Grandma's Aprons and Handwork and My Memories

Hello, won't you come on in? Cool and damp out there today isn't it? The temperature did not ever get above 62 today and how about the sun, do you think we will ever see it again?

Come and see what I am doing. I was just going through some items that my 80 year old mother gave me. She knows how special my Grandmother Cooper was to me and wanted me to have some of Grandma's personal items. Her aprons...wow...what memories! The old black calio apron binded in pink, faded from everyday use. I saw her wear it so many times. Fiddled with the hem as she talked, smoothed it with her pretty little plump hands as she stood at the clothes line after hanging the basket of fresh washed clothes and looked out toward the chicken house. Seeing the old apron conjured up memories that I did not know that I had stored in my mind and heart.

Grandma wore an apron all of the time. Her old faded aprons for choring and housework and cooking. Her nicer aprons were dawned when she had company coming to have one of her home cooked meals. She loved to entertain! The apron was part of her farm lady uniform. She carried her hankie in the pocket, she pulled up the bottom to make a large pocket to carry garden produce, eggs, line-dried clothes when she got caught without a bucket or basket. The apron caught the dust and dirt or strings from projects she did while sitting in her rocking chair. She would just fold the apron up and go to the back door and step out and give her apron a shake.

I remember my grandmother being a short little woman with lots of spirit...a strong woman that worked hard helping with the crops, animals, and garden. She was a homemaker, sewing, crocheting, and cooking to make her home comfy. She was also the farm supervisor, knowing what it took to survive on the farm that she seldom left. I remember her lifting the old apron to her eyes to wipe the tears days after my grandfather died. She didn't want me, a 10 year old little girl, to see her cry but I knew that she missed him even though she growled and fussed with him when he was alive. I think Grandpa enjoyed getting the little hot headed woman going at times. He was very laid back, enjoyed going to town and sitting on the bench out in front of the old Farm Club after buying the feed and groceries that he needed and visiting with other men in the community. He knew when he got home, he would have a full hot meal and that Grandma would want to know what he had learned in town.

Grandma made lots of aprons and slatted bonnets. She wore cotton stockings that she held up with garters... Wore white gloves...she was a southern lady/farm lady. She made her dresses as well as quite a few of mine. I loved to dress up in those dresses...she even made me can-cans...I would wear 2 or 3 can cans so my skirts would stand out when I got to go to the Saturday night community dances.

She got up with the sun every morning to fix homemade biscuits, wonderful hot coffee, fried ham or bacon, and fried eggs. Always had homemade butter, jelly, or molasses to put on those hot biscuits. She did the chores outside, then cleaned the house, did the laundry in the old wringer washer, gardened, put on a full dinner for noon, making a cake or pie for grandpa, fed the hands and always ate last when everyone else had eaten, always waiting on everyone. She would clean up the dishes and put away the left overs for supper and if time allowed and she didn't have to iron or can, she would sit down and crochet or sew until supper time. Oh, I can't forget...when they got a TV, she watched As The World Turns and a couple of other afternoon soaps...I didn't get to talk then, I went outside and played house with mud and leaves under the big old mulberry tree.

As Grandma got older, I tried to keep her busy so that time would past easier. I purchased flour sack tea towels for her to embrodery and crochet thread to make doilies. I have pillow cases that she embroderied and then crocheted lace edgings. I am so sorry, I have went on and on...how about going into the dining room and let's have some hot tea to take the chill off...would you like a lemon bar or piece of apple pie to go with that tea?

Oh, you must try the goats milk soap...it is so lovely, this is Martha Steward's recipe. It lathers nice.

God Bless and keep you, nice to see you again, you come back anytime.