I was on the phone the other day making plans to see a wonderful friend when I heard a cuckoo clock in the background. I was immediately transported back in time to my Grandmother Sue’s hallway in the big family home in Carrabelle. It was as if I could smell the old house, and sense the suffocating quiet that was broken by the cheerful chime of the little bird greeting the hour from his minature bird house. I was captivated then and I am captivated now. I asked “isn’t that a cuckoo clock I hear?” She replied that her grandmother used to have one and it brings back such good memoires she decided she needed one.
As I was visiting with her later, I was cocooned in her couch that literally envelopes you when I heard the first chime. I leapt up and raced to the kitchen, nearly injuring myself in my hurry, just in time to catch that little bird on his last chirp. I was ridiculously pleased.
My mom tells me that the particular clock I remember was sent to my grandmother from Germany when her daughter (my aunt) was working over there. The history of the clocks made first in the Black Forest of Germany in the 1730’s is very romantic. (Of course now, most are probably made in China!) I’m pretty sure the clock is still in the vacant house and there’s a remote possibility I could even get that particular clock.
So now the question is, do I really want a cuckoo clock? I think it would be fun to continue the tradition. But do I want to hear it all the time? Can you disable the chime at night? I haven’t researched all this yet, so if you have any thoughts, I’m all ears.
“… and up in the nursery an absurd little bird, is popping out to say cuckoo!”
As I was visiting with her later, I was cocooned in her couch that literally envelopes you when I heard the first chime. I leapt up and raced to the kitchen, nearly injuring myself in my hurry, just in time to catch that little bird on his last chirp. I was ridiculously pleased.
My mom tells me that the particular clock I remember was sent to my grandmother from Germany when her daughter (my aunt) was working over there. The history of the clocks made first in the Black Forest of Germany in the 1730’s is very romantic. (Of course now, most are probably made in China!) I’m pretty sure the clock is still in the vacant house and there’s a remote possibility I could even get that particular clock.
So now the question is, do I really want a cuckoo clock? I think it would be fun to continue the tradition. But do I want to hear it all the time? Can you disable the chime at night? I haven’t researched all this yet, so if you have any thoughts, I’m all ears.
“… and up in the nursery an absurd little bird, is popping out to say cuckoo!”
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12 comments:
YES! You want it. Think of Rosebud! Pretty soon, you don't hear it at night. I have a clock that chimes and my grandchildren LOVE it. We hear it during the day - but rarely do I hear it at night. If I do, it is a comfort and joy.
I'd say get it if possible! You will not regret it (and if you do, you can pass it on to your children)
The ticking and chiming of clocks have been around me ever since I was a kid. We also had cuckoo clocks and I loved them. On the modern ones you can disable the chime, but considering the memories you describe here, you most likely will not want to do that. One gets used to the noises the clock makes and they became almost a necessity to make you feel comfortable.;)
You know your personality, and how loud the cuckoo is. I'm thinking it would drive me cuckoo, but that's just me! :-)
That's so great. I would definitely get it, especially if you could mount as far as possible from the bedroom. I haven't thought about a cuckoo clock in years. :-)
Dear Beverly,
thank you for your continued intercession for Andrew. Infection needs to go NOW. The drs are "puzzled" about the continued high white blood cell count. We want to go home.
Love,
Melanie
Thanks for stopping by. What a wonderful memory!
We had one when I was growing up. It broke... or my mom disabled it (o: I could not take it in the middle of the night. I am sure you could get use to it if you had it chiming away for awhile. we have trains and i hardly notice them anymore.
I have always wanted one of those clocks. I do think there is a way to turn it off at night. Let me know if you find one.
YES YOU WANT IT!! I WANT IT!! LOL! Apparently it's a required accessory for all grandmas. My grandma had one too and I lived with her. I can tell you first hand that you quickly become so accustom to the cuckooing that you hardly ever notice it. Then you can pass it down to your little Rosebud. Maybe you should get one with roses on it. :)
Oh yes! I LOVE the song reference at the end, that makes it so much more fabulous!
I LOVE cuckoo clocks. That's all I wanted for Christmas when I was 9, and my new step father got me one. It kept me company at night when I couldn't sleep. I talked about it so much, a few years ago my husband searched until he found a genuine one from the Black Forest, and bought it for me. I love it so much. And yes, you can easily stop it from chiming at night if you want to. Just stop the little "leaf" from ticking back and forth. The next day give it a little swing and it starts up again.
It becomes white noise after a while, so I didn't mind him chiming downstairs in the night. I lived with a cuckoo clock for a few years. It was always amazing how appropriately he seemed to time his 'insert' in some conversation, "Cuckoo!" It made so many people laugh.
So..... in my books, go ahead.......
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