A friend sent this so thought I would share--- THE FLOUR SACK IN THAT LONG AGO TIME WHEN THINGS WERE SAVED, WHEN ROADS WERE GRAVELED AND BARRELS WERE STAVED, WHEN WORN-OUT CLOTHING WAS USED AS RAGS, AND THERE WERE NO PLASTIC WRAPS OR BAGS, AND THE WELL AND THE PUMP WERE WAY OUT BACK, A VERSATILE ITEM WAS THE FLOUR SACK. PILLSBURY'S BEST, MOTHER'S, AND GOLD MEDAL, TOO STAMPED THEIR NAMES PROUDLY IN PURPLE AND BLUE. THE STRING SEWN ON TOP WAS PULLED AND KEPT; THE FLOUR EMPTIED AND SPILLS WERE SWEPT. THE BAG WAS FOLDED AND STORED IN A SACK, THAT DURABLE, PRACTICAL FLOUR SACK. THE SACK COULD BE FILLED WITH FEATHER AND DOWN, FOR A PILLOW, OR T'WOULD MAKE A SLEEPING GOWN. IT COULD CARRY A BOOK AND BE A SCHOOL BAG, OR BECOME A MAIL SACK SLUNG OVER A NAG. IT MADE A VERY CONVENIENT PACK, THAT ADAPTABLE COTTON FLOUR SACK. BLEACHED AND SEWN, IT WAS DUTIFULLY WORN AS BIBS, DIAPERS, OR KERCHIEF ADORNED. IT WAS MADE INTO SKIRTS, BLOUSES AND SLIPS AND MOM BRAIDED RUGS FROM ONE HUNDRED STRIPS. SHE MADE RUFFLED CURTAINS FOR THE HOUSE OR SHACK, FROM THAT HUMBLE BUT TREASURED FLOUR SACK! AS A STRAINER FOR MILK OR APPLE JUICE, TO WAVE MEN IN WAS A VERY GOOD USE, AS A SLING FOR A SPRAINED WRIST OR A BREAK, TO HELP MOTHER ROLL UP A JELLY CAKE, AS A WINDOW SHADE OR TO STUFF A CRACK, WE USED A STURDY, COMMON FLOUR SACK! AS DISH TOWELS, EMBROIDERED OR NOT, THEY COVERED UP DOUGH, HELPED PASS PANS SO HOT, TIED UP DISHES FOR NEIGHBORS IN NEED, AND FOR MEN OUT IN THE FIELD TO SEED. THEY DRIED DISHES FROM PAN, NOT RACK THAT ABSORBENT, HANDY FLOUR SACK! WE POLISHED AND CLEANED STOVE AND TABLE, SCOURED AND SCRUBBED FROM CELLAR TO GABLE, WE DUSTED THE BUREAU AND OAK BED POST, MADE COSTUMES FOR OCTOBER (A SCARY GHOST) AND A PARACHUTE FOR A CAT NAMED JACK. FROM THAT LOWLY, USEFUL OLD FLOUR SACK! SO NOW MY FRIENDS, WHEN THEY ASK YOU AS CURIOUS YOUNGSTERS OFTEN DO, "BEFORE PLASTIC WRAP, ELMER'S GLUE AND PAPER TOWELS, WHAT DID YOU DO?" TELL THEM LOUDLY AND YOUR PRIDE DON'T LACK, "GRANDMOTHER HAD THAT WONDERFUL FLOUR SACK!" Submitted by Erven Cestnick, Smiths Cove

Yes, and the same could be said for the sugar bags, although they tended to be a little smaller in size. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lmarshall" <l.marshall@ns.sympatico.ca> To: "Nova Scotia List" <NOVA-SCOTIA@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 11:43 AM Subject: [NS-L] THE FLOUR SACK---OFF TOPIC BUT--- >A friend sent this so thought I would share--- > THE FLOUR SACK > > IN THAT LONG AGO TIME WHEN THINGS WERE SAVED, WHEN ROADS WERE GRAVELED AND > BARRELS WERE STAVED, > WHEN WORN-OUT CLOTHING WAS USED AS RAGS, AND THERE WERE NO PLASTIC WRAPS > OR BAGS, > AND THE WELL AND THE PUMP WERE WAY OUT BACK, A VERSATILE ITEM WAS THE > FLOUR SACK. > > PILLSBURY'S BEST, MOTHER'S, AND GOLD MEDAL, TOO STAMPED THEIR NAMES > PROUDLY IN PURPLE AND BLUE. > THE STRING SEWN ON TOP WAS PULLED AND KEPT; THE FLOUR EMPTIED AND SPILLS > WERE SWEPT. > THE BAG WAS FOLDED AND STORED IN A SACK, THAT DURABLE, PRACTICAL FLOUR > SACK. > > THE SACK COULD BE FILLED WITH FEATHER AND DOWN, FOR A PILLOW, OR T'WOULD > MAKE A SLEEPING GOWN. > IT COULD CARRY A BOOK AND BE A SCHOOL BAG, OR BECOME A MAIL SACK SLUNG > OVER A NAG. > IT MADE A VERY CONVENIENT PACK, THAT ADAPTABLE COTTON FLOUR SACK. > > BLEACHED AND SEWN, IT WAS DUTIFULLY WORN AS BIBS, DIAPERS, OR KERCHIEF > ADORNED. > IT WAS MADE INTO SKIRTS, BLOUSES AND SLIPS AND MOM BRAIDED RUGS FROM ONE > HUNDRED STRIPS. > SHE MADE RUFFLED CURTAINS FOR THE HOUSE OR SHACK, FROM THAT HUMBLE BUT > TREASURED FLOUR SACK! > > AS A STRAINER FOR MILK OR APPLE JUICE, TO WAVE MEN IN WAS A VERY GOOD USE, > AS A SLING FOR A SPRAINED WRIST OR A BREAK, TO HELP MOTHER ROLL UP A JELLY > CAKE, > AS A WINDOW SHADE OR TO STUFF A CRACK, WE USED A STURDY, COMMON FLOUR > SACK! > > AS DISH TOWELS, EMBROIDERED OR NOT, THEY COVERED UP DOUGH, HELPED PASS > PANS SO HOT, > TIED UP DISHES FOR NEIGHBORS IN NEED, AND FOR MEN OUT IN THE FIELD TO > SEED. > THEY DRIED DISHES FROM PAN, NOT RACK THAT ABSORBENT, HANDY FLOUR SACK! > > WE POLISHED AND CLEANED STOVE AND TABLE, SCOURED AND SCRUBBED FROM CELLAR > TO GABLE, > WE DUSTED THE BUREAU AND OAK BED POST, MADE COSTUMES FOR OCTOBER (A SCARY > GHOST) > AND A PARACHUTE FOR A CAT NAMED JACK. FROM THAT LOWLY, USEFUL OLD FLOUR > SACK! > > SO NOW MY FRIENDS, WHEN THEY ASK YOU AS CURIOUS YOUNGSTERS OFTEN DO, > "BEFORE PLASTIC WRAP, ELMER'S GLUE AND PAPER TOWELS, WHAT DID YOU DO?" > TELL THEM LOUDLY AND YOUR PRIDE DON'T LACK, "GRANDMOTHER HAD THAT > WONDERFUL FLOUR SACK!" > > Submitted by Erven Cestnick, Smiths Cove > ---------------------------------------- > Basic List Commands: > > 1. To post to the list > Send a message to: > NOVA-SCOTIA-L@rootsweb.com > > 2. How to unsubscribe > a. List mode: Send a message to NOVA-SCOTIA-L- > request@rootsweb.com that contains only the word > unsubscribe > > b. Digest mode: Send a message to NOVA-SCOTIA-D- > request@rootsweb.com that contains only the word > unsubscribe > > 3. How to subscribe > Send an email containing only the word > subscribe > to NOVA-SCOTIA-L-request@rootsweb.com > > 4. How to change to Digest mode > a. Unsubscribe from List mode (2.a. above) > b. Subscribe to Digest mode > Send an email containing only the word > subscribe > to NOVA-SCOTIA-D-request@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NOVA-SCOTIA-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

----- Original Message ----- From: "Lmarshall" Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 10:43 AM Subject: [NS-L] THE FLOUR SACK---OFF TOPIC BUT--- >A friend sent this so thought I would share--- > THE FLOUR SACK ***snipped*** How well I remember all the things in my grandparent's farmhouse (built by her father) on the Cobequid Rd, that flour and sugar sacks were used for. Also the burlap ones. Think the later held brown sugar (from the West Indies?), but am not sure if I'm remembering that correctly or not. My paternal granddad work at Moir's Mill in Millview (Bedford) for over 62y, so that is where many of the various sacks came from. Can remember my gran trying to get the logo off the bags! There was a big pantry in the farmhouse, with built-in tin lined bins under the counter tops which held the white/brown sugars and flour, bought via Moir's was my understanding. Know my grandfather used the burlap sacks to carry live lobsters. He would arrive with a full sack or two, dump them on the kitchen floor and my gran, who had the pot at the boil on the woodstove, would pick them up with a long pole, quickly dropping them into the water. I generally ran from the room as they were being dunked .. couldn't stand to see some of them trying to get out of the pot or hear the sound they made. Didn't stop me from eating them though. Toni ~ Ontario [WYATT / STONE - Millview/Bedford/ Lower Sackville Halifax Co / Oxford & Cumberland Co.]