On the day we went to get wood, I walked around taking photos of the beautiful scenery while the men stood around and talked. As I looked up the hill the silhouette of an old swing caught my eye.
I’m sure you’ve seen the swings before-they’re made from pliable rubber like material-and have places for the child’s legs to stick through the material. Some people call them baby swings-because you generally need to be lifted into them to swing. I guess I was feeling a little nostalgic-and thought how sad the swing sat empty after years of use from its owner and my girls-all of whom are too old to swing in it now.
I walked on down the road to see what I could see and on my way back to the truck of firewood-I glanced back at the swing-only this time I saw something different.
I saw 3 teenage girls. One had manged to get into the swing; one stood behind the tree to push her off; and the other stood in front to agg it all on. It made me happy to know-that even though I thought their swinging days were behind them-they all 3 knew better.
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
Love it!!
This so reminds me of myself when I was a teen.
You’re never too old to swing, it’s nice to know that somethings never die.
I don’t think we ever get too old to swing. I love the wind blowing through my hair as I go back and forth.
Love the photo, and Ms. Cindy’s comment says it all!!!! Thanks Tipper
There’s another term I’ve not heard since Tennessee: “Push me off again; hurry; I’m stoppin'”. “Push me off” …. Okay! Okay … stop!!! That’s high enough!! Stop pushing!!
Beautiful essay, Tipper.
They were all solid wood with chains in my days. Lord only knows how we survived the dangers of ’em with what we know about them now. Maybe we were smarter back then and knew (or someone smart taught us) how to avoid their dangers? Ya think??
God bless.
RB
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Jim, Could Don climb the rope like that with a cup in his hand?
Sometimes it’s the “knowing better” that makes it all the more fun!
Tipper, oh, no, you’re NEVER too old to swing!!
You may get too old to climb the ladder to slide, but swinging is forever . . .
🙂
I spent many an hour swinging as high as I could trying to touch the clouds when I was a little girl. I am not at all surprised to see the girls on the swing. I don’t see how you could resist joining in with them. LOL.
Yes!! good for those girls! I love to swing, too, one of my best childhood memories, and yes, I still love to swing. I can still remember learning how to pump my legs, swinging double with my friend, and we had a special name for it – what’s that called? Anyway, good times! have a great week!!
Daddy told me that when he and his brothers were little, they were always on the look-out for a tree with limbs big enough for a swing. I’ve seen old tires made into swings but nothing like this one.
When my granddaughter visits we go to the playground and swing! You’re never too old!
Tipper–We had swings, two different ones, which Daddy hung from the limbs of massive white oaks which had to be 200+ years old. Those noble trees, like Daddy, are now gone, but the memories linger.
Incidentally, Don didn’t really need the entire apparatus. Just the rope was enough. He could climb a rope like the most agile of simians, a skill I daresay left him decades ago.
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
How funny! I love teenagers. We have a little rubber swing, not a baby swing just the regular kind. When my son was 5 yrs old my aunt gave him $10. I asked him what he wanted to buy & he said a swing. So we went to Lowes & bought one for a swing set but we hung it in our huge oak tree in the front yard. It still gets use when we have kids over but my son is a man now & isn’t interested in it anymore.
A joyful spirit is never too old to play!
Great nostalgia! I used to really enjoy putting my children in a swing at the local park. As children we never had a swing from a tree, but when we visited an aunt/uncle up at their farm they had one made with ropes and a flat straight board. You really had to hold onto the ropes or you would flop to the ground.
a sweet story and i like that you captured the whole story in 2 photos.
I’ll jump on a swing any chance I get. I read an article about weight loss that says you should go to the playground and play like a child. I’d love to see that!
You seem to have captured eternity in these two pictures. I’m not sure they are real but the past the present and the future.
My Bex loves to swing. She ALWAYS wants to swing. Sometimes, I swing with her! Maybe I will take her to swing today!
I love catching my 14 yr old son “playing” with his 7yr old brother’s legos or action figures..does a mommy’s heart good 🙂
I love to still swing I loved it as as child and now in my 60’s I still swing—my children grew up with a swing set and when we moved to our olde log cabin they were olde enough for a tire swing —of course the littlest one ‘s hung low to the ground–but of course he had 4 managed to go the the bigger higher one much to his mother’s shagrim —we now have a wooden baby swing for the grand babies and then put away for the next one to enjoy. There is a large swing that hangs of and olde tulip popular and more than not I am holding one of those kids for swinging .singing and telling tales too–when no one is here to enjoy it with me good book is all I need as I swing away. I hope none of your followers feel they are ever to olde for a swing ride for it does much good for the soul.
The joys of our youth, swinging being one of them!
Tipper,
That’s what I believe to be a make do…with out wood…a carved out tire swing….Just like the turned inside out flower bed with the pointed rims..etc. etc..
Great use of old discarded tars..err tires…
Thanks Tipper,
Yep, those Gals know how to have fun….
This brings back memories of my granddaughter when she was a baby. Thanks for sharing!
Guess I am still a kid at heart. I doubt I could have resisted that swing.
There is an empty swing set in our yard. These days, I hang flower baskets on it in summer, I think it is just waiting for some ‘more kids’ to grab the ropes and take off in flight.
I believe there’s a child in all of us. Some repress it and then there’s us that still like to have a little fun as we go thru this life. Glad the girls got to enjoy the moment.
Childhood never leaves us. Teenagers try to hide it. Adults wonder where it went. But it emerges again in the senior years. That is except for the lucky few who get to be kids all their lives.