'The Green Thing'

There have been a lot of Facebook entries circulating concerning “The Green Thing” and yes, most of us do remember and wonder if we have truly progressed in our lives. I am sure there are quite a few area residents that can remember the days before electricity was a “given” in our homes. Although I am sure that was all a part of my first years of life on the farm. I do remember not having the luxuries we now enjoy. I also remember what a treat I thought it was to spend the night with some friends of the family. These friends did not have electricity or running water. What fun to read or play games with only a kerosene lamp for light. If you moved into another room, you got to carry your light with you. There weren’t many rooms in homes back then so it was easier to move a light from room to room. Before it got dark you maybe got to make a trip to the well to fill the water bucket. Keeping that bucket filled was a chore that was probably delegated to one of the young ones. The water bucket was usually equipped with a dipper. That really saved on the environment, as you didn’t have multiple paper or plastic cups to drink from, just one dipper for all. Who remembers, were we sicker then? Then there was the trip to the outhouse. I think I even thought that was fun, although a little scary in the dark if you didn’t carry your light out with you. Were there flashlights then? Funny what we all take for granted now. Maybe large families were more fortunate than families with only one or two children. Those chores like filling water buckets at the well, cleaning lamp chimneys, beating the rugs, hanging clothes, getting wood for the cook stove, etc. got to be parceled out among more helpers. As cool as kerosene lamps are, I really appreciate just flipping a switch. But I do remind myself, as well as readers, count your blessings and take nothing for granted.