Today, with the rapid development of modern science and technology, we live in a comfortable and convenient environment, and the objects around us are all modern and intelligent. But do you still remember the old things that grew up with us in the seventies and eighties? They may have faded away in the torrent of the times, but for the elderly, the nostalgia still lingers.
Let's embark on a short but heartwarming journey through time to look back at those unique memories that have become a thing of the past.
When it comes to pastry molds, many people will have a simple smile. At that time, mechanized production was not popularized, and the aroma and unique charm of handicraft revealed in the dim sum undoubtedly came from such a simple and practical small object.
On festive occasions or special occasions, families use this mold, usually made of walnut wood, to slowly carve delicate shapes for dim sum or to carve auspicious and festive patterns. As the mold is flipped and twisted, the rich aroma spreads in the room, making people whet their appetite.
Although there are many pastry shops today, the older generation still misses the unique fragrance of pure handicraft. Perhaps, it is these precious flavors and memories that allow pastry molds to continue in some time-honored stores and become a kind of protection of traditional culture.
In the memories of our grandparents, the hand-cranked bus is undoubtedly the most cordial friend. Since the Warring States period, this simple machine has been accompanied by women day and night, and it was not until the end of the last century that it was gradually replaced by automated equipment.
Looking back, whenever I went to my grandmother's house, I could always see her operating this small machine, shaking it with ease, and gradually, the threads were woven into cloth. In that era of scarcity of materials, every inch of fabric embodies the sweat and hard work of women.
Although the progress of civilization has made everyone's life more comfortable, this handicraft virtue is also worth cherishing. To this day, in some poor and remote areas, the hand-cranked line car still continues the imprint of the years and has become a tribute to the ancestors.
Presumably, many people's memories when they were young will appear with the strong antenna at home. After all, in those days, if you wanted to watch TV shows, this stick-shaped metal product was the key.
In the seventies and eighties, it was already quite a luxury for every household to be able to buy a black and white TV, and to get a stable signal, it all relied on this rickety antenna. A strong wind and rain hit, and the entertainment of the whole family depends on it. I still remember a movie that once depicted this: In order to watch a table tennis match, the little boy had to hold the antenna from beginning to end.
Nowadays, with the advancement of technology, having hundreds of HDTV channels is no longer a luxury. But for the elderly, that crumbling antenna has become a precious childhood memory.
In the seventies and eighties, when supplies were scarce, socks often had to be worn for many years before they could be discarded. In order to prolong its lifespan, people will use a small tool called a "sock brace".
As the name suggests, it is not used to make socks, but to patch worn socks. Since socks are made of soft materials, if you sew them directly on them, it is easy to leave pimples, and it is inevitable that you will feel uncomfortable wearing them. With the help of the rigid bracket of the sock brace, the hole can be handled more delicately and the appearance of pimples can be reduced.
In retrospect, it is indeed admirable how the previous generation cherished daily necessities. Even if it's a worn-out pair of socks, they would rather repair them on a budget than discard them without hesitation. Perhaps it was this spirit of frugality that brought them through that era of poverty.
For the older generation, the most familiar alarm clock shape is so unpretentious: a bell and a few knobs, the shape is extremely simple. Compared with the sound of modern smart alarm clocks, the sound they make is limited to the monotony of "ringing bells".
Despite this, in rural areas at that time, many families did not have such alarm clocks. After all, there is no fixed schedule, and buying an alarm clock is a luxury. Still, in some homes with workers, one of these old-fashioned alarm clocks is placed at the bedside to remind the owner when to get up and head to the factory.
Today's young people probably can't imagine how people can rely on such a simple little object to plan their lives and rest in the era when technology is not yet popular. But for the elderly, this single bell ringing is the rhythm of life back then.
For people in the seventies and eighties and even in the nineties, something called "fire tongs" can be said to be a necessity of life.
At that time, the simple and primitive way of heating was to build a large stove indoors. In winter, people have to use these long metal tongs to pick up the briquettes in the stove and add them to the stove. One can imagine how difficult it must have been without fire tongs in that cold and damp environment at that time.
In addition to heating, fire tongs are occasionally used to adjust the position of pots and pans on the stove. After all, its tip is slender enough to be easy to use. Later, with the popularization of heating and air conditioning, this combustion tool gradually came later, and with the popularization of heating and air conditioning, this combustion tool gradually withdrew from the stage of history. But for the elderly, the fire tongs are undoubtedly one of the symbols of life in that era. During the winter heating, this metal product is found from the bottom of the box, and then coal and water are added to the fire, which plays a vital role.
In those days, corn was one of the important food crops in rural areas. However, separating it from the shell is not an easy task. At first, people had to detain the corn kernels by hand, and the process was undoubtedly long and boring. In order to improve efficiency, many people have tried to rub with a shovel or other tools, but this practice often damages many particles.
It wasn't until later that a gadget called a "hand-cranked corn thresher" came out, which brought new opportunities for corn harvesting. With just a few vigorous shakes, the corn kernels can be efficiently separated from the ears, which greatly saves manpower and material resources. Nowadays, the only people who can witness this ancient craft with their own eyes must be the elderly.
When it comes to rubber band guns, I believe that countless people of the older generation will evoke the joyful memories of childhood. It is made of a metal wire with chain links at both ends, and a long rubber band tied to the middle. In order to make it "fire", children often stuff some gunpowder at the muzzle of the gun, or simply use matchsticks, just to hear the deafening sound.
The rubber band gun was undoubtedly one of the most popular childhood pastimes of the seventies and eighties of the last century. Not only is it simple to look at, but it's also fun to use: just pull the spring apart and shake the metal barrel so hard that the match will fly out, and sometimes even a string of small flames will burst out on the ground, making for a spectacular and entertaining spectacle.
Although the existence of the rubber band gun has declined nowadays, it is undoubtedly the most unique and innocent entertainment for rural children in the last century. In that era when science and technology were not developed, the rubber band gun was the closest experience for children to "guns", and they were used to project countless immature dreams.
In general, those ancient daily necessities have quietly disappeared with the passage of time. But they are forever fixed in the memories of the elderly, and they have become a precious and unique feeling. Life will get better, but that rustic taste should never be forgotten. Let's remember the old things that have been with us, they are the best commemoration of the bygone years.
Old objects carry the memories of a generation and are the best testimony to the life of the past. Although life has changed dramatically, the bits and pieces that accompany us to grow up are always unforgettable.
I remember when I was a child, the most anticipated weekend was because my parents would take time to spend time with me. Mother would use the old tongs to skillfully add firewood by the fire, and stew a pot of fragrant old fire soup. After the soup is cooked, she will take out the pastry mold, slowly twist out a variety of cute pastries, and then pour a layer of sweet juice with osmanthus sauce, the fragrance is really irresistible.
Before I knew it, the room was gradually filled with a warm atmosphere, and my brother and I sat on the small bench and tasted the snacks made by my mother with relish. Sometimes he would take out a rubber band gun and shoot a few times out the window, just to listen to the sound of the gunshots, and live the fun of childhood.
In autumn, the villagers are busy harvesting. My grandmother would take out the hand-cranked cart and weave a new padded jacket for my father, while my brother and I were assigned the work of harvesting the corn. Although the hand-cranked thresher was a bit old, it finally made our job a lot easier. With just a few vigorous shakes, the corn kernels are efficiently separated, which saves us the drudgery of buttoning the grains.
At the end of the day, we would be greeted by our grandmother to the room and asked us to spread out the old newspapers we had picked up from the entrance of the village on the table. Then she would dig out a few old socks from the bottom of the box and let us poke them one by one on the stocking supports, while she would take the sewing kit and mend it as she went. We don't quite understand what she says, except that the old man always likes to remember the past.
Yes, in the memories of their ancestors, those old things that accompanied them through their youth and prosperity are too precious. They may be a little old and shabby, but they carry all their nostalgia and nostalgia for the past. Perhaps it is precisely because of these unpretentious partners that they were able to survive that era of poverty and finally wait for the good life now.
Time flies, and today's living conditions are indeed not what they used to be. But for the elderly, the nostalgia for the old times can never be erased. Whether it is a pastry mold, a hand-cranked workshop line car, or an old alarm clock, these silent old guys are like a mirror, allowing them to see the most simple and precious chapters of their lives.
Sometimes I wonder what I would miss if one day I really entered the twilight of my life. Perhaps it is the seemingly ordinary and unremarkable little objects in today's life that will become the last nostalgia. I don't know if I can still find traces of my youth from the fragments of memory at that time?
Life has been like a passerby since ancient times, and time is like an arrow urging people to grow old day and night. However, it is precisely because of those caring old friends by our side that we can keep the purest and warmest memories on the long road of life. Let's cherish the bits and pieces around us, and look forward to the day when they can become our unforgettable and nostalgic ties like pastry molds and handcarts.