On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
The year I got my panda bear, I believe, was 1951. He was around for a long time. My father’s family had a big Christmas Eve party. We got lots of presents then and also on Christmas morning.
Panda (I don’t remember him having any other name) was clearly the first present I got that Christmas Eve.
I am showing panda to Mrs. Benedict. She was my uncle’s MIL.
Christmas morning, examining other presents. I’m not sure why, but we spent the night at my uncle’s house. I know that we had our own little house out in the country by that time.
The baby doll may have come in the cradle. I really have no memory of either of those. But panda got the high chair.
eclare
I love Panda! Thank you for the photos.
Baud
All hail Panda!
Liminal Owl
Great pictures. We can see that you loved Panda, and I bet we all do too.
Traveller
Fabulous! These images do call back that now far away time. These also reminds me of my sisters, but I got cap guns, they got dolls and plush toys. (which also may say something about way back then). Thanks for memories. PS: Since I have some edit time…you were a beautiful baby yourself.
MagdaInBlack
@Traveller: I got a cap-gun, the holster and a cowboy suit. My dad’s fault, because we watched “Ponderosa” and Gunsmoke” together, so I wanted to be a cowboy. I did not want dolls, altho I did have a panda similar to the featured Panda.
My parents obviously did not enforce gender roles.
eclare
@MagdaInBlack:
I had stuffed animals, but my mother was adamant that I not have baby dolls. I remember the weirdest (in retrospect) gift I got was a mini three or four story parking garage, all metal of course. It had little cars, outside ramps, etc. But who thinks “yeah, a five yo wants to play Lord of the Parking Garage”?
raven
@Traveller: I had a broken arm and we lived in LA so it may not have been Christmas time but it’s a cap gun!
eclare
@raven:
Looks like you’re aiming for the photographer!
MagdaInBlack
@eclare: Because we farmed, I had a barn set like that, complete with plastic animals.
eclare
@MagdaInBlack:
That at least makes sense.
Elizabelle
Darling photos. Such a sense of time and place and decorative style.
You were very cute. Were you about 3.5 to 4 there? The footed pajamas.
zhena gogolia
Adorable child and panda!
Geo Wilcox
66 here and I still have my two favorite stuffed animals, Teddy and Fred (a small, stuffed Dalmatian dog). In my will I have it stipulated they are to be cremated with me when the time comes.
Trivia Man
@eclare: I loved my parking garage! Whats not to love? Organize the cars by color! Or shape! Or model! Interesting patterns of cars and empty spaces! Hand cranked elevator and a slide to the bottom!
beckya57
So Watergirl, I know you live in my hometown, so you’ll appreciate this story: when I was 2 I got into some poison and landed in Carle Hospital. While I was there I befriended a stuffed bear in their playroom that looked a little like Panda and was almost as big as I was. We ended up getting a new one for them, and I took Big Bear home and loved him for years. Thank you for sharing Panda.
stinger
Love the upholstery fabrics and especially the wallpaper. I may love Mrs. Benedict most of all — she looks like she’s listening hard to what Panda is saying.
Mel
You and Panda were both adorable!
I love how serious you looked when you were showing your treasure to Mrs.Benedict, and how seriously she is listening to you. That brought back memories of my great aunt by marriage, who we loved to the moon and back.
dearmaizie
Cute photos. Hey, @watergirl, are you on BlueSky yet?