Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Wildflower in the Home (Week 4)


Kudos to Elizabeth Joy for giving us something to think about during the Winter besides the weather!

The bowl below was given to me by my paternal grandmother. Hazel Evelyn was born September 28, 1897 and died August 28, 1995. Just shy of her 98th birthday. She and my grandfather were raised in farming families and most of their children were raised on the farm.

Somewhere along the line, when their family was young, their home burned... destroying its contents. Several years before she died, Grandma gave me the bowl pictured below. It had come back to her after her mother's death. Now I am privileged to be holding it until I can pass it on.

Not only is the bowl special, but my grandmother included a hand-written note that will remain with the bowl.

"To K---. I bought this dish for my mother in 1918 -
after 2 years of teaching country school.
Five pupils and I rec'd $52.40 per month.
And, I paid $3.00 a week board!

You were our first grandchild so you will get this dish!

Love,
Grandma"
I'm going to guess that the bowl
is approximately 10 - 12" in diameter.

I had to include two objects in this post.
The second object is the little shoe to the right
of Grandma's bowl.
This shoe once belonged to my Aunt MEA.
She has a collection of china shoes that she's had
for a long time. It's hidden away, now.
But when I was growing up, the collection was displayed
on a set of wall shelves in the living room.

I was always enthralled by those shoes.
Several years ago, I imposed upon my Aunt MEA.
I asked if I could have a shoe from her collection.
Of course, my cousin had to "okay" the request,
so I owe her a "thank you," too.

My Aunt MEA is Mom's sister.
I have many fond memories of her involvement in my life.
After we moved away from the community,
she would have my sister Barb and me stay
for a week or so in the summer.
My cousin was a little younger, but we always
had a great time.
A 4-H leader,
cookie baker, soup maker,
and most wonderfully -
a gardener! She can grow anything,
and she still does.

We won't talk about ages here,
but she'll never be old.

These are two of my treasures.
The plate and the shoe reside together
on a shelf in the dining room.


Thanks again, Elizabeth Joy, for my short stroll down memory lane.


14 comments:

Molly said...

I am glad that you choose to show the bowl bought by Hazel Evelyn...what a wonderful gift especially with the note. Later many other grandchildren will have chance to cherish the bowl.

Does your Aunt MEA have Internet access so that she can enjoy seeing her little shoe shine throughout the blogging community?

ellen b. said...

What a wonderful treasure and the note with it is priceless. The little shoe is very sweet! Enjoy...

Unknown said...

What a stirring story...and a priceless keepsake. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us all.

La Tea Dah said...

Lovely memories. . .beautiful objects. . .and I smiled when I read about how the 'gifting' had to be approved by your cousin. That's the way it is in families. . .and of course it was the right thing to do. I'm glad you are cherishing the objects given to you by your precious aunt.

LaTeaDah

Shady Gardener said...

mjd, I treasure the note almost more than the bowl. :-) And, yes, Aunt MEA has internet access. She just e-mailed me to tell me about a wooden shoe she has from circa 1870's when her grandparents immigrated from England.

ellen b. and jodi, I'm glad you enjoyed the stroll down memory lane, too. :-)

la tea dah, You're right about family members and our interactions. They are even more important than the momentos. :-) Thanks for visiting.

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

Great post & a great story! Kind of sounds like "Antiques Roadshow." How fortunate for you to have such special items.

Dirty Fingernails said...

that bowl is just lovely and the poem is so wonderful!!! Happy memories just make you feel warm inside.

Shady Gardener said...

mmd,
You're right. (Antique Roadshow is kind of fun to watch, isn't it?)
Aren't you leaving for Florida soon? :-)

df, I have a wonderfully happy memory of my last visit with Grandma. She couldn't remember how old she was, so she'd told someone that she was 100! (It was almost true!) ;-)

Entangled said...

It's so nice to see family mementos, and even better that you know the stories behind them.

Anonymous said...

A touching post about precious memories and objects... makes me take a moment to appreciate all the mementos, and attendant memories, of my late father, that surround me.

And, thanks for visiting shutterbug on knights pond... that 'Strawberry Candy' daylily is growing in the garden of Sam Haddock, who furnishes all that blog's photos (I'm only responsible for the words)....Deb

Silly Goose said...

Nice memories! How fortunate that your cousin was willing to share part of what's probably her inheritance.

Shady Gardener said...

entangled, I agree with you. The story is the most precious part of all. :-)

GA, I cannot yet imagine the void you feel, no longer having physical "access" to your father. But the momentos become even more precious, don't they. (Personally, I look forward to that "grand reunion" someday with everyone who has left me behind!)

Your words and Sam Haddock's photos make a visiting the site very enjoyable indeed! :-)

dirty knees, You're absolutely right. I am very fortunate that she allowed me to have one of the shoes. She is generous, to say the least. :-)

Jenni said...

What family treasures you have--both the heirlooms and the memories. Thank you for sharing them with us!

Shady Gardener said...

jenni,
A great part of the sharing was the "remembering." Thanks for stopping.