The continuing story of my dad, "Billy" Mursch, at the age of ten, around 1928-29. He shared these stories with me when he was about 89- or 90 years old, and I am so glad I listened! Otherwise, they would be lost forever. Be sure to read the Part One, reposted earlier. (Christmas on Elmwood St. Part One) I originally posted these in loving memory of my Dad, "Billy Mursch", who passed on to be with the Lord in 2011. Be sure to watch for the 3rd part sometime in the near future.
I hope you will enjoy reading these as much as I enjoyed hearing these stories from my father's own lips. Reading them again brings him closer to me somehow...
Part Two: (written from the perspective of "Billy Mursch"
Part Two: (written from the perspective of "Billy Mursch"
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| Our home on Elmwood Street, Circa 1929 |
Wintertime was an idyllic season for us kids on Elmwood Street. When the snow fell the town would close off some of the side streets and the kids could ice skate in the flat icy areas and go sledding down the hilly snow-covered streets. We’d build a fire in an old oil drum so we could warm up between sled rides. Many a day we stayed outside until our noses were red and our toes were numb, and then we dragged our sleds back to our warm cozy houses for some hot chocolate and steaming bowls of soup at the end of the day.
Another favorite Christmas memory was the smell of cookies baking in the kitchen, and then the many tins of cookies and other goodies, stacked up on the attic stairs to keep fresh, waiting to be eaten by family and friends at Christmas. We kids were forbidden to touch the containers before Christmas…but it sure was a temptation! My favorite cookies were Anise Cookies and Sand Tarts. These were very special old German recipes that my mother loved to bake for our family, and we sure loved to eat them!
(Recipes can be found on my blog page- "It's Recipe Thyme"---Another New Recipe)http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/p/its-recipe-thyme-new-recipe.html
When we set up our Christmas tree, it was traditional in our family to put a toy train under the tree. The train that we used was actually built by my father, and I still have it today. When I was a little older I designed a very unique village to go with our train. Prior to Christmas I would go out in the woods and gather Sphagnum Peat Moss to be used as grass and to fashion small trees for our village. Then I constructed little houses and other buildings for the village by using the wood from the apple boxes brought home from the grocer. One year our village was quite elaborate as I set up a small lake in a pan in the fire box of the fireplace, and placed the moss and trees around and laid out the railroad tracks to run from one side of the bookcases lining the fireplace to the other. I built a mountain on one side and constructed a hotel on top, complete with people and cars and trucks. On the other side was a farm, with a barn, silo, farmhouse, and animals. Next to the farm was a Nativity Scene with Mary and Joseph, the Baby Jesus and the other members of that holy place. Down in the village the train ran through town and made its stops at the local schoolhouse, the Village Church, stores and depot. This project was a forerunner of the hobby that I would enjoy for many years as an adult.
Please check back next week to hear the rest of this story...it keeps getting better...!http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-on-elmwood-street-part-three.html
Back to the present: Now you see where I get my interest in having a train under the tree!
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| The Christmas Tree and the Train Village I made as a child. (Billy Mursch talking) |
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| Another view of the Train Village under the Christmas Tree in the living room at our home on Elmwood Street. |
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| "The locomotive and train is the one my Dad made for me. The village was an elaborate creation that got better every year as I learned how to add more interesting stuff to it." (per Billy Mursch) |
Please check back next week to hear the rest of this story...it keeps getting better...!http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-on-elmwood-street-part-three.html
Back to the present: Now you see where I get my interest in having a train under the tree!
Here's our latest pictures of our little village and train after I added some lights to the buildings tonight. I didn't realize when I bought these little LED lights that they were blue! Next time I will read the label! But they don't look too bad, do they? I said on Facebook that it looks like we will be having a "Blue Christmas without you..." Wanna sing along with Elvis as you look at our "Blue Christmas"?
I do hope your Christmas is merry and bright!
What a treasure! The pictures, the stories. What a treasure! Thanks again Pamela/
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed this. I hope you went back and read Part one as well. Part three is coming soon!
DeleteMerry Christmas!
What an idyllic childhood! Sand tarts? hmmm....will have to see about that!
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying this series and the photos that go along with it.
ReplyDeleteI love getting to know people like this.
Thank you Annie. You would have loved my Dad. He was quite an interesting and fun loving man, right up until his passing at age almost 93. I miss him every day! So glad that I have these special memories of his to treasure and share.
DeleteHow creative and talented your father was, even as a young boy! I'm so impressed by his skills and by his words that bring back memories of idyllic Christmases.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Pamela!
Thank you Martha Jane. I am so glad you are enjoying this little glimpse into my father's childhood so long ago. I am thrilled that I was able to capture these stories and save them for "posterity".
DeleteHow wonderful that you still have the train, the old black and white photos, and stories handed down from your Dad.
ReplyDeleteActually, I don't have the train. That was my father talking about the train his father built, who would be my grandfather. I believe one of my older brothers now has that train.
DeleteWhat beautiful memories Pamela. I love the train and the village you made. I think it's wonderful that you still have the photos to remember those precious times. Have a blessed day ahead my friend.
ReplyDeleteThis was my dad's village that he made as a child. He continued that hobby all of his life and had quite an extensive toy train collection and layout, much to the delight of many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and adults from everywhere!
DeleteI am just as impressed now by your father's creativity as I was the first time you posted this, Pamela! I wonder if that's where Benton's wood crafting skills come from? Wouldn't be surprised!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this touching nostalgia today, my friend.
Thank you, Martha. Yes, Benton did inherit his woodworking skills from his Grandpa, and also inherited a few of his woodworking tools! My father was also a sign painter as well as a carpenter and cabinet maker...and Benton has done all of the above. My father was also an artist. Our other two sons seem to have inherited the artistic gene. Matthew (who is now in heaven) was a very talented draftsman, which also came from MY grandfather, my father's father. Scott is very creative and designs all kinds of interesting crafts. Yes, they were all blessed with genes from my father. They seem to have skipped over me, although I used to be very artistic. I just haven't used it in years and have lost a lot of my skill. I'm glad you enjoyed this and picked up on those traits!
DeletePam, I am loving reading about your dad's growing up years. He was quite industrious to come up with the village designs. I especially liked how he took the wood from the grocer boxes to make his village. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Dianna. He was very ingenious, even as a young boy. Those characteristics continued until the day he died at 93 years old. Always thinking of something creative to do. I was so blessed to have had him for my Daddy.
DeleteI loved reading this story once again, Pamela, and loved the video of the train speeding around the village. And who cares if the lights are blue? This is 2020 after all! Lol!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Very good point, Martha! Blue light special for 2020!! Why not?? I appreciate your appreciation of my blue lights!! Blessings to you too!
DeleteLove this video! While blue's not my favorite color, I think it's the perfect accompaniment ... adding to the feel of a cold winter's night. At the mention of anise cookies, I jumped right to your recipe link (thanks!), but it's not that my own German grandmother made. I think anise was her middle name ... lol.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I had to come here from your FB link. For some reason episodes #2 and #3 aren't coming up in my blog reader.
Oh really? I'm thinking because they are reposts of old ones...for some reason the new blogger changes don't like to republish old posts. I wondered why more people weren't commenting...that is probably why. I would love to have an anise cookie again. Wish I could make them.
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