Everything was washed, cleaned and sprayed in preparation for usage. We would take the rugs outside and hang them on the porch railing and beat them clean with a wire rug beater (what a great way to get rid of any frustration, especially if you had it cause you had to be working and not playing ha ha!) and every spider web, musty smell and any lingering bugs that may have made our tiny bungalow their home over the winter were evicted! My mother was for sure “Mrs. Clean”, so you can rest assured that every nook and cranny had to pass her inspection. The outside was swept, and every bed was made with fresh linens. Only a few families lived at the Lake all year long, and it seemed so serene and peaceful in the spring, not bursting with life as it was in the summer. But, it had a promise in the air that warm weather would soon be upon us, and we would soon be heading to the bungalow for the summer.
Peach Lake in Spring at Pavilion with Dad
Peach Lake Pavilion with Mom & sister Gwen
One like my Grandma Nickels wore
One year while doing Spring cleaning I found a baby bird that had fallen out of it's nest. My Dad made a splint for it's wing out of popscicle stick parts and gauze. We got worms to feed it and chopped them up and I fed the little thing water from an eye dropper. We put it in a box with holes and then brought it back to Tarrytown to finish healing much to my Mother's horror! Poor Mom, I was always bringing home some kind of stray kitten, homeless puppy etc. I even came down with Ringworm one time from a kitten I was hugging up to my face, just petting was never enough for me, I had to have my animals up close and personal.. I still do! Sometimes she would allow me to keep them in the basement as my sister had allergies and they would have sent her into an attack. I always longed for a pet and I think that is why I raised Toy Poodles years later. All of my children love animals, but I think especially Todd and his wife CJ .. I think because I sold his pet poodle ... Bad mommy, sorry my precious son... Anyway, here is a picture of Todd who with his friend David who was like part of our family, nursed this bird back to health.
As a child I had always loved Disney movies and one of my favorites was Snow White, except for the wicked witch who scared me so badly. But, after I saw that picture I always thought of the song "Whistle While You Work" with Snow White sweeping and preparing the dusty cottage for the Seven Dwarfs... that was how I always felt when we were preparing the bungalow during spring cleaning time!
Snow White
working
and
singing!
Lyrics Whistle While You Work
Just whistle while you work
Put on that grin and start right in to whistle loud and long
Just hum a merry tune
Just do your best and take a rest and sing yourself a song
When there's too much to do
Don't let it bother you, forget your troubles,
Try to be just like a cheerful chick-a-dee
And whistle while you work
Come on get smart, tune up and start
To whistle while you work
Just whistle while you work
And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place
So hum a merry tune
It won't take long when there's a song to help you set the pace
And as you sweep the room
Imagine that the broom is someone that you love
And soon you'll find you're dancing to the tune
(Spoken: Oh, no, no, no, no! Put them in the tub)
When hearts are high the time will fly so whistle while you work
*(Another version)*
Just whistle while you work
Put on that grin and start right in to whistle loud and long
Just hum a merry tune
Just do your best and take a rest and sing yourself a song
When there's too much to do
Don't let it bother you, forget your troubles,
Try to be just like a cheerful chick-a-dee
And whistle while you work
Come on get smart, tune up and start
To whistle while you work
That's Good Advise don't you think? If only we could always keep her attitude in life wouldn't it be grand?!!
©PEACH LAKE MEMORIES 5/21/11
Peach Lake Memories is a 15 Chapter book with vignettes about my childhood memories. It is copyrighted. Please ask for permission before using any information in my book. Thank you .. donnatrex@yahoo.com
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