I’ve seen the look like the one on this goatherd’s face many times before. He’s been caught doing something bad and says, “Who me?”
“Yes, you!”
Remember the children’s book Heidi? I do. My grandmother, who must have been one of the most avid readers of all time, spoke of Heidi as if it was the most wonder filled, happy read of her childhood. I was a little slow in taking up Nana’s love of reading, but by the early 70s I had read Heidi, and seen the movie version.
Everything about it terrified me. I found the orphan Heidi lonely and her predicament of being pawned off on old relatives depressing. It masterfully played into my deepest childhood fears of being orphaned, abandoned and forced to live with mean, strict relatives who didn’t love me yet. There was no wonder.Being scared of being orphaned would have been adequate take-away from my early encounter with literature. I, in full empathy, was also afraid of little boys, goats and mountains.
The little boy in this postcard reminded me of Heidi’s friend, the goatherd, Peter. Peter was okay, for a boy. But for any of you who know the story, he had a vexatious, impulsive streak that stemmed from his feelings of possessiveness over Heidi. One day in a fit of rage, he took Heidi’s new friend, Clara’s wheelchair and threw it off the mountain. Clara wasn’t in it, or anything, and afterward, she miraculously walked again. But I knew enough to know in real life such an incredible turn of events were highly unlikely. Boys were dangerous.I finally outgrew all my fears that stemmed from this beloved childhood novel. Except for a lingering feeling I have that it would be best if I’m ever roaming around the Swiss Alps and encounter a little boy, I should probably avoid him.
Happy Postcard Friendship Friday! Be sure to check out Marie’s Cpaphil Vintage Postcards for more! I can’t tell you how much fun this is every week, making new friends and seeing all the fascinating posts related to vintage postcards and other things mail related.
Also, please stop by this weekend to check out or play “What I’m Not Buying This Weekend” with me. The smoke is clearing in our part of Myrtle Beach and I’m headed out to not buy a new pair of glasses.This picture is of my current pair, so I really need some new ones (Not that these that are missing an earpiece aren’t cool and all – I just need a recent prescription from the past decade).I have a feeling I’m going to have to settle… so, I’m looking forward to not buying what I really want.
Pricilla! If you’re there, I chose this postcard just for you, your goat friends and the publicist 
You don’t have a goatherd around like Peter at The Maaaa of Pricilla , do you?
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed!
{ 25 comments }
There was this girl in college that I crushed on named Heidi. She wasn’t from Switzerland, but her family was off-the-boat first-generation Croatian. Still, I always thought of this story when I was around her. Well, briefly anyway.
My view of the name “Heidi” is forever poisoned by a girl in health class when we were juniors in high school. She raised her hand one day and asked the teacher, “What is ‘French kissing’?”
I don’t think she got asked to the prom.
I KNEW as soon as I saw it that you were thinking of me. It is full of GOATS. Of course there is a person in it but all I see are the glorious goats.
My goatherd is very nice. She brings me apples. I like apples. And carrots. Last night she gave me carrots. Burp.
Wonderful blog! I totally enjoyed visiting. And what is a Palmetto bug???? (grin)
You should paint those glasses and put some sparkly rhinestones on them! Nice to meet you and your blog
Happy PFF
I’m strangely unsettled by the thought of a goatherd being caught doing something he shouldn’t have been doing.
Are the wildfires affecting you at all, Margo?
Oh how sad that such a wonderful story made you so scared. I loved this story, because I am a “happy ending” lover! It almost doesn’t matter what happens in the beginning and middle, just so all ends well! Love your postcard and enjoyed your commentary. Good luck finding new glasses! Thanks so much for visiting my blog. laurie
TIM, It’s good to have a positive Heidi Chronicles working for you. Sometimes it’s best when we quit ahead of a tragic ending.
Jeff, Many girls named Heidi seem to live troubled lives, I’m staring to realize.
Pricilla, Lily the labradoodle likes carrots and apples too. She looks like a sheep, but she’s much smarter. You’d like her.
Beth, Palmetto bugs are a very frightening large roach like bug – that FLIES. They are the SC State bug.
Mandela, I could ad a pipecleaner for a new earpiece! Eureka! Now I’m definitely going to have fun not buying a new pair!
Shawn, know that song in the sound of music that says something about “the lonely goatherd”? Fires aren’t affecting us directly, smoke even blowing away from us. Very weird around here.. lots of people lost their homes
Thanks for asking!
That’s a very cute postcard. I remember when the story of Heidi was popular. All boys can be baaaaaad. (ha ha)
)
Happy PFF and have a great weekend!
Sorry you so so traumatized by Heidi! I enjoyed the book – it was the first real book I ever read. I found her gruff grandfather to be non threatening. Peter was a bit of a pain. I didn’t like the part where she had to go to Frankfurt. It confused me I asked my Mom where Frankfurt is and she said Kentucky.
I loved the story of Heidi…great postcard!
I’ll be up in the morning for WINBTW. How does the Mr. Linky thing work anyhoo? I know nothing about him.
Great postcard… though now I’m trying to not think of what “bad” thing the goatherd might have been doing… YIKES!
I love the postcard, so cute!
New to your blog and this meme!
http://mathewsmemorylane.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-love-postcards.html
Hello from Pakistan!
Happy Postcard Friendship Friday!!!
I want to swap a postcard with world UNESCO heritage site from your country. Can you send me one such card?
In return I can send you a nice postcard with beautiful landscape from Pakistan – which I think will be a great addition in your collection?
You can leave me a comment at http://mycoolpostcardcollection.blogspot.com/
We can also make a blog link exchange if you are interested….
Best Regards
Yours Cheema
I’ve got a half dozen pairs of one-legged glasses laying around. Mine are readers. I’m notorious for sitting on them.
I was freaked as a child by fantasy island on Saturday Nights. And thought Gopher from the love boat was a cutie.
I did not have many Hiedi movies/shows. My local channel showed a lot of gunsmoke and maverick. OR..Maybe this is what my dad had on our one tv with no remote.
Laurie, thanks for visiting! I found new glasses! I didn’t buy them. But there’s always tomorrow
sparky, boys are bad. Throw rocks at them. I have pjs that say that!
MuseSwings, Frankfort, Ky.? I love that. I didn’t like that part either, but as you may have gathered,I wasn’t a big fan – probably would love it now
Aimee, thanks for stoppieng by!
Heather Cherry, Yeah! Can’t wait to see what you have. On Mr. Linky you just put your name and then your blog url and press enter. If it gives you trouble, I’ll add you
pearl, it’s best not to think about these things. Thanks for stopping by!
Chandy, thanks so much for visiting!
Cheema, thanks for visiting! I think you are my first visitor from Pakistan. I will definitely check out your blog very soon
phd yogurty, what’s with the one legged thing? I sit on mine too xxx ooo
Hit 40, it is so weird looking back on the things that freaked us out as children. It all seems so foreign compared to how we might be now – but I still react to things very emotionally
I remember going to see the movie Heidi when I was a little girl but I didn’t remember the story. From what you say, I think I would be upset if I saw it now.
I was always facinated by Heidi- reading it over and over – the way kids do with video’s now. I hear that it is a way of dealing with fear by facing it all the time – so maybe I was scared of that book/movie also! Thanks for the free psychology session!
And you’re the only person that I see has read “gods behaving badly” – wasn’t it great?
Hilarious! My boys were addicted to the Heidi cartoon when they were little. I used to read them the book over and over again too! Noah still wants a dog like Joseph:)
As soon as I saw this card, and I promise it was before I scrolled down, I thought of Heidi. I’m afraid I was oblivious to all the warning signs, and loved the book when I first read it as a child. I did try it again when I was older but the sparkle had gone.
Wonderful postcard and wonderful book review! I read Heidi, too, a long, long time ago. But I really don’t remember it. Just have a picture of the Swiss alps in my mind and a little house (was it the Gingerbread House? Oh, no, that was another tale!)
Glad the fires have calmed down. My 2 youngest children were born in Myrtle Beach in the 70s. Loved it.
postcardy, who knows? Maybe it was just me. Thanks for visiting!
Mim, I sometimes read things over and over again that hit my buttons! I loved Gods Behaving Badly… very unique and fun read. thanks for visiting!
Marie, I’ve never seen the Heidi cartoon! It sounds funny
Sheila, that “sparkle” of childhood books is what I am always trying to find again in books.
I’m a Capricorn so I really took to this particular postcard. Also, I loved Heidi and thought she was lucky to have the grandfather (ok, so I had father abandonment issues and any male figure in a household seemed like heaven to me!).
Lotsa fun over here. Oh, btw, I won’t be buying a rich dogbone for our standard poodle this weekend because she seems to have a bit of tummy upset…..
she does, however, send greetings to labradoodles one and all.
Comments on this entry are closed.