USES OF GRANDMA"S APRON The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven; it was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, > >and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came those old aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids; and when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling-wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled it carried out the hulls. In the fall it was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on the porch and waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner. It will be a long time before anyone invents something that will replace that old-time apron that served so many purposes. Our success is not known to us, but rather to those we leave behind!

I can remember my grandmother using her apron in this manner. I sure would like some of her buttermilk cornbread, fried okra, fresh corn and black-eye peas. When I try to cook these items they are never quite as good. Cooking oil just doesn't measure up to meat drippings. I often wonder what all I could accomplish if I filled my hours like she did. She did not have a computer to attract or distract her. I think of the crocheted and emboidered doilies, cup towells and pillow cases. She wasn't resting in the recliner watching tv. She did not have to go to the gym to work out and she was not overweight. She did not have to take a sleeping aid to go to sleep. She worked hard and sleep well. ----- Original Message ----- From: <LaDarlaK@aol.com> To: <TXWISE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 7:54 AM Subject: [TXWISE-L] FYI--Anyone remember Grandma's Apron? > USES OF GRANDMA"S APRON > The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, > but > along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven; > it was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was > even used for cleaning out dirty ears. > > > >From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, > > >and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. > > When company came those old aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids; > and > when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. > > Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood > stove. Chips and kindling-wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. > > >From the garden it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the > peas had been shelled it carried out the hulls. > > In the fall it was used to bring in apples that had fallen from > the trees. > When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much > furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. > > When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on the porch and waved her apron, > and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner. > > It will be a long time before anyone invents something that will replace > that old-time apron that served so many purposes. > > > Our success is not known to us, but rather to those we leave behind! > > > >

What great memories these apron and bonnet stories bring back, as well as the embroidering and crocheting! By the time I can remember her, my maternal grandmother was living in town; however, she never went into the kitchen without putting her apron on. She made and emroidered all her aprons and kept a huge supply of them on hand (I have three of them). She also embroidered and put crochet edging on every pillow case she owned, as well as what she called "tea towels", tablecloths (even card table size!), and wash cloths. She rarely sat down without a crochet, embroidery, or quilting project in her hands. Those sunbonnets were, in my mind, a masterpiece of practicality. They protected the face, eyes, and neck from the sun and could be hung on a nail by the door for easy access; they could also be thrown into the washer and hung on the line to dry. How unnecessarily complicated we've made our lives! Cheers, Mary Ann Hendrix Thurmond ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carolyn Neal" <kcneal@charter.net> To: <TXWISE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 9:03 AM Subject: Re: [TXWISE-L] FYI--Anyone remember Grandma's Apron? > I can remember my grandmother using her apron in this manner. I sure would > like some of her buttermilk cornbread, fried okra, fresh corn and black-eye > peas. When I try to cook these items they are never quite as good. Cooking > oil just doesn't measure up to meat drippings. I often wonder what all I > could accomplish if I filled my hours like she did. She did not have a > computer to attract or distract her. I think of the crocheted and > emboidered doilies, cup towells and pillow cases. She wasn't resting in the > recliner watching tv. She did not have to go to the gym to work out and she > was not overweight. > She did not have to take a sleeping aid to go to sleep. She worked hard and > sleep well. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <LaDarlaK@aol.com> > To: <TXWISE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 7:54 AM > Subject: [TXWISE-L] FYI--Anyone remember Grandma's Apron? > > > > USES OF GRANDMA"S APRON > > The principle use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, > > but > > along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the > oven; > > it was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was > > even used for cleaning out dirty ears. > > > > > > >From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy > chicks, > > > >and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. > > > > When company came those old aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids; > > and > > when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms. > > > > Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood > > stove. Chips and kindling-wood were brought into the kitchen in that > apron. > > > > >From the garden it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the > > peas had been shelled it carried out the hulls. > > > > In the fall it was used to bring in apples that had fallen from > > the trees. > > When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much > > furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. > > > > When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on the porch and waved her > apron, > > and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields for dinner. > > > > It will be a long time before anyone invents something that will replace > > that old-time apron that served so many purposes. > > > > > > Our success is not known to us, but rather to those we leave behind! > > > > > > > > > >