no amount of persuasion (of which Dad’s version may or may not have involved swear words made up on the spot) would move her till she was done.

Once the wood was out, it would be re-stacked near the road or the house, left to dry some more and sawed into junks on the old sawhorse, sometimes even with an old bucksaw (pic again?) and then stored in the woodhouse.

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

January 13, 2013 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 1

The Old Wood Stove

The huge storm back home in Newfoundland got me thinking about how nice it is to be hunkered down with a nice wood fire when a raging blizzard blows around outside.

There was always just something different about the heat, hearing the wood crackling and popping. When I was younger, most everyone had an old wood range similar to this one in their kitchen, with a wood box nearby. I can still remember the names things had, damper, lifter, poker.

We’d open up the firebox either with the damper on the top, or from the door in front to feed in wood and slabs. The oven would be stogged with bread baking nearly every day, and water on the side in the tank staying warm for washing, or whatever else.

The kettle was always on, and always full, and ready for a cup of tea, and underneath the oven, our ski-doo boots would be warming or drying after we’d come in from sliding on the old coaster, or making forts and tunnels in the drifts. Up top our mitts and socks and vamps would likely be drying in the warmer.

One of the dampers often had multiple rings, and we’d have one open with the old wire handheld toaster over the top, toasting some of the fresh homemade bread and coating it with butter and molasses.

Seems like others remember too, I saw this range when I was looking at appliances this past fall. Nice to be able to keep the old alive with the new, though a bit out of my price range.

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

January 11, 2013 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 7

Old Christmas Day

Back when I was a kid I remember January 6th being called Old Christmas Day. No one seems to mention it much anymore, but curiosity got the better of me.

The Eastern Orthodox churches (and perhaps others) still use January 6th as Christmas I believe? It’s also the feast of Epiphany, though the feast days are more well know in the Catholic (and maybe Anglican?) churches than they are to me.

Practically the only thing I really remember about it as a “tradition” was that we always waited till then to take decorations down. Was kind of the semi official end of Christmas.

I’ve also read traditions of some countries/cultures saying animals could talk on Christmas Eve, but I seem to recall our tradition being that they could talk on Old Christmas Day.

Anyone remember anything else? Leave a comment please, let me know you were here!

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

January 10, 2013 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 3

Sliding

My little niece went sliding for the first time over the weekend, and reminded me of times sliding back home.

Generally we didn’t have the plastic slides you see today, the fanciest we had was a crazy carpet. Most times sliding involved a toboggan, or the old fashioned coaster you see here.

These didn’t really work unless you had hard crusty snow, or more likely for my sliding career at least, ice from hard packed ski-doo paths.

You were “supposed” sit on the coaster and use your feet to steer by using the handle, and sometimes I did that. But more often, I lay on my stomach on it and steered using my hands.

Two rides stand out. The first was towing the slide all the way in to the “level”, a named spot in the woods near the house where the ground leveled off for a bit after having climbed all the way into that point. There was an old slide path (a path made for use by a horse and slide to pull wood) coming from there to the old school garden, and then turning down the hill, and heading down near the church. Quite a long long ride, made even longer by previously opening the gates on Ross Smith’s garden and sliding all the way to the beach. Awesome log ride and a fair rate of speed as it was downhill the whole way.

The second ride that stands out was partially because it was the last. Up over the hill from us Uncle Lionel Kelly had his house. It sat on a level spot with a grassy hill rising towards that same “level” from a different angle. This year, that hill had iced over completely and was a kids speed dream on the old coaster. Dad had gone up to visit Uncle Lionel, and/or his son Sam, and I was up on the hill with the coaster. After several high speed runs, on my stomach of course, I came down one last time, being the last because of what happened. Somehow, the coasters runners got caught in a rut, and there was no way to steer it. I hurtled along on my stomach and proceeded to slam into the house. I don’t recall how hurt I was, do remember being scraped and a little bloody, and walking into the house to get Dad.

That was it for the old coaster, not as punishment or anything, but because I broke it in three pieces on that last ride.

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

January 7, 2013 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 3

Out on the Sound

Random Island is separated from the Bonivsta peninsula on the island’s north side by Smith Sound. This is about 1-3 miles across in most places if memory serves. Sometimes in my memory we’ve had the sound freeze completely over, and can remember people ski-dooing, skating to Harcourt, hauling wood on horse and slide, and of course, fishing.

In Newfoundland you go fishing for one kind of fish only, that’s cod. Any other type of fishing has its own name (trouting, etc). Nowadays with the moratorium on, even if the sound did freeze over, you’d not be allowed to go fishing, but years ago you could.

One of my most vivid memories of my Uncle Hay was one day him and I went out on our old ski-doo (I think it was that far back anyway). This was an old Alouette, we bought off Ross Smith and it weighed about 17 tons I think, and had about a 400 cubic inch motor in it ( I may have exaggerated slightly). I remember the ski-doo just because it was so ancient and yet so powerful. In any event, Uncle Hay and I drove out to some of our fishing marks and put some holes down through. I think we used my old ice auger, but it may have even pre-dated me having one of those, maybe Uncle Hay had one. You’d probably think that ice on such a large body of water wouldn’t be thick, but I remember there being about 2-3 feet of ice to drill through.

Salt water ice, or at least on a body that large, doesn’t respond like fresh water ice. Its “softer”, flexible, and you can feel the lop under the ice moving it up and down, and can hear the huge cracks like thunder when a crack opens up.

It was a beautiful winter day, sunny, sun felt warm, and was awesome to be out on the ice, doing what we both loved. I really don’t remember if we got any fish, but that really didn’t matter to me that day. I’m not sure where Dad was to be honest, possibly it was a work day, most likely was, but after Uncle Hay had retired. Some days just belong to certain people or groups. This was ours, or for me anyway. Much love to Uncle Hay, and Dad as well. We’ll fish again together someday.

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

January 5, 2013 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 1

Mercurochrome, Spirits of Nitre, Olive Oil and Oil of Citronella

Anyone remember these old medicines? Are they even still available? Well I guess technically Oil of Citronella was more used a insect repellent. And yes I know you can get olive oil in the grocery store, but lets talk about the uses we had for them back in the day.

Mercurochrome was an antiseptic, often put on small scrapes and cuts. Left a red splash on the skin. I can remember the little bottle now with the eye dropper style dispenser. It had mercury and was removed from the market. Mercury is what made hatter’s mad. Never had any noticeable effect on me though (cough).

Olive oil was warmed and used in the ears to break up wax as well as to alleviate ear aches. Any other uses I don’t recall!

Spirits of Nitre – I remember this as a medicine to use for an upset stomach, or gas. We always had this on hand as well as peppermint (which i don’t think was the same as peppermint extract). Not sure if that was its official use, but hey if you know more please comment!

Oil of Citronella – My memory of this really just comes from one instance, my cousin Bill Smith gave me a partial bottle of this telling me it was the best thing to use for “fly dope” (insect repellent). I still remember the green glass bottles, and I know there were a ton more of these little glass bottles in households years ago.

Remind me of some more?

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

January 2, 2013 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 5

Toy Time Around Clarenville

Growing up back home in eastern Newfoundland, There were no huge malls or big box stores, instead we had locally owned stores. The names will ring bells for some, Western Tire, Stanley’s, Duffit’s, Junes, and a bit later The Chain Store, Ayres, but the granddaddy of them all for me was Cholock’s.

This was a huge department store or seemed huge to a kid anyway, located near the railway tracks in downtown Clarenville. (The building later became home to the department of wildlife offices for those who may be trying to locate) I don’t recall a lot about the store per se, but what was the huge draw was ….. upstairs! …..

Image from http://clarenville.newfoundland.ws

My memory may be foggy, as its been closed for many a year, but if I recall correctly, upstairs only opened a few weeks before Christmas, and it was full of toys, toys and more toys. It was a magical place for me, and I’m sure many other local kids.

A little later on Ayre’s opened in Clarenville too, Riff’s was in that location after, followed by other places, but Ayre’s remains as a big memory. Their toy section seemed huge at Christmas time, I can’t recall if it was there all year round or not, and I’m sure it would seem small compared to today’s stores, but it was also a great place as a kid. Another one that was less well known maybe was, I believe, called Martin’s. Near Hyne’s Jewelry they sold musical instruments and I can’t remember what else. I was and am musically inept, but I was always fascinated by the things in there.

We didn’t see toys all year round in stores then, or if we did, not locally. To go these stores was to start Christmas, and I look back on it fondly, and wish that some of that magic passes on to you and yours this season.

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

December 20, 2012 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 7

Church in Small Towns

While I’m no avid church goer, the church of years ago was more than about the service. Each small town had its own church, with unbelievable amounts of local work and wealth (or lack of wealth) invested in it.

I remember the pulpit and pews in our old church probably cost more than the town made in a year, tho I really have no idea where they came from. Perhaps they were made my locals, it was all before my time.

I remember each week a family had a “turn”. If it was your turn, you had to light and maintain the fire in the old old wood stove, as well as provide wood, and ring the bell. Yes it had a bell, attached to an old rope pull, and as a kid, it was actually a treat to be the one to go ring it a half hour or so before service.

After the service was over, people would hang out outside and socialize for quite sometime, and traditionally most would invite the minister home for lunch/dinner. Of course when he accepted your invite the parents tried to have the kids be on their best behaviour. Not really sure that part ever worked with me!

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

December 19, 2012 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 0

Bus Rides

When I first started school, we were bussed to a school called Balbo Elementary in Shoal Harbour, named after an Italian General who landed and departed from there in the 1930’s. I can’t say I remember much about school there, nothing memorable right now anyway, but I do remember this one huge bump on the ride home that made us all come out of our seats, more so I bet because it was only a few people on a mostly empty bus, so less weight. Anyway, I remember it well, I swear I once hit my head on the roof, tho my memory may be faulty (perhaps from the bump?)

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

December 18, 2012 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 0

Outlet….

I’ve created many blogs over the years, and always felt like I abandoned them. I think its mainly because I felt I had to write for others, and while my interests are varied, it never felt like everything belonged together. I felt noone else had any interest in what I was writing.

But I think what I really need is somewhere to just write a few words here and there, so lets try this again.

The blog is titles Random Island Memories, and a lot of my posts will be about growing up back home on Random Island, but be forewarned, I may veer off on tangents and be prone to rant occasionally.

Peter Smith

Raised in outport Newfoundland in a town of 65 people, I pursued a post secondary diploma in Information Technology right out of High School.

I’ve always been a geek at heart, but yet I love the rural life I grew up with. Fishing, hunting, camping and the great outdoors are still loves of mine, even if I don’t pursue them as often as I once did. Sports were always a big part of our lives, and I played many (badly) and loved them all.

December 18, 2012 by Peter Smith Uncategorized 1

Horse and Slide

The Old Wood Stove

Old Christmas Day

Sliding

Out on the Sound

Mercurochrome, Spirits of Nitre, Olive Oil and Oil of Citronella

Toy Time Around Clarenville

Church in Small Towns

Bus Rides

Outlet….

Random Posts

Attiq Sports

Nostalgia

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