Tag: Nostalgia

Beads: Adorns Of The Home And Hair

 

Aside from the enchanting/lovely, beaded curtains that adorned our homes and the household of others I loved the beads that adorned my hair back in the day.

My mother was an exceptional hairstylist- far before she experimented at a school for professional beauticians. She had a natural talent.

My mother always kept my hair clean, healthy, and looking nice.

My hair was kept long as a child.

From time to time My mother would corn-braid my hair in fancy styles while sometimes decorating five sets of clear-colored beads mixed with a solid color to each lock, securing the ends/tips of my braids with aluminum foil so the beads would not ever slip out.

I loved the sounds the beads made when they hit up against one another just like the ones that hung up in our home did.

 

 

 

 

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Around The Neighborhood And At The Park

 

As a child, after disconnecting the makeshift basket I created to transport my furry friend around with me for a day- I would hold Brandie while she was still small inside the comfort of my left arm while I steered the handlebars to my bike with my right arm on other days.

Brandie loved to run in the street beside me while I rode my bike. I had her on her leash, grasping the head of the strap against the grip of the left handlebar to my bike.

Brandie also loved to run beside me in the street while I rolled on my roller-skates. I loved the way she pulled me as I held onto her leash supervising every moment to make sure the both of us never got hit by any car within our neighborhood block.

As an adult-years later- I took Brandie to the park without her leash. She was a well- behaved dog familiar within the area and did not need to be restrained. I let her walk and run around free- she never bothered anybody- people liked and loved Brandie.

I stopped off at the park to take a quick breeze upon a swing.

Brandie followed me inside the playground stood a few seconds to watch me then she must have said to herself “This may take a few minutes. Let me chill” because she sat down at a distance to patiently wait.

Two female youngsters entered the section of the playground we were in while I swung and realized my dog was no threat as they also hopped upon the swings.

One of the girls said to the other, “I want a dog just like that- who will sit and wait for me”.

 

 

 

Along For The Ride: Me And My Baby

 

I awoke bright and early, still excited over having adopted a brand new seven to eight-week-old puppy from North Shore Animal League during the summer of 1986.

The sun shined, the air was crisp, the day clear and I wanted to go bike riding.

Yet, I did not want to go alone.

I wanted the company of my new furry friend-just me and her, no one else for that moment in time.

I was the type of child who often played with other neighborhood kids but took out time to enjoy being alone when I preferred to.

There was one problem surrounding this event.

I needed a basket that I did not have to place Brandie in while I freely rode her on my bike.

So, I creatively made one.

I went to find a crate that I fastened to the handlebars of my bike with rope then securely placed Brandie inside.

A neighborhood guy laughed at the situation when he saw me in action because he thought the effort and determination was cute. My mother had informed this information to me about the neighbor’s reaction later

Off I went through the streets of my neighborhood steering out of the way when cars drove up from behind and up ahead.

Brandie enjoyed her first bike ride in the comforts of the crate with the warm summer breeze enhancing her mood.

I will never forget that wonderful day of bonding sweetly with my baby.

 

 

A Fond Memory: My Very First Pumpkin

 

I remember as a kid when I attended the day care center down the street on a corner from the block where I lived.

It was a 3k and pre-k early learning center -“the first step towards college and career readiness”- their logo reads- that is still in operation today at the same location.

During the late 70’s or early 80’s, they scheduled a school trip for us young students to explore. Our parents were welcome to come if they desired.

My mother attentively came along.

A school bus picked us up directly in front of the Charles Drew Day Care Learning Center.

We were all headed to the Pumpkin Patch!

There was a large farm field of pumpkins that were laid out all for us children to choose from. Our very own to take back home.

I ran my little body out into the open land, not afraid to journey independently to hunt.

 

 

I will never forget that day. It was exciting, educational, inspiring- and mommy was right there beside me for the experience.

I picked out a cute, perfect little pumpkin that was just right for me.

When the time came one day at home, because I did not cut into my adored pumpkin right away, my mother guided me as I carved open the head of the pumpkin to take out the pulp, fibrous strands, and seeds. My mom instructed me on how we did it together.

Afterwards, I carved two eyes, a nose, and a mouth into my pumpkin, then placed the stem back over the pumpkin as a hat.

My pumpkin lasted for a long time, from the beginning to the time it was finally ready to be thrown away.

 

Riding The Waters

 

The first time I remember riding on a boat I was very young, about seven or eight years of age.

It was on the Manhattan Circle-Liner I rode with a group of family members.

They had come up to visit from Virginia. They wanted to tour around the New York City waters to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building, and other attractions.

During childhood I also visited Hershey Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania where I rode numerous water-rides all day. The fun I had! I loved water-rides back then.

I have been on boats a few times as an adult. There is no excitement to it unless I feel myself moving on the vessel.

At the age of sixteen I was bored as can be down inside the Staten Island Ferry as I rode with friends while we hung out in Manhattan on Independence Day.

My friends at the time and I were chaperoned by an adult.

We all came to see the fireworks that year in the early nineties. We walked the streets of Manhattan enjoying ourselves until one or two in the morning.

It was not until I came up to the top outside of the Staten Island Ferry that I was able to feel the boat as it swiftly moved upon the waters.

We rode the Ferry just for entertainment that night. Years later, the guy who chaperoned us (a longtime family friend) took me into Staten Island by driving on the Verrazano Bridge when I was in my early twenties.

There was a CruiseShip planned for a family reunion years ago, I did not attend that gathering, though.