October 05, 2006

Memories


One more of the memory pieces from upstate NY.
My great Aunt Florence. Queen of the kitchen, garden, house and everything involving a needle. She hand quilted everything on the beds in their four bedroom colonial. Every pillowcase had tatted openings with her lace. The sheets did too. She monogramed with embroidery on the everyday towels in white on white! The glass beaded bags she made in the 20s are some of my most prized possessions now. She needlepointed footstool tops and dining room chair seats and backs. She cooked the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Most of all she was deeply in love with my great uncle Fred. (and he was with her). You just knew it the way she would hum a tune while fixing up some apples from their gentleman's farm for canning or peaches from their tree across the road. When they died, only a month apart, my mother inherited the house and we found an entire trunk full of love letters written over the 64 years they were married. Nothing has ever touched me more. I have great warm memories from that house.

The word for the day is ... sip ... a nice congac, a very very hot drink, and a tiny little bit of something good.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Susan, what a wonderful tale! And I adore the 'set' of collages. Your grandmother sounds like a wonderful woman, and you her heir to artistic greatness...

Beate Knappe said...

Yes, it sounds wonderfull.... I love Tale's like this

Anonymous said...

Beautiful memories...they brought little tears into my eyes...I love these real life tales.

natasha said...

this is a sweet story and a sweet little piece.

kansasrose said...

How wonderful to have a grandmother like her..and her memories you can hold in your hand. Those letters must have such loving energy attached. She passed so much of who she was to you obviously!

One Crabapple said...

Great Auntie Flo - Queen of the kitchen and all things handmade ! Cooking for her Love FRED !

What a touching find indeed Susan - a trunk full of love letters over thier years.....My gosh what a delightful day of reading this would be.

Well , just the idea of aseeing a trunk full of love letters tends to tickle me !

What wonderful memories you have and I felt like I was in the room , walking thru the house for just a second with you , watching Aunt Florence's back as she worked the dough on the counter there.....mmm, is it apples I smell !?

Sip of tea, sip of me, Sip of you , is always true.

oh well ! I am not really a poet ! it just dashed out in a an attempt to play Word Friday !

Much Love, Hope your weekend in that place of living color is going Super.

XXo- S,

One Crabapple said...

BTW - I am totally gone on these memory pieces !

I love them SO much.

Tongue in Cheek Antiques said...

When is YOUR show !! This one, and little red hood are wonderful...the simple stated colors, mix media format, style of looking at the past and showing their backs...fantastic symbolism.