Do you remember that TV program? When we had TV – not viewing platforms. One screen per household.
The last of the summer wine. It was British. From years ago. I remember the scene in the late summer meadow just the sheer relief of watching that family sitting back and relaxing into the moment.
We are exploring further down the beach now. Dragging sticks and discovering new treasures.
Every tide the sea gifts us something, we need to just look for it.
In my family – my New Zealand family – we are determined to build memories for the children. We do this intentionally. Because memories are the bedrock of living. My mother died when I was a very young Mum resulting in my father remarrying and moving out of our orbit. This meant that my children have very few memories from my mother or my father. I have to make sure the old stories are passed down through story telling.
We are determined that this will not happen to my children’s children. Building good solid memories with good food and walks and lots of conversation around the table. Building Memories is literally a catch phrase between us. And I hope that when these kids talk about me to others they talk about food and beaches. Watching TV together after dinner. Book time. Siesta time. Watering the gardens. Omelettes for breakfast with toppings from the garden. Relaxing into the season with a glass of wine.
Of course all memories are not happy. But these memories will be visual, three dimensional and shareable.
Do you have favourite memories of your old people?
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
36 responses to “Last of the Summer Wine”
Are those clam shells all over the sand on the beach?
My mum’s parents lived in Ireland so I only saw them 2 or 3 times in my life. My dad’s father passed away long before I was born. The only grandparent I have a clear memory of is my dad’s mum. She used to look after me when I was little and my parents were at work. I clearly remember singing songs with her while she ironed. Isn’t it funny the things that stick in your head?
singing songs while she ironed. Lovely. That has so much story in it right there. We all used to iron once a week! I remember that too!
Ha ha – I was never very fond of “The Last of the Summer Wine”, I found it over sentimental, but, I’m getting close to their ages now! It ran from 1973 – 2010! The cast changed at least 3 times! My lovely neighbour is a chef and she makes incredible cakes for her grandaughters’ birthdays. I said to her today, that the girls’ friends probably go home and ask their mothers if they can have “real” birthday cakes next year 🤣 Special memories for their futures!
Really? Three decades? I think I only watched one season. It was so foreign to us in New Zealand! Imagine having those beautiful birthday cakes. The eyes on those kids when they see it!
I know – such fantastic memories!
I have amazing memories of my dear grandparents and also remember my great grandparents with fondness. I don’t see my grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, very often as we live far apart, but I make sure when I do, we are building memories. We already do the “Remember when we did this…” conversations. Enjoy every minute.
In three weeks, the fourth of my four grandsons will leave the country for places far away. But we have many happy memories because they have been around me since birth. We often said and will continue to say, remember when…. My children saw their grandparents only every second year when we took them home and so they weren’t close. Hopefully all the time I’ve spent with my grandchildren will make them remember all the adventures we had with love.
they will Judith. I bet you have created amazing memories for them and the world is so small now. I hope you see them all again soon.
They will never forget their childhood with you and all the wonderful memories you built together. Such lucky kids to have you as a grandmother. You can’t blame them for having a sense of adventure, they got it from you! Hugs.
Thank you for that lovely response Darlene. I have loved that they lived close to me until they went to university, and from there decided to get jobs in various parts of the country. But always, they were in close contact. I realise how very lucky I have been for all those years that I had to share with the boys, as so many of my friends, rarely see their grandchildren. Mostly grandchildren, live on the other side of the world, as New Zealand is so far away and the young always want to travel to other places and find how other people live.
that is the best game Darlene and the perfect way to start a dinner time conversation. My son was telling his children yesterday, at the dinner table, about the time my uncle attached the bonnet of a car to the tractor. Sat them on it, and then dragged the bonnet (upside down n like a saucer) around the junk yard at speed! They were screaming with delight. Awful!!
Sounds like the sort of dinnertime conversation at our house! Except it would have been in the snow. It’s a wonder we all survived. xo
As I said to Darlene, soon, there will be no grandchildren here in New Zealand, but hopefully, they have great memories of all the times and adventures we shared together.
And in three days time, I shall be in Kapiti dog sitting, so Daisydog and I will walk the beach and riverbank, two elderly ladies enjoying our time together. Since Daisydog has been in the family, 11 years now, many happy memories of the boys include Daisydog.
you and Daisy dog. Such a lovely image! I bet those memories are beautiful.
My parents were older; I came at the end of a big family, so by the time I was born I was down to one grandfather, who came to live with us for much of my childhood. Every other year, he would fly out to South Africa, to see my father’s sister, who lived there, which was much more of an adventure in the 60s and 70s than it is now. He had been both a teacher and a graphic artist, and was skilled at drawing and painting. He made me and my sister the most astonishing puppet theatre and all the hand puppets to go with it, hand carved and painted. He made us toy boxes, painted and decorated with birds, beasts and butterflies. He kept a huge vegetable garden, and one of my most treasured photos of him is standing there, leaning on his fork. He had a quietly extraordinary life, having fought in WWI and being awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry, subsequently being captured and kept a PoW until the end of the war.
Knowing what we read ( I personally have never lived in a war or conflict ) the human spirit has always impressed me. All that plus a POW. And the art. How wonderful that you knew him!
I’ve assumed the role of family genealogist. I have lots of stories and memories in my head and in my records. It is amazing what things can be found out with some digging through old data.
Also, I remember when TV was new. You had to get up out of the chair to change the volume or the channel. Our first TV was a big heavy box with a small circular screen. We were far from a broadcast antenna. So our picture faded in and out with the weather or sunspot activity. My oldest brother became a radio/TV repairman. He eventually got us set up with modern equipment.
TV ushered in a.cultural sea change. I also remember those bunny ears and the dial to change the channel – once we had more than one channel that is. And that TV only came on at a certain time and closed down at 11 pm or something!
The simple ordinary things. Those make the most lasting and best memories. Smiling that you are determined.
(and I do remember that show)
And days at the beach. Amazing.
I still carry some specific memories of both my grandmothers. My grandfathers were gone long before I was born. Two very different women, but neither of them very affectionate. They also weren’t storytellers but I listened in to conversations going on around me as much as I could. I helped to raise my granddaughters when they were small, with them almost 5 days per week. We still remember things from those years but now they live 2 hrs away by plane and are growing and doing and seeing things that I am not a part of. It has been a hard adjustment. I’m not sure how it will impact us as they grow and I age.
So hard to lose them after having them 5 days a week. But All I know for sure is that things continue to change. And I am sure you have a routine of visits. They will remember you on a true cellular level.
I will be eternally grateful for the smallish city my mom and dad came from. We spent many weekends there at grandma & grandpa’s. With 20 some cousins, mostly in town and one aunt and uncle on a dairy farm, it was an idyllic childhood. Way back then it was safe enough for all us kids to leave the house in the morning and not show up again until dinner time. There was a river for fishing and countryside for exploring and a friendly butcher who was always good for a hunk of ring bologna. So many many memories.
That does sound idyllic. All those cousins! I bet you were a rabble in the summers.
And you know, the sound of a wooden screen door slamming, like the one on grandma’s front door brings it all back in an instant. Memories are wonderful that way.
I bet it does. Amazing.
When I read “My mother died when I was a very young Mum resulting in my father remarrying and moving out of our orbit.” I had to take a deep breath. When my mum died I was fortunate to have my paternal grandparents-family as a buffer. A little later Dad remarried and while we’re close it had its effects. However, my greatest wish for him has come to fruition, to have grandkids (courtesy of two of my half-siblings) who are close to him like I was my grandfather-his father. Bonus also I’m a -mostly absentee- aunty but which I enjoy.
It was sad – but I was too busy surviving those years as a solo mum to make much of a fuss. He was remarried and gone hundreds of miles away a year or so after Mum died. Some men can be so fickle. I have organized to bury his ashes this trip. They are in my brothers wardrobe.
And Aunty power should never be underestimated- my grandkids adore their aunty. With no children of her own they get to crawl all over her with no competition.
yes, yes, yes to all of this, the memories are your legacy. I remember watching bonanza with my old Italian grandpa, who fancied himself a cowboy
Bonanza!! A place to bond!
I have many memories with my grandparents and a some with my great grandparents. I also used to visit in the summer with a great aunt and uncle (actually it was my grandmother’s cousin). I had the most beautiful bedroom there. It was on a cliff over the ocean and had multiple windows with white flowing curtains and two huge lilac trees right outside the window. The smell of lilacs invoke so many memories for me. My great grandmother had a garden full of roses and lilacs too. In spring/summer I always had a bunch of lilacs in my bedroom. I have so many good memories of my old people, I was surrounded by them. I vividly remember visiting with my great grandfather when he was on his deathbed. I was probably between 7-8 years old and my dad took me and my younger brother to see him one last time and I think he passed later that day. I also have many stories of the old ones that went before that I didn’t know. The stories are important because they pass on a memory and you feel a connection to them even though you didn’t really know them. It is wonderful that you are building these memories with your grandchildren. Tell them all your stories and cook with them and teach them how you cook. One dish that they can really remember and it will be their comfort later in life. Those things will stay with them forever.
What beautiful photos!
Such a wonderful post singing the importance of memories! And how wonderful that you and your children are making memories with your grands! My 3 siblings and I have so many memories of our growing up years together and our parents. They divorced when I was 15, but we continued to be in touch with my Dad. Our Mom was the most wonderful influential person in our lives. We are fortunate to have Siblings Reunions at least twice a year these years. Very fortunate!
Lovely that you can have sibling reunions. Maybe we should try that! Our family fractured a bit when our mum died
Yes! Do try to do a siblings reunion! No doubt you all would have so many memories to share of you all growing up together!!!