me: “Ah…just putting away the Christmas decorations, fixing to take down the tree. Staying warm! How bout you?”
“Ah….Staying warm…you know I have some pintos and corn bread if you are hungry…”
This was a typical conversation my Grandma and I had regularly…Lord how I miss her…Lately I have been having to practice so many of her rules for life… I think of the TV show NCIS and the main character has a list of many rules he lives by…Grandma’s list was fairly short in comparison.
- Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
2. All ways think the best of people and do not gossip.
3. Then my hardest I think…if someone does me wrong…or is rude …Pay it no attention…in other words do not take it personal! and do not behave badly to them! Let it go and forget it!
4. Last was love thy neighbor as thy self…If someone was in need you helped and or you shared what you had with others…
Grandma never worked a public job (she did do tax listing for a few months) but that was it!
She did work the farm and raise 4 boys and a couple of grandchildren…I am pretty sure she raised me! (my parents were young and had to work 2 jobs) so the baby sitter was Grandma and Grandpa…
She shared what she had from working the land and her creations with her own hands…everything came from her heart!
She had a wonderful garden, she baked, canned, froze, and made jellies and preserves, candies…She must have strung a 40 x 40 x 10 foot high room full of green beans at least. She strung for herself and for me! I would grow em , pick em, and can them but Grandma strung the beans for me. We had a deal for many years her ground did not grow green beans well and I had a great spot for beans! Just so you know stringing of beans is not my idea of how to spend the afternoon…But Grandma would sit in her swing under the big maple tree in the front yard, string beans, swing while her trusty Australian Shepherd would lay at her feet. Dingo was the only dog Grandma ever really liked. Dingo slept under Grandma’s window and followed her movements in the house ..outside…Dingo was a good guard dog and barked if someone came up …
You could go to her home and it did not matter if you were hungry she either had something ready to warm up or she would have a simple country meal in 30 minutes or less…
Law, all the pear preserves, apple sauce, and jelly, apple cider, blackberry jelly and pies, fig preserves, pickles, cherry pies, chicken pie (she was famous for her chicken pies) carmel cakes and apple jacks she cooked…wow! The list could be longer but you get the idea… oh and on my birthday she made me a Mississippi Mud Cake! That was the BEST!
The list of quilts she made and gave away is unbelievable! She made me over 24 quilts by hand! I have worn out two they are no more and the one I use currently is scandalous she would be mortified I am still using it! I have one remaining quilt with flannel backing that she made for me, and I hope it will last me till I see my Grandma again…sigh. She probably has made all of heaven a quilt by now!
I still have all the quilts she quilted for me plus Daddy’s. Grandma made all her sons, and Grandchildren a quilt! I also have two quilts my Great Grandma Delk made. They are over a 100 years old and up till recently I used them when I went tent camping!
“Well I guess I better go and get ready for bed…See you tomorrow .Okay have a good night”
“you too Grandma…I love you”
“you too…”
I surely miss My Grandma!
She is here with me in all the the things she taught me, in my memories in my heart… and tonight my heart and eyes are full…
Grandma’s favorite flower was a Zinnia as was her Mother’s
