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October 30, 2014

Somehow I Remembered It Differently

83 Comments/ 7007/ 0

hannibal house

When I was little I lived in this house.  My grade school friend, Beth Rich Brown (Yes, she now has MY maiden name) was in Hannibal, Ohio recently and took a picture of my old house and sent it to me.  How sweet was that??? I have very fond memories of living here –at least for the years that I can remember.  We moved here the summer after I was born in April so the first few years are a bit of a blur but I do remember this old brick house with fondness.

I remember the spiral staircase.

I remember the great hiding places.

I remember my room I shared with my sister.

I remember the bunk beds that I broke when I jumped on the top bunk while my sister encouraged me from the bottom bunk.

I remember being distraught when my Easter basket had ants devouring my Peeps after it was hidden early one Easter morning.

I remember our rabbit Sniffy going under that front porch and having to get a cornstalk that we called Stoney Stonewall (My brother says it was a cornstalk but I only remembered it was some kind of stick) to coax the rabbit out.

I remember playing dress up.

With my Daddy’s old Navy sailor hat and some weird dress type thing I posed for a selfie of sorts.

bethann2

Hannibal was a pretty small town back then and today it only has a population of a bit over 400 people so yes—it was small. My dad was pastor at the Methodist Church there as well as having 3 other churches on the charge.  To say he was busy is an understatement.  But he always managed to find time to spend with the family and one of my memories is of him mowing the grass.  It was funny when Beth sent me the picture of the house because I “remembered” those banks in the front yard being MUCH bigger than they appear to be in that picture.  I remember they seemed very steep.  I remember Daddy putting a rope on the handle of the mower to lower the mower to the bottom and pull it back up to get them mowed.

I sent my older sister, Paula, the picture of the house and said that I remembered those banks being much steeper and she said that was her first thought when she saw the picture also.  Funny how memories change over time.

I also remember that the Hannibal Locks and Dam were being built when we lived there and since the Ohio River was right across the road from our house (below those two banks which are smaller than I remember) we would watch all the construction workers from the banks and I even remember throwing them apples from our stations on the banks.  I do not remember if we threw them butternuts –oh those dreaded ugly butternuts that I wrote about recently.

Isn’t it interesting how memories linger?  This week I loved how a picture of a house triggered a multitude of memories for me.

The Brown Family circa 1960

The Brown Family circa 1960

 


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Childhood memories Hannibal Hannibal Locks and Dam memories Ohio
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83 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. Dianna
    October 30, 2014 at 06:08 am

    LOVE this post, Beth!!! That’s a beautiful old home, and I loved reading your memories of living there.
    The old family photos are great, too. Aren’t they absolute treasures???

    Reply
  2. Dianna
    October 30, 2014 at 06:08 am

    LOVE this post, Beth!!! That’s a beautiful old home, and I loved reading your memories of living there.
    The old family photos are great, too. Aren’t they absolute treasures???

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 06:35 am

      Thanks, Dianna. I really had a great childhood and yes–those old photos make me smile every time. Hey—I finally got my Sea Glass book—they sent my copy to someone else first off but they found another one for me and sent it!!! Gonna try to bone up on sea glass terms!!!

      Reply
  3. lclalor
    October 30, 2014 at 06:18 am

    Charming post, Beth Ann. It sounds like you had a lovely childhood. It’s fun to remember and reflect on our younger selves.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 06:34 am

      Thanks, Laura! Sometimes the posts that are the easiest to write are the ones that I like the most. 🙂 Does that make sense?? I had such a great childhood and am blessed by those memories.

      Reply
  4. lclalor
    October 30, 2014 at 06:18 am

    Charming post, Beth Ann. It sounds like you had a lovely childhood. It’s fun to remember and reflect on our younger selves.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 06:34 am

      Thanks, Laura! Sometimes the posts that are the easiest to write are the ones that I like the most. 🙂 Does that make sense?? I had such a great childhood and am blessed by those memories.

      Reply
  5. Ann
    October 30, 2014 at 06:24 am

    I love it. Aren’t we lucky to have good memories?

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 06:33 am

      Yes! Very lucky. I know not everyone has the same nice memories that I have of my childhood and that kind of makes me sad. Every child deserves good memories.

      Reply
  6. Ann
    October 30, 2014 at 06:24 am

    I love it. Aren’t we lucky to have good memories?

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 06:33 am

      Yes! Very lucky. I know not everyone has the same nice memories that I have of my childhood and that kind of makes me sad. Every child deserves good memories.

      Reply
  7. shoreacres
    October 30, 2014 at 06:34 am

    When I last was in Iowa, for my mother’s burial, I went back to see the two houses we had lived in. The one my folks built – my junior high and high school home – was almost unchanged. But our first house? That I lived in as a child? I looked at it and thought, “It’s so SMALL!” Of course, I’m bigger, now. 😉

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 06:37 am

      EXACTLY!!!! That is what I thought about those banks in front of the house!! It cracked me up that my sister had the exact same reaction!

      Reply
  8. livinglifejoyfully
    October 30, 2014 at 06:51 am

    GREAT post! Memories have a funny way of changing sometimes, I think. But I love how pictures can bring back memories! Probably why i have wayyyyy too many of them I am sorting through. It takes longer because they DO bring back those memories!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 06:53 am

      They do, don’t they? And yes—I get wrapped up in the sorting process and it takes soooo long because I stop and giggle over something or set it aside to think about it more. But how wonderful that we have those pictures, right????

      Reply
  9. Beth Ann
    October 30, 2014 at 06:53 am

    They do, don’t they? And yes—I get wrapped up in the sorting process and it takes soooo long because I stop and giggle over something or set it aside to think about it more. But how wonderful that we have those pictures, right????

    Reply
  10. Ozzie Ohl
    October 30, 2014 at 07:50 am

    Memories can be the golden gift to the mind. They should be treasured and recalled with fondness. It is even better when someone shares such memories from days gone by with a photo. All of my childhood photo memories were destroyed in a fire. We lived in 8 different houses in my hometown of Oelwein, Ia. The community has gone downhill dramatically since I grew up there due to the farm crisis and a meth epidemic. Three of the schools I attended have been torn down. I am sad to see that the houses I lived in have become really rundown too.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 07:55 am

      That is too bad. I know that some of the small towns I lived in growing up are struggling, too, and I have honestly not been back to any of those childhood homes to see them in real life. I love looking at photos and would be so sad if I had lost them like you did. That is the great thing about our technological age now—scan them in and save them and you can keep them forever.

      Reply
  11. Ozzie Ohl
    October 30, 2014 at 07:50 am

    Memories can be the golden gift to the mind. They should be treasured and recalled with fondness. It is even better when someone shares such memories from days gone by with a photo. All of my childhood photo memories were destroyed in a fire. We lived in 8 different houses in my hometown of Oelwein, Ia. The community has gone downhill dramatically since I grew up there due to the farm crisis and a meth epidemic. Three of the schools I attended have been torn down. I am sad to see that the houses I lived in have become really rundown too.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 07:55 am

      That is too bad. I know that some of the small towns I lived in growing up are struggling, too, and I have honestly not been back to any of those childhood homes to see them in real life. I love looking at photos and would be so sad if I had lost them like you did. That is the great thing about our technological age now—scan them in and save them and you can keep them forever.

      Reply
  12. suzicate
    October 30, 2014 at 08:02 am

    I had that experience when visiting my childhood. The house seemed so much larger and the banks steeper.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 08:15 am

      Yes!!! I guess that is how it is for most of us. We were little so it seemed so much larger! Fun to see that I am not alone.

      Reply
  13. suzicate
    October 30, 2014 at 08:02 am

    I had that experience when visiting my childhood. The house seemed so much larger and the banks steeper.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 08:15 am

      Yes!!! I guess that is how it is for most of us. We were little so it seemed so much larger! Fun to see that I am not alone.

      Reply
  14. suzicate
    October 30, 2014 at 08:02 am

    Ha, that should have been childhood home!

    Reply
  15. suzicate
    October 30, 2014 at 08:02 am

    Ha, that should have been childhood home!

    Reply
  16. jenieats
    October 30, 2014 at 08:17 am

    Very touched by this post! Your childhood house is beautiful. I’m actually listening to the song “A House Is a Home” by Ben Harper which is resonating about our talk of home.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 08:20 am

      Growing up in a family that moved as part of the job and then marrying a man who would always move as part of the job makes me really appreciate that I can actually have that sense of “home” everywhere I go. That brick house was a fun place to grow up and even though a lot of the memories are fuzzy there are some that are crystal clear and that came flooding back when my friend sent me that pic.

      Reply
      1. jenieats
        October 30, 2014 at 08:38 am

        It looks like people have cared for it well over the years.

        Reply
  17. jenieats
    October 30, 2014 at 08:17 am

    Very touched by this post! Your childhood house is beautiful. I’m actually listening to the song “A House Is a Home” by Ben Harper which is resonating about our talk of home.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 08:20 am

      Growing up in a family that moved as part of the job and then marrying a man who would always move as part of the job makes me really appreciate that I can actually have that sense of “home” everywhere I go. That brick house was a fun place to grow up and even though a lot of the memories are fuzzy there are some that are crystal clear and that came flooding back when my friend sent me that pic.

      Reply
      1. jenieats
        October 30, 2014 at 08:38 am

        It looks like people have cared for it well over the years.

        Reply
  18. Robie
    October 30, 2014 at 08:21 am

    I remember when we came to visit your family and how we hid in the places you mentioned!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 08:23 am

      That is awesome that you remember that!!! I love that you remember that. The house is definitely a piece of my history and I love that Beth sent me the pic when she was there visiting. Made my day.

      Reply
  19. Robie
    October 30, 2014 at 08:21 am

    I remember when we came to visit your family and how we hid in the places you mentioned!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 08:23 am

      That is awesome that you remember that!!! I love that you remember that. The house is definitely a piece of my history and I love that Beth sent me the pic when she was there visiting. Made my day.

      Reply
  20. georgettesullins
    October 30, 2014 at 08:49 am

    Interesting your friend’s name is Beth, too. I have never met a Georgette, only read about them. And it’s interesting her surname was “Rich” speaking to the richness of her memories, too. Sometimes real life is better than fiction! The photos, the names, the memories…you can’t make up. Such a beautiful and traditional home you had. Love your memory of your dad rigging a rope around the mower to troubleshoot the up and down of mowing that front yard. I think it speaks to all the talents of various professions – minister – engineer. hmmm…this post made me stop and drink several sips of coffee this morning for all it evokes.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 09:32 am

      Thanks, Georgette. Yes–we were the two Beth’s in first and second grade till I moved. And we were fast friends. When we reconnected later (thank you Facebook) i was so thrilled that now she was a Brown! How weird is that? Your comments about what my dad did is spot on. He was a master at many things. 🙂

      Reply
  21. georgettesullins
    October 30, 2014 at 08:49 am

    Interesting your friend’s name is Beth, too. I have never met a Georgette, only read about them. And it’s interesting her surname was “Rich” speaking to the richness of her memories, too. Sometimes real life is better than fiction! The photos, the names, the memories…you can’t make up. Such a beautiful and traditional home you had. Love your memory of your dad rigging a rope around the mower to troubleshoot the up and down of mowing that front yard. I think it speaks to all the talents of various professions – minister – engineer. hmmm…this post made me stop and drink several sips of coffee this morning for all it evokes.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 09:32 am

      Thanks, Georgette. Yes–we were the two Beth’s in first and second grade till I moved. And we were fast friends. When we reconnected later (thank you Facebook) i was so thrilled that now she was a Brown! How weird is that? Your comments about what my dad did is spot on. He was a master at many things. 🙂

      Reply
  22. Gibber
    October 30, 2014 at 10:55 am

    Wow what a beautiful home! I love it. I’m glad that you enjoyed your trip down memory lane. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 05:06 pm

      Thanks, Gibber! I know not everyone has those fond memories but for me they are. Oh except when the bunk beds broke….

      Reply
      1. Gibber
        October 30, 2014 at 05:10 pm

        Ha! I’m happy that you do. Did you hurt yourself when the bunk bed broke?

        Reply
        1. Beth Ann
          October 30, 2014 at 05:17 pm

          I was on the top—my sis on the bottom and she did not get hurt but we sure got scared!!!! She was bracing her feet on the top bunk while I jumped on it and had to hold it up with her feet until help came!!!!! I think we both learned our lesson!

          Reply
          1. Gibber
            October 30, 2014 at 05:18 pm

            Oh my goodness! That’s good that neither of you got hurt and learned..lol

  23. Gibber
    October 30, 2014 at 10:55 am

    Wow what a beautiful home! I love it. I’m glad that you enjoyed your trip down memory lane. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 05:06 pm

      Thanks, Gibber! I know not everyone has those fond memories but for me they are. Oh except when the bunk beds broke….

      Reply
      1. Gibber
        October 30, 2014 at 05:10 pm

        Ha! I’m happy that you do. Did you hurt yourself when the bunk bed broke?

        Reply
        1. Beth Ann
          October 30, 2014 at 05:17 pm

          I was on the top—my sis on the bottom and she did not get hurt but we sure got scared!!!! She was bracing her feet on the top bunk while I jumped on it and had to hold it up with her feet until help came!!!!! I think we both learned our lesson!

          Reply
          1. Gibber
            October 30, 2014 at 05:18 pm

            Oh my goodness! That’s good that neither of you got hurt and learned..lol

  24. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    October 30, 2014 at 11:43 am

    I love this house and your sweet memories of it. Time blurs memories, for sure. And as we age, we view the past differently. So perhaps memories are never 100 percent accurate.

    The photos are keepsakes, such treasures.

    And, yes, I’ve briefly emerged from the rabbit hole to read blog posts before lunch.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 11:49 am

      You need to emerge next Thursday……just saying.

      Reply
  25. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    October 30, 2014 at 11:43 am

    I love this house and your sweet memories of it. Time blurs memories, for sure. And as we age, we view the past differently. So perhaps memories are never 100 percent accurate.

    The photos are keepsakes, such treasures.

    And, yes, I’ve briefly emerged from the rabbit hole to read blog posts before lunch.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 11:49 am

      You need to emerge next Thursday……just saying.

      Reply
  26. Mama's Empty Nest
    October 30, 2014 at 12:31 pm

    Lovely old home and lovely memories. They certainly go hand in hand. And the photos are true treasures as well.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 05:06 pm

      Thanks! I love finding old photos that dredge up memories, don’t you? I am lucky that my family took a lot of pictures–must be where I got it from.

      Reply
  27. Mama's Empty Nest
    October 30, 2014 at 12:31 pm

    Lovely old home and lovely memories. They certainly go hand in hand. And the photos are true treasures as well.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 05:06 pm

      Thanks! I love finding old photos that dredge up memories, don’t you? I am lucky that my family took a lot of pictures–must be where I got it from.

      Reply
  28. Rorybore
    October 30, 2014 at 01:43 pm

    this is how I feel when I see drive past my grandparents original farmhouse. it was sold when they passed away and now the owners have made many changes. But I still get sweet memories …..and a bit of a terror feel when I look at those Still Tall silos and remember that I used to climb them as a child. What was I thinking? my poor mom if she knew!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 05:05 pm

      I am sure your mom was better off not knowing. Same here for a lot of “activities” we got into as kids. 🙂

      Reply
  29. Rorybore
    October 30, 2014 at 01:43 pm

    this is how I feel when I see drive past my grandparents original farmhouse. it was sold when they passed away and now the owners have made many changes. But I still get sweet memories …..and a bit of a terror feel when I look at those Still Tall silos and remember that I used to climb them as a child. What was I thinking? my poor mom if she knew!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 05:05 pm

      I am sure your mom was better off not knowing. Same here for a lot of “activities” we got into as kids. 🙂

      Reply
  30. Katy Flint
    October 30, 2014 at 07:03 pm

    Love love love it! I love anything about the past! Such sweet memories!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 07:24 pm

      Glad you liked it!!! I do have some pretty sweet memories. 🙂

      Reply
  31. Katy Flint
    October 30, 2014 at 07:03 pm

    Love love love it! I love anything about the past! Such sweet memories!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      October 30, 2014 at 07:24 pm

      Glad you liked it!!! I do have some pretty sweet memories. 🙂

      Reply
  32. Helen Brown
    October 30, 2014 at 08:57 pm

    Thanks for showing the picture of the big house we lived in while we lived in Hannibal. We loved being there for 8 years. We liked the house, the church, the school, and the people.

    Reply
  33. Helen Brown
    October 30, 2014 at 08:57 pm

    Thanks for showing the picture of the big house we lived in while we lived in Hannibal. We loved being there for 8 years. We liked the house, the church, the school, and the people.

    Reply
  34. poemsandponderings
    October 30, 2014 at 10:53 pm

    Time edits all memories..

    Reply
  35. poemsandponderings
    October 30, 2014 at 10:53 pm

    Time edits all memories..

    Reply
  36. benzeknees
    October 31, 2014 at 12:30 am

    Such a pretty house!

    Reply
  37. benzeknees
    October 31, 2014 at 12:30 am

    Such a pretty house!

    Reply
  38. Marla aka Crazy Mom
    November 01, 2014 at 07:12 am

    This is so cool!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      November 01, 2014 at 07:57 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  39. Marla aka Crazy Mom
    November 01, 2014 at 07:12 am

    This is so cool!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      November 01, 2014 at 07:57 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  40. dawnkinster
    November 02, 2014 at 06:46 am

    That was so nice for her to send you a photo…the house seems like it has stood there forever and will forever into the future. Cool house to grow up in I think! And what great memories you have of being there!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      November 02, 2014 at 07:09 am

      It was incredibly sweet of her to take the pic and send it. I did love that house. Some day I would love to go back down there to see it—-I do not think I have been back since we moved.

      Reply
  41. Just A Mom Giving It A Tri
    January 29, 2015 at 05:15 pm

    I love this!!!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann Chiles
      January 29, 2015 at 05:15 pm

      Aw–thanks!!! Hard to pick just one, isn’t it??? I love yours as well!

      Reply
      1. Just A Mom Giving It A Tri
        January 29, 2015 at 05:16 pm

        It is! I have many favorites. 🙂

        Reply
  42. Darlene
    February 01, 2021 at 07:18 am

    I love this post. Must have been before I followed you as I don´t remember it. What a great place to grow up in. You look so cute in your dress up outfit. xo

    Reply

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