The Women that Made Me ~ Grammy Stiles

This is my maternal grandmother

Barbara

but I called her Grammy

most of my memories of her are childhood memories

as she went into a nursing home while I was in my teens

and passed away when I was in my 20's

she had alzheimer's disease

The farm ~ glory days

it was she that lived on the farm

this is the grandmother that baked bread every week

made each one of her grandchildren a quilt

 I received hand made cotton nighties for my birthday

and cozy flannel ones for Christmas

I remember her baking ~ she was always cooking something

her house was spotless

we would play upstairs in the kitchen chamber in the old clothes

on the weekend

tip toe around the beans drying on the newspapers

smell the dill drying

or try to creep down the steep steps to the kitchen

although we were told to stay off them

can you find her ~ yeah the arrow helps

but when Gina and I found this picture a couple of years ago

I got a little spooked

it was like ~ that's me!  scary real

birds eye view of the farm

Years later while I was researching our family tree

I was gifted with her journals

they have important dates jotted in them

the birth of a baby

and the passing of a dear friend or relative

what resonated with me when I read them

was that this woman lived for the weekends

when the kids would arrive with grandchildren in tow

although her weeks were filled with keeping house

and the farm chores

card parties and the occasional party line gossip

it was family that mattered

I love this old shot ~ a gathering

there was always room for more

and when it is out by the apple tree

more than likely two or three

this was taken the Christmas before she went into the home

although she and Grampy had moved into an apartment

it was becoming harder and harder for him to take care of her

so here I am a flanked by two of the most important

women in my life

sometimes I wonder what would have happened if she had been healthy

and lived longer ~ I think we would have gotten along...