Thursday, March 26, 2020

ThrowBack Thursday

Nearly eight decades ago, I was born in a lying-in home in a small town in northwestern North Dakota.

That was a private home where a midwife would help pregnant women deliver their babies.

I believe there was a doctor, too, but no hospital.


Me and my big brother Wayne

I spent 28 of the next 29 years living in North Dakota.

I remember a carefree youth where youngsters could wander the town by themselves or with friends without fear. 


Romey, Roger, Jim, Jerry, Me, and Boop

We would come home for lunch and at sunset for supper (what is called dinner now).

The same "rules" applied when the family went north 100 miles to fishing vacations at Lake Carlyle in Saskatchewan.

That's probably where I learned to swim.


Me and Jim

We also roved through the woods, "discovering" trails and visited the small store for Cadbury's chocolate bars.

And back home in Stanley we never seemed to mind the long winters filled with blizzards.

We'd go out for snowball fights and ice-skating when temperatures were 20 below zero.


Mom and I

It's a long way to the age we live in now but it brought to mind an old song about the state.

Give a listen.


In spite of the "we nailed it" comment at the end, I remember singing it with self-mockery of our Scandinavian accents: "Y'ought-ta go ta Nor'-Dakota".

Yah, well, let's have a cuppa coffee and some lefse.

It's a great day in the neighborhood.

14 comments:

  1. Drove through Theodore Roosevelt National Park once. Stunning landscape.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love the pictures, which trigger my own memories of "the good ol' days."

    ReplyDelete
  3. The good old days, good times...except for all the bad shit we tend to not remember.

    I'll bet that lake was still pretty cold even in summer.

    Loved the kids singing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Some of the cacti in your header look creepily like what we are all trying to stay away from.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Times have changed so much in your lifetime! Even in the last month. Have a Happy Birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  6. A wonderful post, old friend. Great warm and nostalgic memories.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Happy birthday to you! All the times I've driven across country and Canada, I've never been to North Dakota. Now I wish I had. Cute song.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I attended the University of North Dakota from 1957 through 1960 and was a member of the Varsity Bards, a male chorus that was named the "Governor's" chorus on of those years. The governor at the time, I think it was Gov. Davis, insisted that we sing that song. Our director, Jim Fudge, was appalled by it and we only sang it once in public. However, it did become a favorite at keg parties!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Small world. I've been to Carlyle lake but I taught at Carnduff Sask from 1960 to 1963. We played basketball in Sherwood.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Red, I was working in Minot, Aberdeen (South Dakota), and Bismarck during those years. I can't remember if my high school teams played Sherwood or not but I know the town.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, that is one song that will stick in the head. those students are so adorable. I am sure they would hate to be called that.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I've been in North Dakota a couple of times.

    ReplyDelete