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
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| 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
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| 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...
