Christmas Memories

 

Some of my sweetest memories are those that include my children. 1. My yearly quest when my children were little was searching out a Santa for that photo with my babies. 2. Theresa's Grandpa was bound and determined that she should be the next Annie Oakley. This meant that Grandpa kept her dressed in cowgirl gear for the first few years of her life. 3. The first year that we stayed home for Christmas and put up  a tree, money was a bit tight. To get by with less we placed our tree in a corner and only decorated what wasn't against the wall.  Theresa took care of the decorations on the lower branches. 4. I will never forget the year that Chris made a bird feeder for me in Cub Scouts. He was bursting with pride when he gave it to me.

Chris' first Christmas he wasn't much bigger than his stocking. He was a sick little guy that winter. In fact, I don't recall many years that Theresa and Chris weren't both sick at Christmas time. Hey, I just noticed, I really was young once.

Christmas programs and concerts have always been part of our celebrations. Theresa's instrument was the flute and I so enjoyed hearing her play. 

This was the year that we moved to California. Knowing that the move was coming, I had Christmas bought, wrapped, packed up with the furniture and sent ahead with the movers. Sounded good at the time, but there was just one little catch. Once we got there we couldn't find an apartment right away to rent that would accept children. We did manage to find one apartment complex that rented to us for one month just out of the kindness of their hearts and the fact that it was so close to Christmas.   

For that one month our furniture went to storage along with the Christmas presents. Our furniture for that time was lawn furniture and sleeping bags. I believe our tree was the original Charlie Brown version sitting perched on a cardboard box with very few decorations. Santa didn't bring much that year, but what he did bring put smiles on my children's faces. That was the year that we had Christmas twice. What child wouldn't smile at that?

What a joy it was today going through old pictures. I not only found photos that had captured moments of happiness for my children, but I found priceless memories tucked away in that trunk too that warmed my heart and brought me happiness.

 I hope that you will take the time during this Christmas Season to rediscover your own priceless happy memories.

 

Warm Memories

Here I sit in the early hours of this fine day wrapped in the warmth of our home that we are fortunate to have. I look out of the window and see the thermometer hanging on the porch post telling me it is a {{CCOOLLDD}} 7 degrees outside this morning. The area schools are on a 2 hour delay, so my grandchildren will get to squeeze in a little more dream time before getting up and heading out into the cold. While I have been sitting here drinking my coffee and counting the blessings we have received, my mind drifts back from time to time to days long ago when I was a child on a cold winter's day.

When this girl went to school there were dress codes and one of those was that if you were a girl you wore a dress to school. There were variations to that dress code though. Can you imagine going out in these kind of temperatures wearing a dress? Well, the dress was still required, but on really cold or snowy days we were permitted to wear long pants under the dress. I remember wearing corduroy pants sometimes, but the ones I really liked to wear were the jeans that were lined with flannel. Ohhhh, talk about Heaven on a cold morning! By the way, I am talking about public school here, not private school. As a matter of fact dress codes in the public schools I attended were in effect until after I graduated in '67.

 
We lived in town, so that meant that I walked to school.  When we arrived at school back in the day, we weren't allowed to just go in the door and go to our class room.  No, we waited outside for the bell to ring and then we were allowed to go to our class room. I recall a very lengthy preparation time just getting the outerwear on and ready to head out the door. Of course I had my long pants on, thick knee socks, shoes and boots (if there was snow on the ground). A sweater was usually part of the winter wardrobe. Let's not forget of course, I needed to have a warm hat, mittens, coat and a scarf wrapped around my neck several times and then once around the lower portion of my face. I am serious when I say that I could totally identify with the little brother in the movie, "A Christmas Story".

   

 

Even though times were hard when I was growing up they were also simpler and safer times. If I was given the opportunity to go back and change anything I wanted about those long ago days, I wouldn't change a thing. I hope that on this cold day that you can wrap yourself up in the warmth and happiness of some childhood memories like I just did.

White Christmas On The Mountain

J.D. did a movie clip of part of our snow covered property the other day when the snow was still fresh and brilliant white.I tried to post it here, but it is too large to upload. I have posted some pictures of our snow instead. We had fun watching Buddy as he bounded through the snow like a jack rabbit with a half run, half jump and sinking up to his belly with every hop. Now that it has been there a few days and has a crust on the top of it, he walks on the top of the snow occasionally falling through the crusted top. It is more work for him now and not so much fun.

We ventured off of the mountain today for my doctor's appointment. While we still have lots of snow on our ridge, the area below is quickly becoming snow free. With it only three days until Christmas I am pretty sure that there will still be snow on J.D.'s mountain come Friday morning unless it warms up enough to rain.

This time of year always sparks memories from long ago in a little town called Washington Court House, Ohio. I remember when we had a really good snow my mother would take a large bowl out into the yard and fill it with snow. She would then bring it into the house and with a little sugar, some milk, and a dash of vanilla she would work magic and make snow cream. She spooned it out into cereal bowls for my brother Joey and me. To a little girl of 7 or 8 years old that snow cream was better than any ice cream cone from the Dairy Queen in the heat of summer.

From snow cream my memories continue on to playing in the snow. My mother always bundled us up nice and warm before sending us out to get our daily dose of sunshine and fresh air. I remember my mother saving bread bags in a kitchen drawer. To insure that we didn't get wet and cold from the snow she put those same bread bags over our mittens and over our socks before we put on our boots. When we were fully bagged, it was then time to go outside and build our snowmen. We happily broke branches out of the trees for the arms, all the while wishing we could build an army of snowmen so there wouldn't be any branches left to be used for switches on two children that lived in our house that sometimes misbehaved. Well, Joey misbehaved a lot more than I did. Joey and his friends would build snow forts and have wars throwing snow balls back and forth at each other. We didn't just go out and play for a few moments, we played until Mom forced us to come in. She always treated us to steaming cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows melting on top when we came in out of the cold.

Things have certainly changed over the years. Mothers no longer make snow cream, mainly because our skies are so polluted the snow really isn't clean when it falls to the ground. Not a lot of children are motivated enough these days to leave their televisions, video games, computers and the comfort of the sofa to go outside and play in the snow. I find that all a little sad and I wonder what will the snow memories be for these children when they grow old?

Melancholy Reflexions

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet,
And whither then? I cannot say.

~ J.R.R.Tolkien

I have discovered Facebook recently. Is it just me or do you all find it to be a bit addictive like I do. I find myself checking posts on Facebook more often than I check for new e-mails. A long time friend, Linda Sue from Junior High has started a group for the school that we attended way back then. So far 9 of us has joined the group and hopefully there will be many more.

As I sat and paged through the old class pictures that has been posted on the group wall, besides the fact that we all looked like a bunch of geeks, as one classmate commented, I was swept over with melancholy reflections of things that happened way back then, as well as things that has happened since those days so long ago. I thought back about the friends whose journeys have taken them on to the higher plain. My good friend Bruce for instance, who took his own life. I wondered if we had stayed in touch over the years, could I have said something to him that might have helped him move past his desire to end his life. The classmates whose car was hit by a train on their way to school one morning. Memories of my friend Tony whose life ended much too soon. He had a heart as big as Texas. There was also another classmate who took a bottle of pills in the girls restroom one day. They were vitamin pills so there was no harm done...... but she definitely made a cry for help that day.

There were also memories of good times too. My favorite school lunch was Sloppy Joes. It was always served with corn and chips. To this day when I make sloppy Joes the side dishes are corn and chips. There was the time that Linda Sue, Bruce and I were selected to decorate the Gym for the school dance. That was a fun day for the three of us. I remember the day that I got caught chewing gum during my lunch break. I was promptly taken to the office, bent over the desk and a wooden paddle applied to my rear. Hmmmmm...... I figured that since it was my lunch break I should be able to chew gum if I wanted to. I was wrong of course and received my punishment for the crime I had committed. I have thought about that many times when I have visited my grandchidren's schools where you walk through the doors and then pass through metal detectors. While some schools today not only have the metal detectors, but off duty policemen and security guards walking the halls as well.

In my Junior year of high school we moved from Springfield, Ohio to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While I attended Shawnee High School in Ohio I was part of the Block 'S' pep squad. When I enrolled at my new school in Florida I asked if they had something similar that I could join. I thought that would be a good way to meet people........ I was met with looks like I was some sort of nut case or from another planet.

Memories of riding the bus to and from school with Mr. Miller at the wheel as our bus driver. Linda Sue and I called him Poopsy..... lol He was a farmer when he wasn't chauffeuring a bus load of younguns' around and a wonderful man. I understand that he has died too.
As a final memory to share with you in this post is that during the winter when it got cold enough for the skating pond to freeze there was a phone number that you could call for information as to rather the pond was safe for skating or not. Many of us that called that number could have cared less about the condition of the skating pond. The reason being that when a bunch of calls came in at the same time it would jam the lines and we found ourselves in a huge party line type of situation where we could all talk together. I spent many enjoyable hours talking on that line. Taking into consideration that call waiting had not been invented at the time I got my rear chewed out many times for keeping the home phone tied up.

You might have notice that I changed the music on my blog. I have always associated a song or a group of songs to certain times, people and events in my life. These songs take me back to the time in my life when my Independence seemed so far away. A time when I thought I was bullet proof, until I let down my guard only to have my heart broken. The laughs and the tears that came with being a teenager. I sometimes wish that I could travel back to that time and say the things to those that I cared about that was left unsaid and keep in touch with those that played such an important part of my tender years.

May your good memories out number the bad and sweet enough to bring a smile to your face.

Memories Are Made Of This

Yesterday was a wonderful day here on the mountain. It always is when family comes to visit. T-Bear has been to have her hair styled since we saw her last and the new 'do' fits her perfectly. Britt had hers done too, but was wearing it up freestyle, so we couldn't see the 'new do'. These children are growing up way too fast.

Later in the evening, I found myself thinking that after this year, Britt will be graduating from high school. It seemd like only yesterday we were watching Barney on the VCR and shaking our tail feathers as we sang and danced along with him. We played choo choo with the port-a-crib. She would stand in the crib while G'ma pulled it through the house making choo choo sounds. Oh how she laughed and clapped her hands. That's what it was all about, putting a smile on her face and laughter on her lips. T-Bear is doing her share of growing up as well. She is coming into her own special personality that they all seem to develope as preteens. She is going to be just as witty and wonderful as her Mama and sister are. T-Bear lived through her toddler years without me because I was in Louisiana at that time. I remember when G'pa was ready to retire and had decided that he wanted to move to Ohio. We called the kids to let them know our plans. T-Bear got on the phone and said, "Oh, Bammaw, I am so glad that you are moving back to America!" Then there was the time she mis-quoted G'pa. One of his favorite sayings is, "You are sweeter than snuff, but not near as dusty!" Shortly after retiring the girls came to spend the evening with us and when their Mommy came to get them, T-Bear told her that G'pa had told her that she was 'Sweeter than stuff and her ears were dusty!' Such sweet memories to cherish. God certainly blessed us with the family we have.

They followed my directions to get them here the back way through Amish country. The last time they came that way Tersie missed one of the turns and discovered the Amish bakery, 'The Country Crust'. Well, this trip she didn't even have to miss her turn because the car knows where the bakery is. While we were waiting for the chicken and dumplings to finish cooking she shared the cinnamin bread and wheat bread that she bought. Mmmmmmm ....... There are few things that tastes better than homemade bread.

Yes, yesterday was indeed a 'Good Day'.

Thank you girls for wanting to spend it with us!

We love you ............ :-)

Dancing In The Rain

As I made my morning rounds today reading the posts of some of my favorite blog friends, I came across one at Drunk With Barley that drew me back into years long past. That and the fact that we will be experiencing a warm spell today and have rain for most of the day. With this bit of inspiration, I thought I would take you on a journey down memory lane.

My childhood was a mix of good and bad memories. The bad ones I have spent most of my lifetime burying and trying to forget. While I was busy doing that, many of the good memories have been buried along with them. It really wasn't until I started creating web pages (1998) and more recently as a blogger that I began the process of trying to remember the really good things that were buried so deep in my memory. At first there was a great deal of fear that along with these good memories might come those bad ones that I would just as soon leave where they are. I am still a work in progress. How is that statement for a woman that will be celebrating her 59th year in a few months? I have learned to deal with all memories, good and bad alike, and have even come to a point in my life where I am able to celebrate the fact that what happened in my past is what has helped to mold me into the person that I am today.

Thoughts and visions of rain takes me back to a time when life was carefree. No real responsibilities other than the few chores that my mother gave me to do. I call them chores now, but they were treats to me then. The freshly washed and dried clothes. A Pepsi bottle filled with water with a cork shaker on the top that was used to sprinkle the clothes and ready them for ironing. It always made me wonder why my mother went to the trouble of drying the clothes just to get them wet again. I loved it though when I was given the job of sprinkling those clothes. As I turned the Pepsi bottle upside down and helped the water sprinkle on to the clothes it reminded me of rain.

I was in Heaven when we had summer rains without the thunder and lightening. Rains such as that found me outside barefoot and dancing in circles being soaked from head to toe. With head tilted back and looking toward the Heavenly sky filled with rain clouds, I delighted in the feeling of the wet drops of water falling on my face. Everything seemed heightened following the rain. The colors of nature were always brighter. The smells of nature were sweeter. Everything was cleaner and fresher than before the rain. As a child I was aware of these things. As an adult I have grown to appreciate them even more.

Of course I was never allowed to be out in the rain when there was thunder and lightening present, but I was still attracted to those rain storms just the same. I can recall the excitement that built up inside of me with the approach of such a storm. I still enjoy the feeling of the wind that precedes the rain, blowing my hair back and how it feels against my face. I am always amazed at how I can actually feel the moisture of the rain in the wind before the rain actually gets here. I have never been one to go and hide from the storms, just years of training from my mother to seek safety and watch from a distance. If only I had seen the parallel to that and life years ago.

As I said earlier, I celebrate 59 years of life this year. When you reach that milestone you start putting things in order, in your mind anyway. I wrote a post with my 'Bucket List' not long ago. One thing that I need to add to that list is I want to dance in the rain with my Dear Husband and also teach my grandchildren how to dance in the rain, but also to seek safety from the storms and watch from a distance.

Have a blessed day. A special thank you to David for sparking this memory for me.

Memories Of Grandma

As I was writing my post yesterday my mind kept drifting back to my days as a child and the time I spent with my grandmother. I loved spending time with her because she always made me feel as if I was special. Believe me that was a big deal to a little girl that was one of the youngest of many grandchildren. One of my favorite aunts used to tell me that so many of the grown ups didn't know what they were missing out on by not spending time with me, but that was just the way it was. She said that by the time I came along there had already been so many babies born into the family that any new ones were nothing to take notice of.

When I was growing up, Grandma lived in a little cottage on a hillside in Southern Ohio just down the path from one of her son's and his family. She raised chickens, gardened, canned, quilted and watched TV. She cooked with a wood burning cook stove and heated with a wood burning stove as well. Any time we came to visit was reason enough to dress a couple of chickens and fry them up for supper. To this day, I have yet to taste fried chicken that could even compare to Grandma's.

I jumped at any opportunity I had to stay with her. Once while I was there visiting for a week she decided that she would teach me how to quilt. How important did I feel when she told me what we were going to do! We started with a pattern template and some fabric. I sat for what seemed like hours tracing that template onto the fabric while Grandma cut the pieces and stacked them into a basket. Of course she wasn't just going to turn me loose on the sewing machine with these pieces of fabric. She brought out paper and drew lines on them, then she drew circles on some and some were decorated with triangles and squares. She opened up her treadle sewing machine (that is peddle power for the younger generation) and took the thread out of the needle. After showing me the basics of operation she turned me loose sewing those pieces of paper with the empty needle. I was in heaven! It was when I mastered stitching on the lines that she threaded the needle and let me actually stitch the real deal together.

I was recently thinking about when we went to visit her at Christmas time as I was growing up and couldn't remember ever getting an individual Christmas gift from her. Her income was very limited and she did have ten children and as I mentioned before many grandchildren. Still Christmas did not pass without giving something of herself to each of her children and their families. It was the same gift every year and I looked forward to it just as much as anything Santa might leave under the tree. Every year at Christmas time, Grandma would bake an apple stack cake. One of those traditions that I have come to dearly miss over the years since her death. Grandma was the only person I have ever known of that made that cake. Several years ago, I was talking with a coworker during our lunch break and we were discussing grandmas and cooking, etc. She mentioned a cake that her grandma had made at Christmas time. As Cheryl described it, I knew it could be none other than that same cake recipe because I had watched Grandma make it many times. She told me that when her grandma had died after her belongings had been pretty well picked over, the grandchildren were allowed to go in and take one thing of hers. She took a kitchen calendar that had hung on the wall for years as she was growing up. On that calendar she found the apple stack cake recipe jotted down on the back of the last page. Cheryl shared that recipe with me and I still have it tucked away in my recipe box. I think perhaps this will be the year that I bring that recipe out and bake it for my family.

I loved my Grandma so very much and still recall what a bright spot she put into my years as a child. She was everything a Grandma should be. My mother was that kind of Grandma to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. I only hope that I can be the sort of grandmother that my grandchildren will remember years after I am gone and be thankful for memories that I have left behind.

Merry Christmas Grandma and thank you for the warm memories!

Life As A Quilt

From time to time I like to sit quietly and take stock of my life. Thoughts about like where I have been and where I am going. The joys and sorrows that have made up this life of mine, as well as the people that have traveled this journey with me. Some are still by my side, new ones have joined me, while others have wandered off along the way to pursue their own journeys separate from mine.

I use to hold on to everything that I remembered when I did my inventory. I found by doing that, I was also holding on to things from the past that had hurt me emotionally. As a result, I was preventing those hurts from healing and not allowing forgiveness to enter my heart. My plan is to work on that.

Have you ever really given much thought to quilts? Each one is unique to their own creator, therefore no two will be alike. Many people may use the same pattern, but there will always be variations in the colors, the fabric, and even the skill level of the creator. I see our lives as being very much like quilts. How wonderful that we each are given the tools and opportunities to create our very own quilt, just by the life we lead and the choices we make. Some of us will be very precise and careful about where each square is placed and the colors and fabric that is used. While others will whip through their quilts like a whirl wind and those squares will be placed randomly here and there. While still others will be masters at creating a crazy quilt. I can honestly tell you that I have created my share of those.

The bottom line is to create a quilt that you will be proud to leave behind when your days are through. A quilt that you can pass along to your loved ones. Something that they can wrap up in when the cold winds of loneliness blow and the memories of you, as the quilts creator will keep them warm long after you journey has ended.

Happy quilting!