Upside Down

In my maternal grandparents yard there was a metal pipe swing frame that my grandfather had attached to the apple tree. There was a big swing three or more people could sit in and there was a baby swing for one little person with a bar to hold them in, you can see it below to the right. And there were a pair of rings that my cousin Barbara was expert with.  I don’t remember ever doing a flip or anything else.

My aunt Mary Virginia and my cousin Marilyn

In this photograph my Aunt Mary V. is helping her youngest daughter, my cousin Marilyn learn how to use the rings. Marilyn was the youngest of the five cousins by 6 years. She was often regulated to “go-ie wo-ie” during games.

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For other posts featuring Poppy and Nanny’s yard –

24 thoughts on “Upside Down

  1. I remember hanging upside down a lot in our backyard… my big brothers looked better that way! LOL

  2. I also read the link to Poppy’s Garden and your “magical” childhood. What fun! I’m afraid so many kids are missing out on those great imaginary adventures.

  3. We lived in the country, far from any playground, but in our garden we had a perfectly good fig tree that I used as one, I can still feel the shape and smooth bark of the particular branch where I used to sit, stand or hang upside down. What extraordinary memories such posts bring back – I hadn’t thought of that for years.

  4. Oh my — you’ve made me remember the day I climbed up on some bars at the elementary school across from my house and was too afraid to come down. My friend had to run home to get help. Somehow I gathered the nerve, hung on tight, and swung my legs over to get myself down. I’m a big chicken.

  5. Kristin, your photos fit the theme perfectly.

    I am really enjoying this weeks theme as it is bringing back childhood memories that I hadn’t thought about in years.

    My dad had a pipe swing set made for us too. used it with my kids then gave it to my sister but don’t know what has happened to it now.

    The wooden seat had metal brackets on each end, attached to the chain. I think the sharp metal corners of the seat got each of us in the head, when we got too close to whoever was swinging. It only ever happened once to each of us though. We soon learnt that it hurt really bad and didn’t get too close again.

    Dad replaced that seat with a plastic one when he did it up for our kids.

    Thanks for the memories.

    Sharon

  6. Super pictures, Kirstin. Just right for the theme. My kids had a one seater swing, As I boy I made do with the apple tree in our back garden which I believe is still there 60 years later.

  7. I wouldnt have liked hanging upside down, i had an unfortunate incident involving metal railing and my head (ouch) so never did that again Lol
    Great photos

    Gill x

    1. I remember my oldest daughter was fooling around on some railings at the county fair one year. She must have been about 6. She fell off right on her head. I kept her awake just in case she had a concussion, which she didn’t.

  8. Oh, we had one of those swingsets, too! I haven’t thought of that in years — it was red, and the seats were made of wood. We had a slide attached at one side, too — loved that thing! Thanks for bringing it back to me…

  9. Oh such sweet, sweet memories. We still have a wooden seat hanging by ropes on one of our trees! I still go to the playground with my grandchildren now, and I attempt pretty much the same things I did back then! But not all of them! Yikes! These photos are a treasure and I’m happy you shared them!

  10. Lovely photos Kristin. I never had the nerve to hang upside-down from a height, but I would happily do handstands and headstands on the grass. We used to see how long we could maintain it – usually until all the blood rushed to our heads and there was a pounding in our ears!

  11. Oh for the days when one could hang from the monkee bars and feel freedom rush to your head. To echo the others, a perfect fit with the theme.

    1. I used to make up all sorts of imaginings when I had to take nose drops and hang my head over the side of the bed. Walking around on the ceiling and stepping over the bit of wall between the ceiling and the door. The ceiling fixtures sort of like a campfire in the middle of the room. Looking through the mirror, I would catch a glimpse of the next room and think about what was there that I couldn’t see. Too much free time on my hand due to so many colds and sore throats, maybe.

  12. Oh you remind me of those many times when I swung upside down or round and around far too fast. And now I am beginning to feel sick again!

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