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Keeping in Touch:  Sweet Memories of Grandma  |
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wildflower17
True Blue Farmgirl
3043 Posts
Judy
KY
USA
3043 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 06 2010 : 8:19:30 PM
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| Growing up, I had the sweetest grandmother who lived with me and my family most of my young life until I was in my early 20's. Known as "Ma" to all who loved her and being born in 1899 she saw many things that most of us could never imagine...surviving "hard times" as she called it. Losing my grandfather in the mid 50's was a very difficult time for her. However, she never let the rough times get her down and was such an inspiration to everyone, especially all of her children and grandchildren. As I have been reading this months issue of MJF, it just brought back all the wonderful memories of her. I can still smell all the "yummy country vittles" that she, my mother and my sister used to cook. There was nothing that smelled better than fried country ham, sausage, and all the "fixins" of a country breakfast, a kettle of pinto beans, saurkraut, weiners, and cornbread, or a Sunday dinner with chicken-n-dumplings,homemade cornbread dressing and peas. There was always a wonderful dessert on Sunday's such as homemade yellow cake and fresh strawberries, a fresh blackberry cobbler or homemade german chocolate cake for Christmas or Thanksgiving. She worked so hard helping my mother take care of our family. My brother, sister and I were so blessed to have her live with us. She loved my father as if he were her own son and was such a inspiration to our family. Living til her mid 90's she lived a very rewarding and fulfilling life despite the rough times she encountered. I will forever treasure the times that I spent with her as she quilted, gardened, canned fresh vegetables and especially the times that we used to sit on the front porch in our swing or sit by her as she sat in her favorite rocking chair. If you have sweet memories of your grandmother, please share them with all of us here at the FGC. "Country Girl at Heart"... |
Edited by - wildflower17 on Apr 04 2010 6:27:53 PM |
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classygram
True Blue Farmgirl
1812 Posts
Brenda
Pleasant Hill
Mo.
USA
1812 Posts |
Posted - Feb 06 2010 : 8:48:13 PM
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| Oh Judy, reading your memories just filled my heart. Grandma's!! They are the greatest human being around. Who doesn't have great memories of them! It sounds like your grandma left a wonderful impression on your heart. What a blessing. I can remember my grandma coming in the door and heading right for the kitchen. With the best smelling goodies that she had baked. I will always remember all the Christmas' we had together. She would be at the door at 4:30 ready to see what Santa had brought. And then started on fixin' breakfast. She wanted to start early so she could spend the entire day with the one's she loved. She got me a walking doll that was bigger than I was. I spent many days playing make believe with her. She was always there when you wanted some snuggling. She was a very important lady to me and set the stage for what I wanted to give to my grandchildren. I hope that someday they will have those wonderful memories to share with others as I do. |
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AsiyahK
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Asiyah
New Jersey
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2010 : 06:39:26 AM
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My Grandma raised me from birth until her death when I was 13. She believed in making a hot breakfast everyday so I didn't eat cold cereal until I was a teenager, lol! Her little house didn't have a/c so we always had big steel fans in the windows to cool us off during the summer. To this day, I have to have a fan on to fall asleep.
Grandma had 7 children (2 girls and 5 boys), so I effectively became her 8th child. I remember having my first taste of coffee (more cream and sugar than coffee) at her linoleum kitchen table. She was never without an apron and loving made one for me when I turned 5.
Every Saturday morning, we watched Mickey Mouse club on her floor model black-and-white tv. Other than that we rarely watched television shows (she said they rot your brain). :) After MM we went out to the garden to pick vegetables from the garden for the upcoming week's meals. I HATED having dirt under my fingernails.
Later we'd make a trip to the butcher shop for meat and the local dairy for milk and cheese. The only time I recall us visiting the grocery store was to buy spices.
She washed our clothes by hand on an old washboard and we hung them on the line to dry. The lady was truly self sufficient.
I sure do miss her.
**
Visit my blog at http://mypointohtwo.blogspot.com |
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delicia
True Blue Farmgirl
917 Posts
delicia
cincinnati
ohio
USA
917 Posts |
Posted - Feb 07 2010 : 1:27:49 PM
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My Mammaw was the most wonderful person and a treasure. She had chickens, washed outside and hung the closthes out, raised a huge garden, canned and froze our food. My Pappaw had a stroke and Parkinsons disease but, she never treated him any less. She made sure that he was involved with every seed that went into the garden and saw the first thing that came out of it. She had some Cherokee in her and her mothers name was Bird Whistle. She told me that she can remember Indians coming by on horse back when she was a little girl. She was well ahead of her time she had been in a car accident and almost lost her life but, she kept on working and made her own weights to exercise her lost kneecap she went to the creek and got sand to make the weights. She quilted and heck I can not think of anything that she couldn't do. I loved her more than any other person. She cooked, cleaned and made sure that I was extremely Loved. I was with her when she passed and it was with the same grace that she lived her life. I still have an apron and many quilts that she lovingly made but, most of all I have memories that are priceless.
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countrygrace
True Blue Farmgirl
1181 Posts
Grace
Salkum
WA
USA
1181 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2010 : 07:55:20 AM
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I was born on my great grandma birthday so was my mom. Grandma lived in Longmont CO. Every spring she would come to Washington state to spend our birthday’s together staying the whole month at her daughter my grandma’s house. Being born in 1879, she had many wonderful stories to share. Traveling by covered wagon, cooking for the Ranch Hands. Being a pioneer daughter, wife and mother. She baked her own bread most of her life. One of my favorite stories was the time my grandma was a baby & got sick. Great Grandpa was away on a cattle drive, Great grandma was home with the kids. The only horse was a wild mustang in the corral. They lived on the ranch & had no other way to town. Great grandma needed to get the baby to the doctor. She wrapped up Grandma tight, put her on the pump house roof. Great Grandma went into the corral, saddled the horse, he bucked around for awhile, she open the gate & as they ran passed the pump house, she reached out & grabbed grandma. That horse ran all the way to town & was broke by the time they got to town. I all ways looked up to her. She was a wonderful patient, loving, determined, strong Lady.
Each year she would get all the ladies of the family together for the family project. They would sewing, quilting & crochet Afghans, at the end of her stay each family was given a quilt or afghan. My love for sewing start from my Grandmas example. I can remember sitting under the quilt rack & watching those strong hands work. She never tired, was active in church until her passed away in 1971.
I make my aprons in memory of Grandma.
"From Our Heart With Our Hands"
“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” - Laura Ingalls Wilder
http://home.earthlink.net/~daveandgrace/ |
Edited by - countrygrace on Feb 11 2010 08:04:45 AM |
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Karrieann
True Blue Farmgirl
1900 Posts
Karrieann
Northeast
Georgia
USA
1900 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2010 : 08:16:17 AM
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... As I read each of your memories, I hold a lil tighter onto my heart. I am blessed to say that I just turned 50 last week and my Grandma will turn 91 next month. She is blessed to see her great great granddaughters (my two Lil Angels). Grandma is responsible for my talented hands. She patiently sat by me showing me each crochet stitch, each knit stitch, secret spaghetti sauce, and many more with warm loving heart. I know it will be a very hard time for me when both of my Grandparent go to meet our Creator... Grandpa is 91 just last week.
Grandparents are treasures of our future generations.
Karrieann ~ Farmgirl Sister #766 (29 Sept 2009)
My etsy: Yesterday's Scraps, Tomorrow's Treasures http://www.etsy.com/shop/2TomorrowsTreasures |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2010 : 08:24:32 AM
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Neat memories - thank you all for sharing them
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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wildflower17
True Blue Farmgirl
3043 Posts
Judy
KY
USA
3043 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2010 : 09:52:30 AM
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I would like to thank each of you who have shared your beautiful memories about your grandmothers. It seems there is no way possible to ever put into words how special it is to have such a wonderful person in our lives. I hope many other ladies read the wonderful things that have been shared here and honor their grandmother with a special post.
Smiles,
Judy
"Country Girl at Heart"... |
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peafarm
True Blue Farmgirl
182 Posts
Penny
South Dakota
182 Posts |
Posted - Feb 14 2010 : 9:54:38 PM
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Cookies for breakfast! We always finished breakfast with a little sweet. As an adult, it didn't matter when I dropped by unannounced she always pulled out an ASSORTMENT of baked goodies for our visit. Even when she finally went to a nursing home she always had sweets to share with anyone who stopped to visit, albeit, store-bought. And for her, living in a nursing home was a very social event. Even more visitors stopped by to visit and she remained the ultimate hostess.
I have 3 cherished gifts from my grandma. Her German Bible, her watch that she received at her confirmation, and an embroidered framed wall hanging she made for my son's birth with a note on the back ... "... made with love, Grandma-Great, age 89. |
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classygram
True Blue Farmgirl
1812 Posts
Brenda
Pleasant Hill
Mo.
USA
1812 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2010 : 04:57:10 AM
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I have really enjoyed reading all the memories of our grand-mothers. They are just priceless! It just fills our heart to it's fullest! Penny, I have a few piece's of furniture that was my grandmothers and I'll never part with them. I have shared some with my daughter, but still get to enjoy them when I'm there. Have been given great offer's for them, but the answer was always NO WAY! Cherish your memories, that is something no one can take away!
Blessings, Brenda |
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Rodeorise
Farmgirl in Training
31 Posts
Rise
Brighton
Mi
USA
31 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2010 : 08:23:59 AM
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Every single Friday of my young life my Grandma would pick up me, and my 2 sisters right after school. We would drive ti the factory where my Boppa worked and get him from work.
We spen the entire weekend at their house.
If the weather was nice we would play store in the yard with boxes and cans that Grandma had carefully opened from the bottom so we could reuse them.
Or.. we would play dress up with the prom gowns and high heels that she kept in a big box for us.
Sometimes I would sit on the porch and read...all.day.long.
Grandma cleaned her little house on Saturdays and we could hear her singing hymns (What a Friend I have in Jesus) while she worked.
After dinner we would have Vernor's floats and watch Gunsmoke
Sundays we would go to church with Grandma then after church, she would make a big dinner and my parents and aunt and uncle would come for dinner and we'd all play horseshoes, or croquet or badminton.
It was an absolutely idyllic childhodd and not until I was an adult did I realize that my parents got rid of us every single weekend.
My grandma was the best.
Michele
Farmgirls for Peace
www.2vintagedivas.etsy.com
www.sissyandsisterstitch.etsy.com |
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Ozark Farm Girl
Farmgirl in Training
27 Posts
Maryan
Green Forest
AR
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2010 : 09:13:56 AM
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| My grandma lived next door, just up the hill from us. I remember sitting in her garden swing watching her work the flowers and vegetables. She would tell me what the flowers were and the old meanings of the different ones. Grandma played the piano with the passion of a concert pianist. She gave me my first piano lessons when I was 6 yrs. old. I still have her old piano and the garden swing. The swing will have a special place in my new yard, and the piano has a few keys that stick, but it still has good mellow sound. Maybe if I can find an old piano tuner it can be brought back to life. Grandma passed when I was nine years old, but her memory is still strong in my love for gardening and when I sit down and play "music box dancer" I can see the picture of her twisted fingers defying age as they danced over the keys. |
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Nana Shirl
True Blue Farmgirl
352 Posts
Shirley
Kit Carson
Colorado
USA
352 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2010 : 10:17:13 AM
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Grandma..Where do I begin?..Gladys Oney Downing Barnhart. She was a KEEPER.. a Keeper of family..It was she who took care of any who needed her..Her parents till they passed..Her beloved Charly til he passed..Her daughter,My MOther..who was left to raise me at a young age..a keeper of babies.she lost one of her own..so she always had time to rock a bye the babies...She took care of me and my mom and the other babies that followed..for many years there was a little blonde haired girl with Shirley Temple curls on the corner of 10th street...she was able to make sumthin out of nuthin so to speak...a woman of many talents out of necessity..she was a keeper of hearts, a maker of memories, a mender or hearts and knees, always a safe haven..she was lilacs n lace..cinnamon rolls n hot tea..chicken and noodles...seamstress..nurse...the scent of powderand love..and she could rock a bye babies..and I know she still is..I love you Grandma..and your great grandaughter ONEY..is a tribute to you....Blessings to all who were fortunate enough to share a bit of heaven on a Grandmas lap...and to those who may not..hang in there for there are grandmas in heaven waiting to rock a bye you..
You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me. ~C.S. Lewis |
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Bonnie Ellis
True Blue Farmgirl
2474 Posts
Bonnie
Minneapolis
Minnesota
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2010 : 11:31:58 AM
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Sweet, sweet stories gals. My grandmother had 18 kids. Only 14 lived. I remember all that you remember but I look at her picture in the dining room serving the rest of us and I think. I wonder if anyone ever served her? She certainly did deserve it. But that was not the custom then. Bonnie
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
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BeckyB
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
Rebecca
Cincinnati
Ohio
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Feb 15 2010 : 11:55:10 AM
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There are just too many wonderful memories of my grandma, I could write a book. She never had a grivers liscence, so every Saturday we would pick her up and she would spend the night and go to church with us on Sunday. I was the only girl(3 brothers) so she would sleep in my full size bed. We would talk well into the night. She taught me bible verses and silly little songs, tell me about her choldhood and even let me sneak the cat in through the window. I would spend a week at her home every summer. She made me feel so grown up. I was allowed to cut up and fry potatoes on her old stove. then i would "skate" across the kitchen linoleum in my socks. She lived near a creek and I would "harvest" clay and make little bowls and cups. Never once did she complain about the mess I made. She is now 88 years old and lives in a nursing home. Words cannot describe how much I love her.Thank you ladies for all the sweet memories you have shared about your own grandmothers.
Becky |
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ClaireSky
True Blue Farmgirl
1792 Posts
Julie
Arcadia
WI
USA
1792 Posts |
Posted - Feb 28 2010 : 09:03:51 AM
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Thank you ladies' for such wonderful memories! I wish I had memories of my grandmothers. I hope to one day become the best grandmother to my grandchildren... when that day comes.
Julie
Farmgirl Sister #399
West-Central WI Farmgirls
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog...Charles F. Doran |
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buffypuff
True Blue Farmgirl
1183 Posts
Claudia
Deer Park
WA
USA
1183 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 08:59:06 AM
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How come some of us, I'm speaking for myself, don't realize what treasures we have in "family" until we are much older and/or they are gone. I only knew one of my grandparents. The other 3 had passed away before I was born (my paternal grandmother 2 weeks before I arrived). I lost my Nanna when I was 14 of a bursting aortic arch aneurysm in 1960. Seeing her in terrible pain, made me scared for her, my Mom and ultimately the rest of us. My Mom is now called Nana (only 1 n, as she is shorter than Nanna) & her grandkids & great grandkids are having the privilege to know Nana. I have been trying to write down the little stories Mom has told me, so that they can be passed down to the younger generations. As she is now 91, some of those stories have faded. If we could only instill in our children to really listen & appreciate the "grey-hairs" in our life, I think it might give stability, heritage and strength to our children and their children.
Buffypuff/ Claudia
Farmgirl & Sister #870
"Half of success is the assurance of support along the way." cr
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 6:46:56 PM
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Thank you, ladies, for sharing all your wonderful stories of all your sweet grandmothers. Here's a bit about mine, affectionatly known to everyone as 'Shug", short for "Sugar". My grandma's house had a front porch with a swing,and she always had time to sit in it with me. Her front door had a little "doorknocker" - I can still hear it's little thump thump. She always had oatmeal cookies waiting for me, and always made us something good to eat. As a little girl, I loved standing in the mirror at her antique dresser, looking at all her cosmetics and creams(she didn't mind). She always smelled of Rose Milk hand cream. She could garden like nobody's business, and had the most AMAZING roses I have ever seen. She was a very talented, artistic person, and could design and sew her own clothes. Because of this, in pictures in the 40's she looked like a movie star. She could knit and crochet. My grandpa was talented too, with beautiful penmanship, and sang and played the electric guitar by ear. He always wore crisp white shirts. As a child I made him an ashtray in ceramic class, and it made him so happy, you would have thought I made it from solid gold! After a visit, as we were driving away, they would always both stand in the front yard, and wave until we couldn't see them anymore. I miss them.
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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wildflower17
True Blue Farmgirl
3043 Posts
Judy
KY
USA
3043 Posts |
Posted - Mar 02 2010 : 7:35:11 PM
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Nicole,
What a sweet and touching story about your grandparents. My grandmother(my mom's mom) that I wrote about lived with us most of my young life until I was in my early 20's. However, I never got to meet her husband(my grandfather) as he died before I was born. And on my fathers side I never met his mother as she died before I was born and my grandfather passed away when I was only 4 years old. I have always been told that I had the greatest grandparents in the world. My grandmother that lived with us was the most wonderful woman on earth. I will forever cherish the sweet memories I have of her.
Smiles...
Love like there is no tomorrow...
"Country Girl at Heart"... |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2010 : 12:01:02 AM
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All of these stories have brought smiles to my face, and a clenching to my heart. Both of my grandmothers passed away last year. I have been so lucky to know and love and be loved by both of them.
My dad's mom, Grandma Muriel, lived in Hawaii - a fair ways away from Utah - and so I didn't see her much. The memories I have of here, however, are strong and lovely. She looked very much like my dad (or he looks like she did, I suppose) - bright eyes and the biggest, most sincere, crinkly-eyes smile I've ever seen. Whenever we would go to visit her, she would always call my sister and I, "dears" and feed us fresh papaya, Hawaiian sweet bread and guava juice for breakfast. That is my version of heaven on a plate. She was so loving, hospitable, encouraging and amazingly resourceful. She loved to play games - tennis was her favorite, but anything having to do with cards was a close second. I have never seen such an incredible and interesting mix of competetiveness and genuine caring and compassion in a person, except for in her son, my dad.
My mother's mom, "Nanny," passed away December 22. I was very close to her, and now, I live in the home of her birth, on the farm on which she was raised. Things about my Nanny are still so difficult for me - even though it's been a couple of months. Nanny and I "butted heads" on many things, but we always had lively and honest conversations. She new me, the entirety of me, and she loved me in spite of it. I trusted her love, and am better for the time I spent with her. She raised my mother - and there are no words for what a beautiful and strong person my mother is. Nanny was such an amazing woman - I think the obituary that my aunt wrote for her is beautiful - and she really was all of those things for me - a true and stable "source for all things." I included it below for anyone who's interested.
Evelynn Hansen 1917 ~ 2009 Evelynn Caroline Sylvester Hansen, our dear, wise "Nan," died Dec. 22 at home, safe and warm as the early morning snow began to fall.Evelynn was born Feb. 18, 1917 in Elsinore, Utah to Wilford Woodruff and Minnie Hermansen Sylvester. She received her formal education at Westminster College, Utah State University, the University of Utah, and the McCune School of Music and Art, but the education that affected her most profoundly came from her home. Evelynn was raised in a family of eight children, in a home where music and work and education were highly valued and conversation was strongly encouraged. She carried on this legacy throughout her life in conversations with her family lasting well into the night. She loved to talk about politics, religion, feelings, people, and financial security. Her oft-repeated stories were full of humor and wise quotations. On June 13, 1941 Evelynn married Burns Swain Hansen in Manti, Utah. They immediately set out for Schenectady, New York, where Burns began his career as an engineer for General Electric and she began hers as an elementary school teacher. They welcomed, nurtured, and educated three daughters, Jan, Kimberly, and Heidi, as they moved around the country from New York to Salt Lake City to Boise, Idaho and back to Bountiful, Utah. Our little mother lived a large and involved life. She was an outstanding, award-winning school teacher - teaching and learning from her students until age 71. Teaching children was her recreation, and she was energized by her interaction with them. Evelynn's influence on her daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren was abiding and intense, and their love for her was reflected in the intimate nickname they always used: "Nan." She could calm any child with a loving back rub or keep a large audience enthralled with her music and poetry. We will never forget her wit, wisdom, and advice - always encouraging and reminding us of our possibilities. We will remember her for her beauty, her impeccable taste, her love for smart, well-made clothes, and her complete devotion to us. We will miss our faithful source for all things, ready day or night with ideas and options to better our lives. According to her wishes, a private family graveside service will be held in Monroe, Utah. In lieu of flowers, please share a book with a child.
XOXO, Libbie
"Farmgirl Sister #10," and proud of it!!! |
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classygram
True Blue Farmgirl
1812 Posts
Brenda
Pleasant Hill
Mo.
USA
1812 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2010 : 03:47:46 AM
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Anne your story is absolutely beautiful! Your memories will be with you forever.My grandmothers passed many years ago, but I still tell stories to my GC about my life with mine. They are still close and dear in my heart. The pain may ease but their love will burn on in you heart forever. Thank you for sharing your story!
Blessings, Brenda
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony" Mahatma Gandhi |
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wildflower17
True Blue Farmgirl
3043 Posts
Judy
KY
USA
3043 Posts |
Posted - Mar 03 2010 : 10:25:13 AM
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Anne, how beautiful your grandmother must have been. As Brenda said their love will forever burn in your heart and many times you will draw comfort from the memories that you have of your grandmother...
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story with us...
Smiles...
Judy
Love as if there is no tomorrow!!!
"Country Girl at Heart"... |
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Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2010 : 08:35:05 AM
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Thanks so much, gals! I was so inspired by everyone else's stories, and it's something that is so close to my heart right now... I thought I'd add my own.
Thank YOU all for your grandmotherly memories and stories. And, really, I sort of can't wait until I'm a grandmother myself - and can make some memories for and with my own grandchildren. Right now, "mothering" is first on my list, but isn't it cool how there's always something really special in store?
XOXO, Libbie
"Farmgirl Sister #10," and proud of it!!! |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2010 : 09:32:30 AM
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My grams was also born in 1917 in Hutto Texas. She unfortunately married a scoundrel when she was 17, who wed her and after two years and a son, ran off on her for Seattle, so my grams Mini Katherine and her elder sister, my great aunt, Kaleta May, drove a truck by them selves all the way up to Seattle. She never did re-reconcile with him, but raised a son through the great depression designing greeting cards and working in a dime store. She was a single mom, when it was a shame to be divorced and held her head up and plowed on through. She married my step grampa, Bill Barnard, after world warII. Grams was kind to EVERYONE and at the same time sassy and strong willed. She loved God and was a devout Christian throughout her life going many times to the Holy Lands and working for ministries bringing aid to hungry children and sponsoring Christians from Pakistan and the middle East. She had a great big giving heart, was til her last days, a Texan and I think, a true pioneer woman and a lady. She pretty much raised me and taught me how to be a strong and compassionate person. I have such a tumble of memories of her. Gingerbread and road trips, Cornbread and paper dolls. Junkin' and putting up green beans...She passed away on November 9th 2002 and my eyes are stinging with tears from all of the dear memories. She loved me like a daughter and I consider her my Mamma. She is deeply missed everyday. I've tried to live up to her and in a way becoming a farmgirl and giving compassionately, I'm honouring all that she gave to me.
Love you Grams
Annika
Farmgirl & sister #13
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~Leonardo DaVinci
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Kayla Hudson
Farmgirl at Heart
1 Posts
Kayla
Newnan
Ga
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2010 : 2:13:22 PM
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My grandmother influenced me more than anyone I know. Her farm was filled with curiosity for me, a small city gal. "Fetch the eggs in the hen house", she would say, but "atch out for the snakes". Well, that did it for me, no more "fetching" in the hen house. There was a smoke house out back too where hams' cured, white cotton fields as wide as the eye could see. It was a big deal when they got the very first tractor in the county and no longer needed mules. Food was plentiful and always grown on the farm. When mother could not get me to eat my vegetables, she would always say, "These came from the farm"...and that did it. I had to eat it. The sweet potatoes were incredible, fried, baked, pies and casseroles. Yum! I can smell her kitchen now. And just how did she feed all 30 of us at Thanksgiving and Christmas with no microwave or "instant" food preperations. My fondest memories of her were in the living room standing beside her as she played the piano. We sang broadway and gospel...I think her favorite song was "Coming Home on a Wing and a Prayer", becasue her son gratefully came home from WWII from battles in the Pacific. Miss Lennie died in 1976 and one of my great regrets is that I never told her how much she meant to me. She taught me to be a lady. We had to wear gloves to town and never, never, never wore pants or curlers in our hair to town. Precious memories!
Kayla
Georgia Peach |
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Faransgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
895 Posts
Beth
Houston
Texas
USA
895 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2010 : 9:22:27 PM
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I was extra lucky in that I knew both my Grandmother's, had a Step-Grandmother that lived with us for a while and knew two of my Great Grandmother's and barely knew one of my Great Great Grandmother's. I have a very slight memory of my Great Great Grandmother but it isn't terribly clear. But I very much remember my Great Grandmothers. Grandma McDonald lived in a tiny house in Boise City OK. She was small, wore long dresses and had the softest feather beds to sleep in. She got snowed in to her little house one winter and she didn't even realize it until they dug her out. As I recall she was what they use to call a tough old bird. I remember visiting her and playing in her garden with lovely flowers. The other Great Grandmother I remember we called Ma Ad. She lived in New Boston, TX and had a farm with horses and cows etc. She was a great cook, and would make great breakfasts. There was always a jug of milk straight from the cow in the middle of the kitchen table. I remember sitting on the front porch and shelling beans for dinner. We would pick blackberries along the road but we had to come home with enough to make a cobbler or pie. I learned how to churn butter on that front porch. We would fight over whose turn it was to churnt We would go there every Easter in our brand new spring dresses and hats and white shoes and go to the one room, white church with the whole family and have a big fried chicken dinner after church. I loved sleeping in her house, there was a bed room where the windows were set so that if you pushed the bed into the corner there was a window at the head and at the side of the bed. She had soft curtains that would blow across the bed. If you weren't lucky enough to get that bed you slept on the porch. At breakfast I remember smelling coffee and her awesome biscuits and sausage gravy. I guess I was really to young for my Great Grandmother's to ever teach me anything but I loved being there just watching. At meal times my Grandpa would stand in the back door and holler "Brinklies on the waitin' table Betty." I never knew what it meant but I will never forget it. I rode my first horse there and there was a calf born one Easter we named Rosie. They had a cantankerous old mule that only Ma Ad would feed. After Grandpa died that old mule kicked her in the chest and she died. I think she would have been unhappy if she had gotten sick and died slowly.
My Mom's mother was the one I spent the most time with. She lived close by most of our lives. Grandma was one of those little old ladies with the blue hair only hers was a lovely shade of lavender. She was an awesome cook but never measured anything. She made her own noodles and baked all the bread. I loved going to her house on bread day. She would always save enough dough to make cinnamon rolls. She also made the best fried green tomatoes. She gardened and grew her own tomatoes and strawberries. She loved to watch Bonanza and Gunsmoke and she always went to bed by 9:00. I was not a very outdoors child and spent hours in her bedroom playing with my dolls. She would give me all her beautiful hankies to make doll clothes out of or use for blankets etc for my dolls. When she passed my Mom gave me all those hankies. I cherish them. When we stayed over at her house she had a storm cellar that we slept in. It was sooooo cold but it was so cool when you got old enough to sleep in the cellar. When I was nine we moved away for a while and she called me and asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told her I wanted one of her cherry pies. She actually baked me a cherry pie and mailed it to me. She always wore an apron, always the same style and it hung on a hook behind the Ice Box and later the refrigerator. When I was twelve I wanted to learn how to crochet so she took me and we bought the yarn - for a pant suite - (I was ambitious). She was left handed and I was right handed but she was patient and I learned how to crochet. I finished the pant suite but had outgrown it by the time I finished. When my Grandpa died my cousins and I were all older. All us girls showed up for Grandpa's funeral in the usual black and navy dresses. My Grandma came out in the yard and got us all together, she sent us all home to change and told us to put on pretty colored dresses because that is how Grandpa would want to see us not all drab and sad. So when she passed we all showed up in pretty spring colored dresses with flowers and prints. I think it made her happy. She has been gone for more than 30 years and I still remember her phone number. It started as a party line but by the time she passed it was a regular phone.
My Dad's Mom was a little more difficult to get to know. But she also was a great cook. She use to make chocolate fried pies. They were sooooo good. We would get a plate and stand in line by the stove and she would take them out of the skillet and put them on our plates. She was very small as were all my Grandmothers - none over 5 ft - and she drove a huge car, her sons teased her that she bought her license from Sears and Roebuck. She canned alot of stuff, fruit, pickles and even made her own ketchup. We often spent Christmas at their house and she would make Chocolate Gravy for Christmas breakfast. I am one of the only grand daughters that learned how to make the fried pies and Chocolate Gravy. She and her mother both raised Lilacs and to this day they are my favorite flowers. I loved laying on the ground under the bushes and just smelling the lilacs. They grew beside the porch and Ma Ad's and all down the side of Mom's. (We called her Mom because she thought she was to young to be a Grandma.) She was a very impressive woman, she had 5 son's who she ruled with an iron hand and they loved her more than anything. I learned from her that love and respect are very closely related.
I also had a Step Grandmother that lived with us for a while. Granny Asbell was with us during the time she was dieing of cancer. She helped me refine my crocheting. She made the beautiful doilies from the very fine cotton thread. She is the one that introduced me to quilting but it was actually my Father that taught me how to quilt.
I feel very lucky that I got to know all these wonderful women so well. I had a grandmother in my life until all my children were born. The last one passed about two years after my youngest daughter was born. She was there when I brought the youngest home from the hospital. I am sad that my children have only been lucky enough to know one of their grandmother's but they have spent a great deal of time with her. They were all so strong and had seen so much. Two of them lived in Oklahoma during the dust bowl and managed to stay and make a go it. One ended up going to California during the dust bowl and then came back to Oklahoma. They were all tiny, and tough. I was blessed to know them all.
Farmgirl Sister 572
When manure happens just say "WOO HOO Fertilizer". |
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Keeping in Touch: Sweet Memories of Grandma |
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Sweet Memories of Grandma
