I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard

My maternal grandmother was a jewel. She was an artist -- and I know I owe a lot of my artistic/creative genes to her. I'm posting a small picture of her here when she was probably in her 30s. One of my fondest memories of my childhood are of her many quotes and songs she shared with me. One favorite was the 1894 song, "I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard" often sung when I was put out with one of my siblings or cousins for a perceived wrong. Off Grandmother would go. . .

"Once there lived side-by-side, two little maids,
Used to dress just alike, hair down in braids,
Blue gingham pinafores, stockings of red,
Little sunbonnets tied, on each pretty head.

When school was over, secrets they'd tell,
Whispering arm-in-arm, down by the well.
One day a quarrel came, hot tears were shed,
'You can't play in our yard!'
But the other said,

"I don't want to play in your yard,
I don't like you anymore!
You'll be sorry when you see me,
Sliding down our cellar door.
You can't holler down our rain barrel,
You can't climb our apple tree!
I don't want to play in your yard,
If you won't be good to me!'"

That little song came to mind when I discovered a vintage photograph of a little boy playing in a rain barrel. I couldn't help myself! I set right to work and created one of my latest altered mini art crazy quilts. It's up on Ebay right now -- but I thought you might enjoy seeing it and perhaps taking a trip down memory lane to a simpler spring or summer day.

Blessings! Judi