Throwback Thursday: Three Women at a Rock by the Lake

The latest from my "old and known" file

Woman in back thinking—I wonder if they know that I’m back here. PHOTO BOMB!!!

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Memory Monday: The Day I Became My Mother

Me with my mother and daughter

THE DAY I BECAME MY MOTHER

I remember the day very well. I was sitting in a recliner in our living room, watching my children in the hall as they examined and discussed our new cell phone. Now you need to understand that this was a number of years ago. My daughter had recently turned sixteen and we had given her permission to date (yes, I know that my husband and I are old-fashioned). We decided to break down and get one of those contraptions—after all, we never knew what situations she might get into out with a boy and all.

Anyway, back to that day. As I sat in that chair, I realized that I had become my mother. Often when my brother and his family came to visit Mother, we had a family dinner. It could always be counted on that sometime while we were eating, or just after, there would be a discussion about computers. At that time, we had Apple ones—not the fancy ones of today. No, we both had the kind that didn’t have hard drives, just floppy discs. We discussed the pros and cons of the different styles.

I remember glancing over at Mother at these times while she stared off into space—not that she didn’t want us all there nor did she have any kind of medical problem. She loved her family and always welcomed them to her home. No, the problem was that she just had no idea of what we were talking about.

That was how I felt that day as I sat in my chair, listening to my children discussing something that I had no understanding about—how you set this or how this feature works or, or, or. It was all just beyond me.

Separated by time, Mother and I had become one while our children discussed new things that are and things that were to come.

Mother never had a computer, but I do have one of those new fancy cell phones (which I hardly ever carry). My son gave me his old one when he purchased a new one—now I can take pictures as well as make phone calls (if I remember to take it with me). Everything else about that iPhone is just beyond me (don’t even get me started on texting).

I now better understand that faraway gaze Mother used to have in her eyes when we jabbered away about computers. I wonder what new invention will cause my daughter to realize that she has become me one day.

Throwback Thursday: Four Women and a Car

Ladies to cameraman—“Want to take a ride with us?”

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Memory Monday: A New Generation in Our Family

A NEW GENERATION IN OUR FAMILY

The title of this blog is FAMILIES ACROSS THE GENERATIONS. Well, we have added a new generation—officially—to our family this week!!! I have mentioned her a few times in past blogs, but I could never show her face until she was officially ours.

The first picture below is one I posted on my second blog post. It is my great-grandmother and her family, including my grandmother. The second picture is my grandmother, my mother, me, and my daughter (and son). The picture above is our latest "three generations" picture—me, my daughter, and my newly-adopted granddaughter. That’s a total of six generations—six generations of love shared, six generations of memories made and passed on, six generations that take us from the past to the present and on to the future.

May God bless the generations who come after me as He has blessed those who came before.

Throwback Thursday: Dressed Up Woman

From my "old and known" file:

WOMAN—“What do I do? I’m all dressed up and have no place to go.”

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Memory Monday: Outdoor Cooking in Our Family

My Mother and Daddy

OUTDOOR COOKING IN OUR FAMILY

Growing up, my mother did all the cooking (well, until she started working outside our home and us girls were old enough to help with the cooking. Not all of her lessons took really well—I remember the time first I fried chicken. It had a beautiful golden crust. I still remember Daddy’s first words after he bit into it, “This is raw!” Well, I had forgotten to start it on time—to be truthful, I remembered to start the chicken only 10-15 minutes before he was supposed to get home for lunch. So, I just turned the heat up to the highest it would go. How was I to know that the meat would still be raw if the crust was that beautiful golden color? But I digress.) The one thing Daddy—yes, we called him “Daddy” even when we were grown—did cook, or rather grill, was steaks. In his later years, he got a grill and would charcoal them. Mother loved it and would make sure he cooked enough so they could have them for several meals—and she wouldn’t have to cook herself.

Well, my son also likes to cook outside. Only he doesn’t grill, he smokes brisket, pork, and ribs. My mouth waters just thinking about how good he makes all of those. He’s even gotten me interested in helping him. He makes the rub and covers the meat with it. I put them in the smoker at night, take it out in the morning and put it in the oven for another ten hours, then slice it up—great division of labor. But then, he keeps his smoker at our house, so I really can use it anytime I want—like when I made smoked mac and cheese!

I wanted to tell about this because just I got a Lodge cast-iron hibachi and I’m having fun learning how to use it. Now I can have the fun of cooking like Daddy and my son. By the way, my son is named after Daddy—they both have the same middle name.

Do you like to cook outdoors? If so, do you grill or smoke? What is your favorite thing to make?

Throwback Thursday: Couple Playing on a Wall

From my "old and known" file:

Man—“I’ll hold onto you real tight so the wind doesn’t blow you away.”

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Memory Monday: Tidbits from the Year My Great-Grandfather Was Born

My Great-Grandfather

TIDBITS FROM THE YEAR MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS BORN

In my research, I recently came across some tidbits that I find really interesting—especially as I live in the 21^st Century. We have always had a fridge with freezer, store-bought mattresses, and a short distance to any grocery story in town.

But back in the 19^th Century, things were very different. I came across a book titled The Frugal Housewife from 1841 (the year my great-grandfather was born. Maybe his mother did some of the things listed in this book).

Suet and lard keep better in tin than in earthen.

Suet keeps good all the year round, if chopped and packed down in a stone jar, covered with molasses.

Pick suet free from veins and skin, melt it in water before a moderate fire, let it cool till it forms into a hard cake, then wipe it dry, and put it in clean paper in linen bags.

When mattresses get hard and bunchy, rip them, take the hair out, pull it thoroughly by hand, let it lie a day or two to air, wash the tick, lay it in as light and even as possible, and catch it down, as before. Thus prepared, they will be as good as new.

It is poor economy to buy vinegar by the gallon. Buy a barrel, or half a barrel, of really strong vinegar, when you begin house-keeping. As you use it, fill the barrel with old cider, sour beer, or wine-settlings, &c., left in pitchers, decanters or tumblers; weak tea is likewise said to be good: nothing is hurtful, which has a tolerable portion of spirit, or acidity.

Barley straw is the best for beds; dry corn husks, slit into shreds, are far better than straw.

Straw beds are much better for being boxed at the sides; in the same manner upholsterers prepare ticks for feathers.

Always have plenty of dish-water, and have it hot. There is no need of asking the character of a domestic, if you have ever seen her wash dishes in a little greasy water.

Have all the good bits of vegetables and meat collected after dinner, and minced before they are set away; that they may be in readiness to make a little savoury mince meat for supper or breakfast.

It is thought to be a preventive to the unhealthy influence of cucumbers to cut the slices very thin, and drop each one into cold water as you cut it. A few minutes in the water takes out a large portion of the slimy matter, so injurious to health. They should be eaten with high sea soning.

Poke-root, boiled in water and mixed with a good quan tity of molasses, set about the kitchen, the pantry, &c. in large deep plates, will kill cockroaches in great numbers, and finally rid the house of them.

Even though these tidbits are interesting to read, I am thankful that I have a French-door refrigerator, an adjustable bed with a really, really thick mattress that never needs to be taken apart and washed, and three nearby grocery stores.

Throwback Thursday: Toddler in a Crib

From my "old and known" files

Baby—“NO! NO! No more picture! Wanna sleep!”

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