October Memories

Have you added any stories to your Memory Book for the month of October? We're nearing the halfway mark of the month, so it's time to get busy if you haven't done so already. The poster above offers some good triggers for your memories.

What was life like during your childhood years during October? What kind of decorations and bulletin board topics did your teachers use? Did your mom start pulling out warmer clothes for everyone? Did you live in a part of the country where raking leaves was a big part of October?

Did your mom make pumpkin pies only in the fall, or other parts of the year, too? What did your scout troops do in October? How did the weather differ from other months? Halloween memories come into play this month, too.

As for me, October brings back memories of seeing huge piles of leaves that people had raked. Many made smaller piles and put them in the gutter area of the street, then burned them. Forbidden in most places today, but the smell of smoldering leaves figures into my October memories. Because we lived in a large apartment building, which had more concrete than grass and trees, I never had the experience of raking leaves or jumping in a big pile of them. But I watched it all on my way to and from school on October days.

I also remember my Girl Scout troop going to one of the Chicago Forest Preserves every October. All the city sounds and hustle bustle disappeared as we hiked the trails, identified trees and plant life, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over an open fire. It was often chilly and damp on those outings, but we didn't mind. The chance to be in a natural environment was a thrill for kids raised in a city atmosphere.

Our teachers used a theme of colored leaves when decorating bulletin boards or doing art projects. My mother often started October by baking a pumpkin pie. She topped each piece with a huge dollop of real whipped cream. Cool Whip had not come along yet. Homemade soups and even Campbell's soups appeared with the cooler temps, and we started wearing our flannel pajamas to bed.

Halloween brought a school parade of kids in a variety of costumes, most of them put together at home, not purchased in a store like today. Then each class had a Halloween party where we played games like Bobbing for Apples, then ate our share and more of sweet treats. All to be followed by neighborhood Trick or Treat time.

Do your family a favor and write about life in October before we have to turn the calendar page to November. There are lots more things to write for that month.