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Nettie has been growing tomatoes for 40+ years.
Vera has been "jarring/canning(?)" for 40+ years.
Name something that you have done for 25+ years!
This is a clean thread, so the nonsense that goes on in Muddy's backyard is not allowed!

Obviously, if you are under 35 you probably can't play this game. I KNOW there will be a lot of lurking going on. STOP LURKING people and join in already!!!!

I have drawn for over 25 years. I always loved 'to draw' and have done it since I was a kid. I can sit for hours and just draw....
Sorry it's not garden related, I wasn't fortunate enough to have a garden growing up....

Growing tuberoses - 37 years
Making jam - 40 years
Baking - 52 years
Being wife to DH - 41 years

I've loved gardening for 38 yrs. Also love to crochet and do crafts. Travel a lot with DH.
No gardening till I married 39yrs ago. DM didn't have a garden.

i can't think of any one thing i've done consistently for 25+ years. i had a late start to gardening.. have knitted and crocheted off 'n on.. made my own rubber stamped greeting cards till i tired of that.. cooked only when necessary ~ and done the usual stuff we all do. i'll be musing over that question all day today, trying to come up with some kind of answer.

Nagging? Been married for 48 years (yesterday!) so it goes with the territory.

Can't say that I've done anything for 25 years, but I've done a lot of dabbling. I can draw and design, I can crochet, we've gardened on and off for years, I used to can and make jams and pickles, I taught myself to use the computer more than 20 years ago (when you could erase hours of work with a single keystroke!)I used to sew everything from clothing to home decor, I can cut hair (licensed), appraise a house (DH licensed)...there's probably more but my brain is tired.

It doesn't have to be something you do 'consistently' for 25+ yrs. I don't draw as much as I used to. It has to be something you have done many, many years and always loved doing. (like a long time hobby)
("Nagging" don't count, I'd be an Olympic Medalist if it was included....)

Other than having happy hour LOL I guess for me it would be gardening & sewing. Love both.

I've been Mom to three sons(all over 25) and married for 40 years tomorrow.

I have gardened, sewn, done hand needlework, drawn, painted, crafted galore, decorated, and worked for the school district (10 yrs volunteer & 18yrs paid)...and cleaned up after myself forever...

Living the good life for 44years.(I am 44).No bad health issues.Yeah!!
Being a daughter & sister for those years.A Mother of 2 for 25 years.
I cant say anything in perticular but living the Life.

Happy Anniversary to those here that have been married 25 years and more recently.

LMBO at nagging...LOL

What an interesting thread! Congrats to all the anniversaries and long marriages here. celebrated 49 years in June. Those younguns of mine had better plan something for the big 50!!!

Raised two boys, worked outside the home for 30+ years, did the Suzy Homemaker canning/freezing/pickling/jelly-jam that continues. Used to sew everything, from curtains to slipcovers, to clothing, even for boys.

Wavy, I used to draw and loved it. Even did a bit of oil painting back in the younger days too. I've always gardened, both veggie & flowers. Dirt is in my blood

ve

PS: I am also a gold medalist in the nagging department. If you don't believe me, just ask the dear husband.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vera ellen,

quote:

Originally posted by patty louise:
Other than having happy hour LOL

LOL Me too, altho I didn't think of it!

I've drawn house plans, done crafts, sewing, decorated my houses, gardened, meditated, read a lot of books, looked after animals both pets and livestock, and traveled. Also worked at my career, had my own business, have been a mother and wife and done a lot of laundry and housework.

I've been an audiologist at the same medical center for 39yrs next month.
I've been a mother for 32yrs.
I have kept my sanity for each of the above by working in my gardens 40yrs. Initial efforts were trial and error and believe me, I made a lot of mistakes with gardening. Now that I'm older, I think of those as on the job training

Gardening for 44 years, planted my first tomato plants when I was 10, then I was hooked.

I have taken care of dogs for 46 years.
Cooking....36 years
Crafting for 35 years.
I've been sewing for 40 years.
Worked in an office for 27 years.

Losing and gaining weight for 40 years..LOL!

Wavy, I also wanted to mention that I love drawing too. Mostly just pencil sketches...but I can draw anything I see pretty good. I've been doing it since I could hold a pencil. I think I got that talent from my mother...she was a natural artist too.
Never had any real lessons though....I guess it's never too late.

I feel like I can't compare to some of you.

I've only been married for 15 years (this time).

I've enjoyed all of my 42 years of life.

Been a mom for 18 years to 4 kids.

Been gardening for about 15 years

Been baking and sewing for 30 years

Since I helped my grandmother plant tomatoes when I was about 4 yr. old...I guess you could say I have been gardening (mostly on) for 63 yrs. I got to REALLY garden as soon as I could hold a hoe!
Been taking care of some kind of animals since I was big enough to walk...chickens, dogs, cats, then later hogs, cattle, sheep & horses. I had a pet chicken that would follow me around outside when I was just a little better than a toddler.
I have sewed since I was about 7-8 (59-60 yrs.)...used my grandmother's treadle machine to make doll clothes. Made a lot of my own clothes, son's clothes, gifts, men's clothes, curtains/drapes and dolls.
I've canned fruits/veggies, made pickles & jams/jellies for a little over 40 jrs. off/on. I even did saurkraut once!...never again! I started freezing some things around 1970.
I learned to wash clothes with a big old metal wash tub & a wash board...then we got a wringer washer. Back around 1970 I had a Bendix washer...it didn't spin your clothes, it had a rubber tub and it squeezed them instead.

Now ya'al have to remember I grew up poor...really poor! If we didn't do for ourselves, it didn't get done! And we "made do" with what we had or what we could get free or cheap (REAL cheap).

So how many of you "old timers" had flour sack "bloomers"? I had some real purtty ones with pink flowers once! I even swung high in my tree swing so the neigbor boys could see!

Geeze, I forgot...I've been a Mom to one son for almost 45 yrs.!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ga.karen,

Well I'm 40 so going back 25 years puts me in my teens. I've been a mom for almost 14 years, and have been gardening for about that long too. Always have more to learn though.

Oh yeah, I've been cooking for over 25 years, since I was little helping my mom.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: theoriginalfluffy,

Such fun to learn a tidbit about everyone! I've been married 28 years-same man.

Plus I have lived in the very same house all those years. Oh yeah and always drove a pick-up truck all those years.

Boring or loyal???

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Beau's Rose,

gaKaren - we must have grown up pretty much the same way, although I don't ever remember flour sack drawers......I do remember bleached flour sack sheets & pillow cases, hand plucked feather beds and pillows and even flour sack clothing...momma did it all by hand until she finally got an old Singer treadle. That's what I learned to sew on too. Worked from dawn to dusk, always something to do...milking outside sitting on a stool, feeding hogs, chopping cotton and tobacco, picking cotton, staking tobacco, then stripping tobacco. The very worst thing about tobacco was picking the worms off - euuuuuuuu, I hated that. Then there was also the corn gathering, by hand too.

We didn't have indoor plumbing until the early 60's.

Never would have dreamed that I'd end up with the career that I had with such humble beginnings. Did you? Wow! We've come a long way baby!

ve

What career did you have, Vera?

quote:

Originally posted by joyluck:
I've drawn house plans, done crafts, sewing, decorated my houses, gardened, meditated, read a lot of books, looked after animals both pets and livestock, and traveled. Also worked at my career, had my own business, have been a mother and wife and done a lot of laundry and housework.

When I posed that question, I wasn't looking for so much personal information! You didn't have to post your "LIFE RESUME" and it's not a contest, so Forensicmom you did plenty!!!
I asked what do you LOVE DOING and have been doing for a long time? Laundry, housework and 'being a mother' really doesn't count.
What would you want to do if you had lots of free time and were bored? I don't think you'd be thinking: Yay, I can now do 6 loads of laundry, and clean the bathroom now, whoopie!!!
That said, be careful what you ask for!!! I found all these stories absolutely fascinating, especially Ga.Karen's! With all those farm animals!
Now I feel I should say a lil more about myself that you probably wouldn't know!
I have a twin sister and we think very much alike all the time, although she's in NYC & I'm not. Her husband is a twin too! My sign is Gemini ~ Twins! I grew up in NYC, middleclass. My father died when I was 14 and then my DM had to return to work (didn't work in 17 yrs). We didn't have a lot of money, but I NEVER felt poor. I never lacked for anything at all!
I love reading, writing, drawing, eating out, eating other people's food, gardening and people-watching! (not necessarily in that order!) I'm funnier than my sister, but that doesn't make her a bad person.....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Wavy,

Wavy, I never thought this was a contest and since you don't know me at all I don't know why you responded the way you did. Perhaps because you are a Gemini! LOL BTW that wasn't my "LIFE RESUME", I've done a lot more things than that but didn't love them!

I actually love doing laundry and even housework and IMO being a Mother certainly counts for me as something I've loved doing. Should also have added Grandmother to that list. I've loved doing all the things I listed and continue to happily do all of them (except don't sew as much). Perhaps don't clean my house as carefully as I once did but no longer have 3 kids messing it up as much either so it looks just as clean. ;-D

Karen, I never wore flour sack clothing but did wear many items of clothing that my DM remade from her old clothing. Wasn't thrilled about some of it altho loved one dress she made me for a school play from some old drapes. I was a Lady-in-waiting to the Queen in the play and it was a long dress that I loved and continued to use it for dress-up play until it no longer fit me.

Forgot to say that I've also looked after animals for many decades since I got my first kitten at age 7. Have had dogs, cats, chickens, sheep, cattle, and horses and mostly loved caring for them. Sleepless nights during lambing and calving excluded altho that was very satisfying!

I didn't take it for a contest...just I've pretty much loved all the things I've done over the years to one extent or another!

I was proud of my flour sack "drawers" (panties for you younger kids).

You did say to name some things we have done for 25+ years & that was where I tried to stay.

I also worked retail for over 30 yrs. but didn't always enjoy that so much.

I have drawn since I was pretty small...not always very good at it but you can still find a couple of schetch books laying around.
I also read...LOTS! With my hearing problem that has been a life saver to me in recent years...tv/radio is hard for me to hear now since I still don't have hearing aids.

But I would never ever trade or give up my gardening unless I can't crawl out there & do it. I even planted some marigolds by the sidewalks in different apartment buildings I lived in back in my single days. Just can't seem to keep my hands out of the dirt!

VE & I are fairly close in age, both grew up in/on farming communities and this was just the "way of life" while we were growing up. Kids were expected to WORK and contribute to the family no matter what needed to be done. While she picked/chopped cotten & harvested tobacco....I hand picked field corn, ran it thru a hand sheller or chopped it with a machete to feed the animals and we put up loose hay (before square bales) in the barn loft. I hand milked cows (and can still do it) since we had dairy cows and we seperated (took cream off) ourselves before the dairy came by to pick up the milk twice a week.
It was just a differnt time & a different life style back then! But we both learned how to do lots of differnt things that we still use/do.

The reason I said it wasn't a contest was because Forensicmom commented that she didn't do as much as some of the people here did.
I find these answers fascinating, who knew?!!

Hairstyling for 41yrs secound husband for 20 yrs.& like has been good.1 son & 2 grands

I have been putting up with a DH for 34 years who "Is Always Right!!!"

OOOPS! Scratch that answer, I missed where it said LOVED doing it for over 25 yrs.

Fascinating thread! I think it's good to remember that some of us are more than 25 years older than others here so not surprising we may have done more.

We're 25 years older than some other people on these boards????

OMG they must be babies!

LOL z9, yep, anyone under 50 is a baby to me.

Fluffy, I worked for Boeing in the space program...the ISS before it was ISS. When I started it was called Space Station Freedom.
I had a friend who worked there, the program was just gearing up...I was working second shift in a pencil factory...you needed some knowledge of computers to be hired. So I went to the community college for 3 mornings a week forever so I could get DOS certified & worked second shift. Came out with a 3.0 too. Then I got hired...and would you believe, they installed a new software system almost immediately afterward and we all got trained on it. I never ever used DOS software!

ve

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vera ellen,

Vera that is sooo cool!

The man who lives on the property just south of us was a scientist for NASA in the 70's. He's retired now, but everytime I hear the cliche "it's not rocket science", I think of him. Now I'll think of you too.

I used the phrase about not being a rocket scientist one time, and my cousin who lives in Huntsville informed that had, indeed, been a rocket scientist before he retired!!

That is really cool, Vera Ellen. Thanks for sharing that. Lot's of interesting folks on here with some great history to tell. I love it! We are a really neat bunch!

GAKaren, When you talk about kids having to help on the farm, I think of kids today. Sometimes I wish I could send them to a farm for the summer and then maybe they'd appreciate the few chores they have to do.

Yes Fluffy, we are a neat bunch on here...such varied lives and careers, all brought together by a love of dirt! I think that is waaaay cooler than anything else.

FFG & Wavy - Huntsville is full of rocket scientists - it's what put us on the map! Smart, really smart people. Everytime the ISS flies over, if I can, I run out and give those guys & all my former co-workers a salute...makes me so proud I almost bust!

ve

quote:

GAKaren, When you talk about kids having to help on the farm, I think of kids today. Sometimes I wish I could send them to a farm for the summer and then maybe they'd appreciate the few chores they have to do.

Don't want to get into this tooooo much but I think that's a lot of what is wrong with our youth today. Don't give them everything...make them work for it!
I "almost" had my grands for the summer...til Dad checked the roundtrip airfares...they have visited us when they were smaller but at 15 & 13 they would now be expected to learn how to do some things around here...we have 16 acres.

If you can imagine...my grands had never had biscuits & gravy until I visited them last yr. They tried to tell me that they didn't like gravy...then I asked if they had ever had any that wasn't in a restaurant..NO! They liked it!
They have always lived at least across the country from me (Ca.) or Hawaii or Japan...so I don't get to see them often.

I have been pretty much a domestic goddess myself.........I am one of the older ones on here (71) so I have more years of doing everything from soup to nuts. I sewed everything from husband's sport coats to home dec. I loved to bake but don't do as much now because this chubby body doesn't need it. I never took up gardening till about 15 or 20 years ago. It is getting to be a bit much for me now so have not added anything new this year and think I will cut out the veggie garden completely.

Looks like we are all a rounded bunch of gals. Lots of talent here!

quote:

Originally posted by ga.karen:

quote:

GAKaren, When you talk about kids having to help on the farm, I think of kids today. Sometimes I wish I could send them to a farm for the summer and then maybe they'd appreciate the few chores they have to do.

Don't want to get into this tooooo much but I think that's a lot of what is wrong with our youth today. Don't give them everything...make them work for it!
I "almost" had my grands for the summer...til Dad checked the roundtrip airfares...they have visited us when they were smaller but at 15 & 13 they would now be expected to learn how to do some things around here...we have 16 acres.

If you can imagine...my grands had never had biscuits & gravy until I visited them last yr. They tried to tell me that they didn't like gravy...then I asked if they had ever had any that wasn't in a restaurant..NO! They liked it!
They have always lived at least across the country from me (Ca.) or Hawaii or Japan...so I don't get to see them often.

Well it was my own kids I was referring to! I have threatened to send them to a farm when they complain about doing their chores. Then their chores wouldn't seem quite so bad. I agree with making them buy their own things. They are very aware of the value of money because they have to save for the things they want.

My MIL makes really good bisquits and gravy. I think mine are good too but it's a real treat when she makes it and all three of my boys eat it up! They are on the other side of the country as well.

been a nurse for 35 years
married for 33 years
gardening for 40 years
canning and perserving for 27 years


just a aside...this will be the 20th year I have entered the Illinois state fair, and won at least ONE ribbon.

quote:

Originally posted by phineas117:
been a nurse for 35 years
married for 33 years
gardening for 40 years
canning and perserving for 27 years


just a aside...this will be the 20th year I have entered the Illinois state fair, and won at least ONE ribbon.

And just so ya'al know...Phinny & I met at the Illinois State Fair a couple of years ago! She is a great gal! But boy can she ever walk fast!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I owe her & her DH a dinner out when we go up there next year!

yeppers

Married 40 years, been raising kids 36 of those years. Gardening since a baby on the farm I was born and raised on. Loved to can vegies and fruit for years--I found it very relaxing at the time. Been a nurse for 28 years. And I know you said what we have been doing for 25 years but I just have to add---will be retired in 7 1/2 months. I can't wait.