Grandma's House

I've been feeling rather sentimental lately, and sometimes I get a little homesick and think of things from when I was younger. I guess that's normal! But one thing I enjoy remembering (and I'm sure many do) are my grandmas' houses. My two grandmas were opposites in personality, but I thoroughly enjoyed knowing them both, and enjoyed both of their homes.

But today, I want to share about my "older" grandma's house. She was born in 1877, so definitely had that "old-fashioned" way of doing things. She spent her 94 years raising a big family and keeping her home. She was also a quilter, making hundreds of quilts in her lifetime. Of course, in her day, it was expected for a young girl to make quilts in preparation for marriage, and then later to keep her family in warm bedding. This dear grandma was definitely a huge influence on my life, and still is when I remember her and how she was, and how she did things.

But here are some unique things about her house that I remember and enjoy ... and sometimes think it would be fun to have!

One thing that intrigued me was a "wall pantry" that was open on the back side where the porch was. It was just a small door in the kitchen wall, but the backside was screened shelves, so that the outside air would keep things cool (in winter, anyway), or just serve for storage.

A metal box stove that sat on top of the burner. I remember her baking (store-bought) biscuits in this.

Big bin-drawers in the lower cabinet that tilted out, and held flour, sugar, etc.

The old wall clock on the kitchen wall that slowly went "tick ... tock ... tick ... tock ... "

The parakeet she had, and the millet branches stuck in the top of the cage for it to eat.

Her little sewing room off of the living room, that was full of fabric scraps.

The old upright piano with chipped ivory, and that was out of tune!

The gas heater with the isinglass windows to see the flame through.

Her small bed that was in a back room that had nice south windows by it ... and I am blessed to have that bed still!

Clothesline strung on the back porch to hang tea towels on to dry.

The mysterious basement, which I rarely went down to!

A small black-and-white TV in the corner of the living room.

African violets growing by the west living room window.

Old-fashioned things to play with --- spools and string, buttons and string, marbles, etc.

The big, screened-in front porch, and the screen door that led to it from the front steps.

Big iron rings in the front yard that held little flower gardens.

The mulberry tree with the tire swings and the sandbox that were next door at my aunt's house, where all us kids played.

The round-front glass cabinet that held dolls (that she had dressed) and dishes and knick-knacks.

Last --- but sure not least --- her chair and sidetable in the middle of the living room, where I spent countless hours sitting with her (same chair! --- she was petite, and I was just a kid) while she pieced quilt pieces, and I'd draw or write on a tablet of paper.

Precious memories indeed!

Following are a few photos that show Grandma (and Granddad, whom I never knew personally) and her home:

Granddad and Grandma C on their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

Granddad and Grandma C by their front porch.

Grandma C's house in winter. I think this is from earlier years, taken from a glass photo negative that my brother developed one time. You can see the big, screened-in front porch. That tree in the foreground would be the mulberry tree (actually in Aunt E's yard) that later held two tire swings, and the little sandbox was just to the left of it later on.

Three of my cousins and I (in the orange top) with Grandma C - that's the chair I sat in with her, as she pieced and I drew or wrote (younger than I was in this picture!). That china cabinet in the background is a different one than the one mentioned in the post. The one I'm thinking of with the dolls and things in it was in the other end of the room. That green door in the background, just to the left of the kitchen doorway, led down to the basement which I was rarely ever in! An old-timey tidbit - that's where Dad said Grandma made Granddad keep his limburger cheese, tucked away back in a hole in the wall!

Grandma C sitting in her living room. Behind her is the gas heater and the old upright piano.

Grandma C on her sofa with a few out of the hundreds of quilts she made in her lifetime. The one on the far left is called "Tumbling Blocks," I have one similar to it, that Grandma pieced, and Mom and I quilted. The second from left is called "Curiosity,) and has all kinds of "sampler" blocks, and I have that actual quilt. On the far right is a postage stamp "Flower Bouquet" quilt. I don't have any of her quilts of that pattern (I understand she made several of that kind), but I do have quite a few blocks that she pieced. Trying to figure out what to do with them.

Grandma C (standing) with her daughter-in-law's mother (Mrs. H, sitting) and daughter-in-law's (Aunt N's and Uncle K's) dog, Napoleon. Just behind the table and the open "railing" are the stairs down to the basement. I think in the upper left part of the photo, that MIGHT be the corner of the clock, that's where it was, anyway. Lots of wonderful memories in that little kitchen!