Then I would like to welcome four new followers to my blog: Lootielou, Jeff, Kim at Golden Pines, and Tone. I am looking forward to getting to know you all better.
One more: I am freezing cold this morning and I love it, love it, love it! My yard is full of California Quail, pecking away and life is good here in the canyon.
This is my father's mother as a child. She doesn't look very happy to have her picture taken. She was born in 1882 -- I don't know how old she is here, maybe eight? So this photo must be about 120 years old! I actually have photos of family gatherings with her father in them somewhere. I have to find these treasures, they are here somewhere.
My grandmother lived to be nearly 90 years old, so I knew her well. She was a very controlling woman, but she had a lot of responsibility placed on her when she was very young and I believe that's why she became that way. Her own mother passed away at a young age and left many children for my grandmother, who was the eldest, to raise. My grandmother was one of those phenomenal women who could do everything within the domestic realm. She was a great cook and she could embroider like no-one else. I have a few of her tablecloths with the finest embroidery that looks as good on the back as it does on the front. And everything is trimmed with lace that she also made. She was an expert seamstress who made all her own dresses. Of course that's all they wore, the women back then, dresses.
My grandfather was the sweestest man. He lived to be 90 also, so they spent all these years together and she would always nag him and nag him. I think she should have been happy to have such a kind man for a husband, but I doubt she was. I know my mother wasn't very fond of her either, as she probably tried to control her son, my dad, and by extension my mom and our lives. But she was very good to her grandchildren -- oh, the candy she would bring when she came to visit. I had a lot of respect for her and I was, and still am, in awe of all that she could do.
These are a few pieces from her everyday dishes that I brought back here. They are from the former Czechoslovakia. As I remember, many sets of dishes that we used in Sweden came from there.
Thanks for visiting and have a nice day!
