western australia

Today I polished silver

@JudyEv (381739)

Rockingham, Australia

March 27, 2021 4:26am CST

I grew up on a farm. It was hard work for my parents as they developed the farm from what was known as a ‘virgin block’. It would have been all bush and Dad cleared it with an axe. He can see his camp in the top left photo. With hard work, they did well and prospered and Dad ended up with stud Merino sheep which he exhibited at agricultural shows (fairs). He won many trophies, two of which you can see in the lower two photos. One was won in 1972 and the cake stand in 1977. Today I polished them up and I’ll give them to Dad’s grandson who is also very involved with sheep.

27 people like this

26 responses

@DocAndersen (54399)

• United States

27 Mar 21

that is so cool, what a different place that was. Good on your dad for all the hard work!

3 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

They all worked so hard back then, much of it back-breaking work.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

@DocAndersen Yes, that's very true.

1 person likes this

@DocAndersen (54399)

• United States

27 Mar 21

@JudyEv it is interesting when you think about it, people have worked hard throughout the years. It is only recently that people have actually had the chance tor retire and enjoy the work!

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@RebeccasFarm (91299)

• United States

27 Mar 21

Aw that was one of my Mothers RIP duties as a young girl in the hotels in Ireland working for pennies.

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@RebeccasFarm (91299)

• United States

28 Mar 21

@JudyEv Yes they did and mean women in charge nasty old biddies in those places

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

@RebeccasFarm I can believe it.

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

Polishing silver was always mentioned in the books of that era. And some hotels had a lot of silver.

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@snowy22315 (208746)

• United States

27 Mar 21

Bah, Bah blacksheep have you any wool?? Nice he was recognized for all his hard work.

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@snowy22315 (208746)

• United States

27 Mar 21

@JudyEv Well, at least his priorities were right!

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

He enjoyed taking sheep to the shows. Until I married, my pony would be put on the truck first then the back filled up with sheep.

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

@snowy22315 He was a great Dad really. Very patient.

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@Shavkat (141906)

• Philippines

27 Mar 21

Doing it brings back the old memories. I sometimes have this feeling when checking out the old things here.

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@Shavkat (141906)

• Philippines

28 Mar 21

@JudyEv I agree. Before we left the old house, I took all the old photos with us.

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

@Shavkat That's good that you kept them. We have scanned a lot of the old ones.

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

These are lots of memories involved when you start going back over old photos.

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@RasmaSandra (97912)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

28 Mar 21

They look very beautiful, I love seeing silverware nicely polished, It is great that you are giving them to his grandson,

2 people like this

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@RasmaSandra (97912)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

30 Mar 21

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

The main reason is that I don't want to polish it anymore.

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

27 Mar 21

They look very nice. I'm sure he'll be happy to have them. Why does it look like the sheep has three legs together?

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

Do you mean at the front? That's just the folds of wool. His two legs are under there somewhere. Merinos were bred for their wool so having 'folds' like this meant a bigger yield.

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

28 Mar 21

@JudyEv Those are big folds.

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

@just4him They are indeed.

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@bunnybon7 (50970)

• Holiday, Florida

27 Mar 21

silver is beautiful when you can keep it up. great photos there

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

Thanks. I'm not very interested in keeping these polished so I'm hoping my nephew will want it.

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@allknowing (153544)

• India

28 Mar 21

Those are great memories you shared with us, You seem to be finding treasures in your attempt to clear the clutter

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

Yes, I am always coming across something that brings back nice memories.

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@msdivkar (23356)

• India

27 Mar 21

We are all reaping the fruits of the hard work done by our parents. We have a rice field which is no more cultivated now but used to be before. I worked in the field in my childhood and until I graduated and took up a job.

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@msdivkar (23356)

• India

28 Mar 21

@JudyEv Yes you are right it is satisfying though hard.

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@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

It is always very satisfying to work in a field or on a farm. It seems to satisfy a human need to 'produce'.

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@rebelann (117196)

• El Paso, Texas

27 Mar 21

Wow, those trophies are beautiful. I can't imagine how hard clearing the land must have been.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

The trees would be cut down and eventually burnt.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

27 Mar 21

Your father surely worked very hard, but he had the satisfaction to win trophies. I hate cleaning silver, it stains the finger, I should remember to wear gloves.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

My fingers are stained now. I didn't think to wear gloves. I will be pleased to give these to my nephew.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

27 Mar 21

@JudyEv I remember that my mother had white cotton gloves that she wore when cleaning silver.

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@TheHorse (238268)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Mar 21

Is that a male sheep with all of that wool? Did he have to give it up in the Spring?

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 21

Dad bred poll Merinos so it's male but is naturally polled (no horns). It would be shorn each year.

@Lucky15 (37391)

• Philippines

27 Mar 21

as i look into the pictures, i can really see how your dad works hard in clearing the area

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

I guess it was what kept them healthy in a way.

1 person likes this

@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

27 Mar 21

Such cool memories in these photos. Amazing how our families survived on very little. How nice of you to give these to a family member.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

My father was very generous to this young lad - who is now in his mid-50s so not really a 'lad' any more!

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@CarolDM (203396)

• Nashville, Tennessee

28 Mar 21

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@youless (114117)

• Guangzhou, China

27 Mar 21

Wow! It looks so nice

I am a lazy person and I won't buy silver things because I can't put them into dish washer

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

I don't think I've bought any silver and now I'm actively trying to get rid of what I do have.

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (135583)

• Marion, Ohio

27 Mar 21

Starting a new place is always hard. Now we know why you like sheep so much.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

Yes, I guess it's in the blood.

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@xFiacre (14782)

• Ireland

27 Mar 21

@judyev Now that sheep can well be referred to as pulchritudinous -sturdy and handsome but not exactly beautiful of sexy looking.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

I think he is looking down his nose!

@HazySue (39265)

• Gouverneur, New York

27 Mar 21

Every now and then I remember the silver but I sure don't enjoy polishing it.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

Thankfully I've moved on most of ours.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (222222)

• United States

27 Mar 21

Giving the trophies to your Dad's grandson will be a loving tribute to your Dad. I'm sure they will be cherished. Your family had to work very hard for what they had.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

Many families in those days worked in a similar fashion and eventually prospered. But yes, it was hard work.

1 person likes this

@Shxrubia (2751)

• Indonesia

27 Mar 21

Your father worked very hard

2 people like this

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 21

People in those did a lot of physical work. And many still work hard today.