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Keeping in Touch: Old Sayings |
hoosiercountry
True Blue Farmgirl
572 Posts
karla
north port
fl
USA
572 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2011 : 5:42:40 PM
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Would love it if you would share some of your favorite old sayings. An elderly gentleman told this to me over 40 years ago. Cold hands. Warm heart. Dirty feet. And no sweetheart. |
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beekeepersgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1423 Posts
Luanne
Cresco
PA
USA
1423 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2011 : 04:17:42 AM
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I remember this from when I was little and we used to pick berries:
One for the bucket One for the bee One for the blackbird and One for me!
I still think if it any time I'm picking blueberries or strawberries.
Hugs, Luanne
beekeepersgirl #691
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
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Karrieann
True Blue Farmgirl
1900 Posts
Karrieann
Northeast
Georgia
USA
1900 Posts |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2011 : 07:13:03 AM
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In for a penny, in for a pound.
Lorraine (aka Tea Lady) Farmgirl #1819 www.birdsandteas.com |
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Sabrena Orr
True Blue Farmgirl
198 Posts
Sabrena
Olympia
WA
USA
198 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2011 : 08:28:55 AM
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My grandma would say "can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear"!
Sabrena, Olympia |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2011 : 08:32:01 AM
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"Pretty is as pretty does" was one of my grandma's favorite sayings. It so far has turned out to be true
Annika Farmgirl & sister #13
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~Leonardo DaVinci
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2011 : 10:47:32 AM
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"Grow where your planted. The wildflower does so beautifully."
That's one I've heard for most of my life, and one I needed to hear agian. Thanks for the reminder!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2011 : 4:21:44 PM
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Can't forget - A stitch in time, saves nine....
Lorraine (aka Tea Lady) Farmgirl #1819 www.birdsandteas.com |
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soapsister
Farmgirl in Training
17 Posts
Terry
Gandeeville
West Virginia
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - Sep 18 2011 : 5:41:51 PM
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My Grandmother always said " Take care of what you have, so you will always have something to take care of" I try my best to follow this wise advice.
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
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Acelady02
True Blue Farmgirl
1266 Posts
Penny
Washington
GA
USA
1266 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2011 : 06:20:39 AM
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When we would leave the door open Momma would say " closed the door, do you think you were raised in a barn?" or if it was winter "Close the door we aren't heating the world" Dang I miss my Momma.
(((((Hugs All)))))Penny
Farmgirl Sister #3343
God gives Miracles to those who Believe, Courage to those with Faith, Hope to those who Dream, Love to those who Accept, & Forgiveness to those who Ask... |
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AmethystRose
True Blue Farmgirl
254 Posts
Rosemary
Huntingdon
PA
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2011 : 2:16:56 PM
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My grandmother's weather forecast skill was "it won't rain if there is enough blue sky to make a pair of pants". |
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beekeepersgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1423 Posts
Luanne
Cresco
PA
USA
1423 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 04:37:22 AM
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My grandma's version of that saying was similar:
It won't rain if there is enough blue sky to make a Dutchman a new pair of britches"
Don't you wonder where these things come from!?!?
Luanne
beekeepersgirl #691
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
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Sandy Fields
True Blue Farmgirl
165 Posts
Sandy
Portales
NM
165 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 06:35:38 AM
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My great-grandmother was the master of little sayings. My favorite of all was "fine as frog's hair".
Love writing about "My Field Days" www.field-days.com
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forgetmenot
True Blue Farmgirl
3602 Posts
Judith
Nora Springs
IA
USA
3602 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 08:44:28 AM
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"If wishes were horses beggars would ride".
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the belief that something is more important than fear." Ambrose Red Moon |
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Oggie
True Blue Farmgirl
526 Posts
Ginny
Machias
Maine
USA
526 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 09:43:29 AM
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My Dad died when I was very young leaving Mom to raise four kids so she was (and still is) everything to us, especially our disciplinarian. She used LOTS of sayings on us and still does to this day, only now they aren't about discipline! I don't think I've met another person that uses them as much as she does, seriously.
For discipline we heard:
You're cruzin' for a bruzin' Do you think money grows on trees Your so loud you could wake the dead When pigs fly You're jumping from the frying pan to the fire It's not worth a hill of beans There's more than one way to skin a cat Don't cut off your nose to spite your face Six of one half dozen of another Don't let the door hit you in the backside Chip off the old block I'm a hard nut to crack When hell freezes over You're to big for your britches Knock it off That's a bunch of marlarky
And ones of encouragement were:
Where there's a will there's a way Whatever you set your mind to, you can do it You are fit as a fiddle, stay that way The early bird gets the worm You're as cute as a bugs ear Aren't you just the cat's pajamas Sweet Pea (My nickname which she still uses) Don't let anyone tell you differenlty, you're smart as a whip You're sweet as honey
And probably my all time favorite is:
We may be dirt poor but be grateful, we've got each other
When we had to live at my grandparents for a while, while Mom was putting herself through college and couldn't find a place for us to live, we also had my Aunt and cousin (my Uncle also died) living there at the time. My grandfather would always say "it will cost you (fill in the blank money wise) when we would be eating or asking for anything. Example: if I asked him to pass the bread as he was passing it he'd say "It will cost you a dime". We always thought it was funny but in later years my Mom said he was a mean old goat who probably meant it because he didn't like having to help support his five grandkids! Yet, he was always there helping us in one way or another, always teaching us how to do things, and awas always our pitcher for all nine innings of baseball with other local kids! I look back on it now and marvel at how hard it must have been on the adults during that time period.
Ginny Farmgirl #2343 www.thedewhopinn.com
"I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with." "Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." Both by Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) in the Movie Harvey
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AmethystRose
True Blue Farmgirl
254 Posts
Rosemary
Huntingdon
PA
USA
254 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 9:15:02 PM
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Luanne, that could have been her words, too. She died when I was six, and my mother's side is PA Dutch. |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2011 : 08:41:44 AM
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Mom would tease me......and say, "you are smarter than you look and it's a darn good thing."
Also, "that is not worth a plug nickel" and, "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off" "red sky at morning, sailors take warning, red sky at night, sailor's delight."
These sayings contain a lot of history when you look closely at them, and lots of rural references that people do not immediately understand anymore.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
Edited by - jpbluesky on Sep 21 2011 08:44:14 AM |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2011 : 08:52:26 AM
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My father and grandmother were full of those--and I still use them.
"Like water off a ducks back" "Hard times will make a monkey eat red pepper" "Keep your nose clean" "Get outside and get the stink blown off ya!" "Close your mouth you'll let the flies in!" "Runnin' around like a chicken with its legs cut off!" "singin' and dancin' as fast as I can." My grandma, Helen, would always say this when people asked her what she was up to. Grandma Helen also used to say, "You think I came down with yesterday's rain?" when I'd try to fib or get my way.
Jeannie's right--a lot of these are regional gems that stay within a region, and have some sort of historical, agricultural or other significance. You should see the looks I get when I say, "hard times will make a monkey eat red pepper!"
My personal favorite, that I use quite often, is "rode hard and put up wet"...my daddy was a horseman and he used that one frequently!
"That dog will hunt" (when I had a good idea)
"Use your head for more than just to put your cap on!" (when I had a bad idea :))
"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile..." The Only Living Boy in New York, Paul Simon |
Edited by - FebruaryViolet on Sep 21 2011 08:53:33 AM |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2011 : 05:45:53 AM
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Interesting--I've always wondered where my father got "Hard Times will make a monkey eat red pepper!" and I did a little search online, yesterday. The first thing that popped up was a website devoted to African American horsemen from the 1900's to present--some of the men interviewed were asked what the sayings were on their farms or racetracks and that's where "Hard times..." comes from--the backside of the racetrack in Arkansas and Louisiana, exactly where my father raced and came up in the horse industry as a young boy and young man.
I love the history of language!!!
"Hey, I've got nothing to do today but smile..." The Only Living Boy in New York, Paul Simon |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Sep 24 2011 : 2:05:21 PM
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I love the history of language too. It is rich with meaning and insight. My grandpa would say, if he did not recognize someone he knew, that "he would have passed him like a freight train passing a bum."
We still get these very succinct sayings today, if we pay attention.....can anyone think of new ones?
When my mom would lightly clean the house, she said she gave it a lick and a whistle......
Have to add a new one that our family has coined.....a couple of years ago, my daughter saw this great headboard for a bed. We both loved it (country chic) and she bought it, only to get it home and find out that it was plastic!!!!! It still looked kind of cool in my mind. But now we say, instead of don't take any wooden nickels, we say don't get any plastic headboards! tee-hee.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
Edited by - jpbluesky on Sep 24 2011 2:08:43 PM |
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carolj
True Blue Farmgirl
244 Posts
Carol
Waynesboro
Georgia
USA
244 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2011 : 11:01:04 AM
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My grandmother used to recite: Love is like a lizard--goes all around your heart and straight to your gizzard. |
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22angel
True Blue Farmgirl
498 Posts
Pam
Manitoba
Canada
498 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2011 : 3:07:36 PM
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I should have written down all the ones my "old people" used to say...Uncle Bud was a great one for coming out with sayings, Murray was a great one for "naughty rhymes", and Grandma had the wisest ones lol. Uncle Bud used to say "Gawd all fishhooks", "Wouldn't that just frost your gizzard?", 2 that I can think of off the top of my head. I don't know any of the naughty rhymes - I should have written them down when he'd just blurt them out lol. I like this topic :)
Life isn't about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself.
"When I grow up, I want to be dirt." seen on a box through construction in Wyoming 2010 |
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herblady55
True Blue Farmgirl
3470 Posts
Judy
Louisville
Ohio(Stark Co)
USA
3470 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2011 : 4:09:53 PM
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how 'bout: -grabbed him by the nape of the neck and pants of the britches.... and threw him out! -slick as snot on a doorknob -the early bird gets the worm...BUT the 2nd mouse gets the cheese. -that's the pot calling the kettle black. -don't let the door hit ya, where the Good Lord split ya I worked with an English lady years ago and she would say things like: -I was so clumsy yesterday, I fell a_ _ over teacups....and -The devil's got him by the a_ _ on a downhill drag! They used the (a) word a lot. She always made me laugh with her sayings and her accent!
Sister-chick# 905(Sept.14th 2009) Judy French-Hugs&Squeezles! I am not contained between my hat and my boots! -Walt Whitman- "Why couldn't I have been born Rich instead of So Good Looking?" |
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Tea Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
645 Posts
Lorraine
Morris
IL
USA
645 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2011 : 4:35:40 PM
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My mom use to say, "if everyone put their troubles in the same bag, you'd be happy to grab your own back out."
Lorraine (aka Tea Lady) Farmgirl #1819 www.birdsandteas.com |
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Hoosiermom
True Blue Farmgirl
199 Posts
Beth
Alexandria
IN
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2011 : 10:44:52 PM
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If we were having trouble with something & not making attempt to help ourselves, my grandma would say "can't never tried" or "God helps those who help themselves". |
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Keeping in Touch: Old Sayings |
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