Elegant Rose

Monday 4 February 2013

A Gentle stroll down Memory Lane......

'Sometimes a person has to go back, really back - to have a sense, an understanding of all that's gone to make them - before they can go forward....' Paule Marshall.
~ Taken from simple abundance.



~ My goodness February already....
How did that happen!
Today I am wearing them.
My Rosy Tinted Spectacles, that is.
~ and you could just be in for a giggle or two!


So dusting my rooms with a smile .......
The house work is done.
I decided on an authentic dig down memory lane.






~ Fasten seat belts safely now....
I am on that time machine again going back and back in time to the year 1970!
Happy, Happy Times....
These photos were found with 
  Mum's precious things and I haven't seen them for quite some years!
All in her suitcase of  'memories'...
I loved looking through....
I am  wearing that rather short becoming red cape..... hehe!
Gosh clothes were short then!
My brother, John-Paul and sister Donna are with me!
We have enjoyed a day out at, Grange-Over-Sands.
A lovely little town with a very pretty park.
Simple happy days!

This would be around the time, Mum entered me for 'Miss Pears'......
If you are of a certain age, you may perhaps remember this.
Parents sent photographs of their children to be entered to be the face of Pears soap.
I never won of course, but Mum did receive various money off coupons to use off her next purchase.....


Of course she never bought Pears soap again!!

~ Preferring Cussions Imperial Leather...
I only have to smell this soap to be transported back in time to Mum........


~ When taking a backward glance, our memories can be fickle, I know.
But I can remember this next photograph with astonishing clarity.
My Grandma had come around to visit and we had tea in our back garden...
Mum's dress was of her own creation and that of my sisters too!
(Good job I always liked this dress, as it would surely be handed down to me next)
hehe.

My Mum playing music of  the times on her old radiogram.
'Tie a yellow ribbon' by Dawn and' Seasons in the Sun' by Terry Jacks...



Our freedom of those days, with long summers, or so it seemed...
We were quite free to roam as I have mentioned before we had access into our local park, through a secret gate at the bottom of our garden.
There the adventures always began!



It felt good to coax my memories today.
~ And reacquaint myself with the child that once was!
I have noticed a few of us have been travelling a long memory lane, with  our blogging posts....~ I have loved reading them and meandering along with YOU!





Ooh the fashions !
Apologises to any one who may recognise them selves on here!
This picture was in our local evening mail.
We had been to a Christmas party...
The year would be perhaps 1973.
You can recognise us three, because we are all wearing the same anorak and look at those white boots on my sister!
I didn't know this of course, but the boy in the top right hand corner, (with the long hair )would marry my best friend and I would be bridesmaid at their lovely wedding in years to come!




~Sisters and best of friends too!
Enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of tea, listen to music from yesterday.
Flip through old photographs and trace your life back.........

~A little more up to date.. hehe.





"Time is a dress-maker specialising in alterations"...
I read this once and thought how true....

~
Wishing YOU a week of lovely times and happy memories....
Love Maria x
I will draw my give- away on next weeks post...
Thank you for sweet comments always.....


29 comments:

  1. What a lovely post!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  2. I really enjoyed your post - I remember the seventies well, white boots included!

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  3. Oh! my goodness.....Memories....! :).
    How long have l got.....HeHe!
    Well...I go back a little further...
    As it states in my Blog....Sicilian ladies, are
    supposed to know the sex of their baby, before
    it's born...Sooooo! mia Mama, prepared everything
    in 'Pink'...And....Along came Willie...So, for the
    first 12-15 months, l wore dresses, skirts etc.....
    HeHe! Fortunately, back in those days, photos, were
    in black/white, so, the cloths did'nt look pink, as
    such....!

    Mama, did'nt put me in for Pears....More like Carbolic!
    Though, l did win several photo competitions, both me
    and the photographer. Photos, l still have to this day..
    WHAT....A good look'in 'Son-Of-----I was....! :>).
    It's still great, to drag out the old box of photos....
    And, browse through...Not, forgetting the tissues of course.
    'Good Old Days'. (Sniff-Sniff).

    Lovely post Maria....Heartfelt and Soulful....Thankyou......x

    "When l was 5yrs old, my Mother told me that happiness was the
    key to life. When l went to school, they asked me, what l wanted
    to be when l grow up. I wrote down, 'Happy', They told me l did'nt
    understand the assignment, and, l told them, they did'nt understand
    life".
    (John Lennon). .

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    1. ~ Ooh Willie!
      YOU need a blog, my friend!.....SOo much fun, you really are....
      When they asked me at school, what I wanted to be when I grew up.......I didn't hesitate....The Cadburies flake girl, was my answer!!!But that is another post....

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  4. Maria,
    I knew it would be you in that divine red cape, such style at an early age!

    That Terry Jacks Song used to make me cry...

    I think you may have stirred some memories for all us ladies of a 'certain age'?
    Best monday wishes to you
    Daisy j x

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    1. Ooh Thank you, Miss Daisy.
      It is good of you to say so....BUT really?
      I did chuckle at my self in THAT cape!
      Seasons in the sun made me sad and happy all in one!
      Sending 'Twinkles' ****

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  5. I love your pictures Maria, I haven't got many from when I was young, but will get them out and bring them round next week and we can have (another) trip down memory lane!

    Love Claire xxx

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    Replies
    1. ~Looking forwards to it, Mrs!
      Bring what ever YOU can find!

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  6. Hello Maria
    I have so enjoyed sharing your memories...( why I do believe I have a photo of me dressed in cape..and the same sparrow legs showing)hehee!
    I remember Imperal Leather soap it had a lable on it and I thought it was very posh!
    My mum always bought Camay it has the same effect on me, takes be right back to loosing it in the murky bath water beacause it would not stay on they plastic sucker thing!
    Lovely picture of you and your sister on the sofa..( such a pretty dress too)
    Happy Days my dear friend
    Thea x

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  7. Well, of course, here I am as soon as I saw "Memory Lane" in your post!! Weren't you a sweet pretty little girl ... I can't imagine why you didn't win the Pears competition!! My father would buy my mother and my sisters and I Yardley's soap for Christmas ... I used to save the boxes as I thought they were so pretty. I still love the lavender soap, but it's difficult to find here now. We used to have to sing 'Seasons in the Sun' for our choir group at school ... instantly took me back to my childhood and the constant repetition of that song ... 'we had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun' ... and on and on. Such beautiful pictures Maria ... looking forward to the next installment!! Wendy

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  8. lovely memories and i love that cape!!!oh to have the legs for those short skirts now!we are obviously all feeling very nostalgic(old?!?).....makes me smile to look at the haircuts too......thank you for sharing these special thoughts and memories......have a lovely week x

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  9. I do love strolling down memory lane and have done many times on my blog. I loved the red cape coat on your photo, I remember having a turquoise blue one like that. Tie a yellow ribbon and Seasons in the sun are so familiar to me. I would have been about 15 or so at the time they were released and I loved them both.
    I cant believe you didnt win Miss Pears either, your photo shows you were a real cutie!

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  10. What a great little trip down memory lane, love that picture of your mum! Sisters are the best aren't they! :) x

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  11. I read through your post with a big smile on my face, I was sure you were the one wearing the red cape. What lovely pictures and memories.I haven't heard the song Seasons in the sun for years! How fashion changes too!
    Thank you for sharing this with us.
    Sarah x

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  12. Seasons in the sun, I had a good chuckle when you mentioned this. Depressing song yet a good old singalong.

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  13. Uncanny Maria..
    I have been somewhat nostalgic these last few days.. and remembering my youth.. my wonderful parents and my childhood.
    I love your photos.. I often think, how did the children not get cold in the winter with such short clothes and the boys with their shorts..
    Its wonderful to go down memory lane...
    Some great photos there.. you and your sister look alike.
    happy days to you too Maria.. most enjoyable
    xxx val

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  14. Arh the 70's.....such a great time! X

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  15. Loved the travel back to your youth. I remember white knee high socks and the very short dresses. Thanks for sharing! My parents hardly ever took photos and so there is very little that I can look at. I think that because of this I have made sure that KP has a lot of fond memories captured on camera. I especially enjoyed helping her compile - My First 10 Years a while back - a school project. I wished that I had something similar.
    June

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  16. Gosh, I didn't think you were old enough to remember the Pear's Soap competition!
    Lucky you to have a lovely sister too.

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  17. Good morning sweet and beautiful Maria! I remember these days! I DO! In the 70s,I was older than you, but the short fashions were part of my ADOLESCENT wardrobe! When I see photos of this period, that DOES NOT SEEM that long ago, the tint and age of the photo itself makes me shutter in shock as I realize how long ago this was! You are gorgeous, your siblings darling, and you? Lovely.

    Have a fantastic day! Anita

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  18. Maria, what a lovley post!...I love the trips down memory lane so much...
    there seemed to be so much freedom back then, and yes the summers went on forever....
    Willie does make me laugh!

    I had this bottle green dress with little balloons all over it flying away, oh I did love it

    Thanks for sharing your happy memories..
    love sophie
    p.s its them lovely legs again! :-) xx

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  19. lovely memories Maria! I can't wait to get in the attic and bring some of mine down. Those little pins in the first one!! Heather x

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  20. What a lovely post! I'm loving these nostalgia trips ...
    Your cape and little Mary Jane shoes ... sooo stylish ... and you still look gorgeous today.
    My mum entered my photo into the Pears comp too and we didn't win either AND we always had Imperial Leather soap!
    Hope you're having a lovely week - stay warm.
    M xx

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    1. That is what I love about being on here, Marina! We are all cut from the same cloth..hehe...Fancy our Mums and that Pears soap!

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  21. Good morning dearest Maria! It looks as if we both have MEMORY LANE in our hearts this week! I THANK YOU KINDLY for coming to see my grandmother's photos. As I see your photos here, I have a smile on my face as I am in awe of the power of family ties. I wish I would have known my grandmother, or rather, I wish she would have known ME. I only know her by her photos, and that is all I ever will have. But she never knew any of her grandchildren.

    PEACE AND LOVE! Anita

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  22. I love this post it made me feel happy and jogged back memories for me too as we must be around the same age. I would not be without my sister, you and your sister are so alike and I love your dress :) I wanted to be the pears soap girl :) and there is sooo much I like actually love about this post. I would have loved that coat as I have always loved red :) I can remember wanting Bay City Roller red checked trousers..Oh dear! and Rupert the bear annual... you got me thinking back now and what fun! xxx

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  23. Hello Maria
    Lovely to see your childhood memories. That cape certainly was short. Isn't it strange how we can remember certain periods in time with such clarity and others are just a distant memory. The photo of you and your sister is lovely you both look so happy. Hope your having a lovely week.
    Ali x

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  24. Dear Maria
    So there you are - how sweet and rosy faced. Please tell me that you still have that cape? I wore an Edwardian cape for most of the 1980s.....and some of the 90s....
    Terry Jacks made me cry then and makes me cry now...
    Many thanks for sharing those memories
    Best wishes
    Jenny

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  25. Hello Maria!

    I have spent such a sweet moment delving into your past memories which, naturally, has conjured happy childhood moments of my own. Thank you for putting these pictures and stories together for us! I am jolly glad I stumbled across your beautiful space here and I am off to follow you, if I may, immediately.

    Stephanie

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