What did they do before ... ?

[Henrietta23]

Both of my grandmas seemed to give up the old ways happily :/ My dad's mother would share how things were done sometimes, but my dad has been a better source. He's the one who got into Mother Earth News in the 70s and organic gardening, etc. He's the one family member who doesn't think I'm nuts! And bless him, he loves to write. He's got journals of stuff that he's written over the years.

 

[bibliophile birds]

since everyone is talking about their grannies, i thought i'd share the thing that stands out in my memory as the object most associated with my great-grandmother, Allie Mae, who i spent a part of almost every day with until i was 6 years old (we moved away then):

this was her built in flour hopper cabinet. the hopper slides out of the cabinet so you can dispense flour right on the counter or in a bowl. she made fresh biscuits every day and made the best pies i've ever tasted.

one day i will move this whole thing into the house i build. luckily we still own the property.

 

[Farmfresh]

Grandma Nettie was very handy in the kitchen, a good homemaker and stayed at home much of her married life to take care of the family. But don't be fooled by that. Someone commented once on how she always let her husband be the man in charge... someone who obviously did not know the score. The rest of us about died laughing!

Grandpa was a man's man. He was a beer drinking, cussing, smoking, gun slinging hunter, a fisherman, and a mechanic. If he wanted to eat again he needed to listen CAREFULLY to Nettie's wishes... if wishes is the correct term!

 

[ORChick]

Both of my grandmas seemed to give up the old ways happily :/ My dad's mother would share how things were done sometimes, but my dad has been a better source. He's the one who got into Mother Earth News in the 70s and organic gardening, etc. He's the one family member who doesn't think I'm nuts! And bless him, he loves to write. He's got journals of stuff that he's written over the years.

When my DH and I came (returned, in my case) to California from Germany in 1976 I was desparate to start a garden. I'd been living for 3 years in a large city, without a balcony, and had learned that I had to buy parsley! - My parents hadn't had a vegetable garden, but my mother did grow herbs; needing to buy parsley and chives was an eye opener for me. My aunt, hearing of my gardening wishes, loaned me a cardboard box full of Organic Gardening and Farming magazines that had been my uncle's, about 30-40 issues. I devoured those; they were my start into gardening, and a more SS sort of life (well, OK, back then it would still have been called "hippie" ). This was the same aunt who taught me how to bake bread when I was still in high school.

 

[Farmfresh]

God bless those family members who don't consider us crazy and actually help us out!