"Self-sufficiency does not mean 'going back' to the acceptance of a lower standard of living. On the contrary, it is the striving for a higher standard of living, for food that is organically grown and good, for the good life in pleasant surroundings... and for the satisfaction that comes from doing difficult and intricate jobs well and successfully." John Seymour ~ Self Sufficiency 2003

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Wow!

Treat yourself.


A master puppeteer at work!  Don't be surprised if you catch yourself forgetting that it is a puppet.


Click on the link below the screen captured pic.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/kPvciIdDZAE

Those were the days of simple toys - eco-friendlier toys.  Tactile toys.  Solid toys. Toys which came from the earth and would happily return to the earth.

Wooden alphabets blocks.  Wooden cars and trains.  A twig which became a boat for sailing in the smallest puddle.  Actual (skipping) rope with wooden handles. Wooden painted rocking horse.  Wooden (child-propelled) scooter. Wooden spinning tops activated by a piece of string.  Wooden "trailers" with wooden handles - ideal for schlepping along an obedient puppy or sibling, a frog in a jar, a (small, but important) load of wood for the fire...

An empty wooden slatted box - the greatest toy of all - it became a fort, a (potential) go-kart, a dolls "kitchen" in the garden, a table for a dolls tea party, a baby doll cot - eventually metmorphosing into a puppys' bed.  The possibilities were endless LOL

I remember them all well ;)

14 comments:

  1. Oh Lordy, Dani! Your post sent me reeling down memory lane. I remember those toys you spoke of, along with many others, not necessarily of wood. A set of Jacks with a small rubber ball. A Slinky. Tonka trucks and bulldozers that were so well made they would last for generations. Within my line of vision right now is a wooden cage with two wooden balls inside that roll end for end, all carved from a single 1x6 piece of wood by my Dad. He also carved wooden puzzles with, I think, 11 pieces than when assembled formed a shape like a chicken egg and about that same size. And given a piece of chalk, a couple of stones and a sidewalk, a kid could play Hopscotch for hours.

    I think we could use more of the old toys and fewer computer screens.

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    1. Vicki - LOL now you took me down memory lane - jacks and the rubber ball, hopscotch...

      The wooden cage you describe sounds wonderful - your dad must be very talented.

      Yeah - getting kids back outside in the fresh air with just their imagination to guide them - I reckon the world may be a far different place?!

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  2. PS...The puppeteer is awesome! Reminded me of the old television variety shows. Now that really dates me!

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  3. That is one amazing video. Wonderful!!

    And as for the toys then versus now---no competition, and we're not just saying that because we grew up with them. What on earth is supposed to be "fun" about a battery toy that does everything for you????? No imagination. No fun at all. We had the best stuff!

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    1. Sue - Definitely no competition. We did have the best stuff, didn't we - perhaps that is why there was less teenage violence, and more invention. Oh dear, are we the cause of todays mish mash of children - did we make life easier for them with what our generation invented...? Sobering thought.

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  4. WOW is putting it mildly. That was wonderful thanks!!! I think I had as much fun with a the giant cardboard box that my parents refrigerator came in as I did anything else. I think kids today lack some of the creativity we all grew up with. I also remember taking two tinfoil pie plates, putting them together and making flying saucers. Ah the memories. :-)

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    1. 1st Man - Giggle - you're very welcome :)

      And how about two tins and a piece of string which made a telephone... LOL

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  5. It's been a long time since I bought any toys. For my kids , anyway! My wife says my guns are "toys for boys." So I told her that her Vera Bradley purse I got her was "a gift for girls."

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    1. Harry - Do you remember buying them any wooden toys when thery were little? Would be interesting if they still have any / passed them on to their children :)

      Boys and toys, and gifts for girls - cute :)

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  6. And how about kites? Our childhood was so much richer than today's over indulged kids. We didn't need batteries to fire up a full day of imagination!

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    1. Kris - Oh, yes, kites too :)

      Yeah, and can you imagine how many batteries are clogging up landfill sites / poisoning the earth...

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  7. Lots of childhood memories fired up from this post. Simple things were really much more fun. My first grandchild is about to make an appearance soon and I have already told my son and daughter in law that I will only be buying quality wooden/ cloth toys and never anything made of plastic for the new arrival.

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    1. dreamer - Ah, the grandparent club is a very special, privileged club to belong to :) Giving your new grandchild more tactile gifts can only help him / her in her development.

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