Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Choke Cherry....(continued part 2)

Next morning when we went by to take some "Ladies Home Journal magazines that Mama was sending to Jenny.  ""We went right into the dining room, curious to see how Grandma #1 and Alfred were hitting it off.
I'll be if right there instead of Grandma #1 and Alfred was a big pictures of flowers in a gold frame. 
The aunts said it looked cheap.  Even mama said, "Perhaps it is in bad taste.  But me, I thought it was beautiful.  It was one thing I was hoping grandpa would leave to me someday.

From that day on, Grandpa insisted that Jenny would set the table with nothing with the good china.
The family gathered again at Christmas.  Some of the dishes had a crack or two.   The aunts rolled their eyes and lookes at each other.  They had learned a valuable lesson, to keep their mouths shut and to lay off Jenny. 

Monday, January 21, 2013

I Am Truly A Woman Blessed

57 years ago.....On January 21....I went to the hospital in Loveland, Colorado.  After I was admitted and assigned a room.  My Dr. came...told me yes it was time to deliver the baby we had been anxiously waiting for.  My nurse Ruth Mae also a friend....came and did all the preparations they do at this time.  My husband walked back and forth up and down the hall.....Then Dr. Brown took off his coat...and his shirt....I remember he was wearing suspenders...sat back in his chair and said, "Well, we'll just wait."   So...I waited, Russell paced the hall, Dr. Brown napped...Ruth Mae dropped in every time she got a chance....plus the custodian, the desk clerk...while I waited.   Then just before daylight, the next day, January 22....We were blessed with a beautiful precious boy.  That has been, a joy, a comfort and a gift from God that was such a blessing to Linda, his sister ..Russell his father and me.  Happy Birthday, Dana.  You are so loved.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Choke Cherry Jelly ...

When I was growing up we had a lot of relation.  We didn't have much money...but love by the bucket.  And our fun was clean, kind and times to be remembered.  If you lived as I did back when life was less rushed...You might relate to some of the same memories I have...beginning with my grandpa

Mel Stoffer:
        A big man.  He looked like one of the giant redwood trees of California.  People said his hands were as big as hams.  When he walked he took long strides.  He could cover a city block in less time than it took me, with my short legs to get out of the swing and down off the porch.  His snowy white moustache topped a gruff mouth, but even in the rare times of anger, the twinkle never left his blue eyes. 

    This was our grandpa.  He was the Sheriff of Reno County.  Besides having his freight business and a lumber yard.  He was also quite a man with the town ladies.  After our "real" Grandma died, he married a prim little spinster with a pinched mouth and Puritan ways.  She did her best to convert Grandpa.  Even went so far as to h
aving a nice black suit made for him.  Just for church.  "That's fine, Nettie," Grandpa said.  "I'll just save that and wear it for my funeral."
  
 She never knew that he kept his promise, because she passed on after being "Mrs. Stoffer #2 for about three years.

   Grandpa wasn't much on grieving because eight months later he married again.  To a short, stout lady named Jennie Mauck,  This caused quite a ripple of gossip around town.  Most of it carried by some of the ladies that had entertained the idea of being "Mrs. Stoffer #3 themselves.

    We liked our new grandma, Jenny.  That's what we called her, "Jenny". We would arrive at her backdoor, unexpected and unannounced.  She would greet us with "Oh my, here's our lord and ladyship, come to have tea I suspect.  With that we knew we were welcome.  Sometimes we would have hard cookies and sour lemonade.  But who complains when you are having tea with a duchess? 

    Benny and I thought our Aunts gave us a bad time.  It was nothing to the way they treated Jenny. Always reminding her that the roof she lived under had been built for their mother.  The roses in the garden had been planted by their mother  The silverware, the china and on down the line, had belonged to their dear departed mother.  Jenny seemed to ignore their remarks.                                              

    Until, it was Thanksgiving.  All the relativives were gathered in Grandpa's big house.  Jenny had been working all week.  She had dusted, scrubbed and shined.  She had roasted a big turkey, baked pies and rolls.  The table was spread with a white tablecloth.  A big bouquet of chrysanthemums were right in the middle of the table.  Napkins, candles, the good china, the whole bit.

   We hadn't been there very long when Aunt Rennie looking like a bobcat that had it's tail caught in a trap, landed on Jenny with all fours.

     "Jenny, you surely aren't going to use mama's good china.  Why poor mama will turn over in her grave if we get a chip in one her lovely dishes." Grandma #1 was looking down on all of us from a large picture above the mantel.  I, for one, thought she was enjoying this festive occasion.  Jenny tried to be nice.   "We'll just have to be careful and not chip them.  Won't we?"
  
 It went on like that all day. Both aunts, Freida and Rennie saying that "having mama's portrait here in the dining room was almost like having her here with us."

 
     "My," Aunt Frieda pursing her thin lips, remarked, " Mama would surely disapprove of the coffee stain on her good tablecloth."                                                                                                                   

     Like most men, Grandpa thought Jenny was paying even less attention to the two sisters than he was.  Not so.

      The day after Thanksgiving Benny and I went over to Jenny's to see if there was a chance of getting some leftover turkey, or a piece of pumpkin pie.  We heard pounding in the dining room. It was Jenny.                                                                                                                                       
  
  She was pounding so hard, she didn't hear us come in, and stand in the doorway.  We hadn't been standing there very long when we looked up to see that we had been joined by grandpa.  None of us said a word, we were busy watching Jenny.                                                                                         

     She was standing on a chair in front of the fireplace, with a hammer in her hand and a big nail.
It was just like she was desecrating a grave, because right there beside Grandma #1's picture she was pounding a great big nail.

     We waited for grandpa's explosion.  I wondered what he was going to do to Jenny.  He just waited.  She got down off the chair, got this big picture, climbed back up on the chair, turned the picture around, that's when we saw who it was.  We gasped.  It was Alfred, that was his name.  It was Jenny's first husband. Poor Jenny, Grandpa was going to blow his top.  What he did was throw back his head and laugh.  He laughed until tears came into his eyes.   Jenny turned around, surprised to see us standing there, still defiant.

     "Jenny, you are a card."  Grandpa then took his big hands and lifted her off the chair, gave her a squeeze and said again, "A real card.  You know those two women are as much a pain in the butt to me, as they are to you."                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                     

The Glory of God

We are still enjoying a winter wonderland....about a 2 month stretch.  This morning and most mornings the world is wrapped in a blanket of white...and it is so quiet...you can even imagine the sound of the little bunny
 hops.  It is my duty at about 5:30 A.M.  to get my carrots and deliver them to my little bunny group.  They are getting so they look forward to my visits...but I really don't want to get them too friendly....because they are little wild creatures...and it wouldn't be safe for them to accept  friendship with what could be their enemy.  So, I deliver their carrots and leave, quickly.
  I have had such a good and happy week.  Visited so many friends and had such a fun bunch of  my friends drop by....we have so much to talk about...and laugh about.  This is perfect weather to get together.  Come spring.....if spring ever comes.  We've all made such plans, we may not see each other until.....fall.....or the next snow fall.

Monday is to be the Inauguration of our President.  I am one of his well wishers.  He seems like a nice friendly, family, caring person.  I certainly wish him well.  To those who don't...how stupid.  Your country depends on him and a Congress that isn't ruled by hate, greed and self important.  In this life their are decisions made.....one side wins one side loses....Get over it.  Don't be such poor losers, with the creed "I got mine and I don't care about anyone else."  And you are supposed to be the Christians...That doesn't sound at all like my Jesus whom I spend a lot of time reading his word and on my knees...asking his guidance.  No, that doesn't sound like my Jesus.   But if some of these television evangelists are any example  (well they have taken Christ out) and put greed in his place.  We are put here on this earth...to love the Lord our God and  not in showplaces for ourselves.  I don't know how these pious preachers can sleep in their big comfortable beds at night knowing that their are people (and I mean children too.) sleeping...who knows where (I use the term sleeping,carefully)
hungry, in pain, scared....scantily dressed.  But no, don't you go out of your way, don't give them a thought....get your gain, your glory, whatever else....As you have asked before, "Am I my brother's keeper.     Well, I think I am.  God, forgive me, when I fail you. 

I'm not a bleeding heart that wants to give everything to everybody.  I don't want to drop a coin in every panhandlers outstretched hand.  But there are those that are unable, not unwilling, to earn their own way...but a child, an old person, a handicapped, you know who I mean.  But the ones that are able...even the Bible says:  2nd Thessalonians 3:10..For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule.  "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."





Saturday, January 5, 2013

No Blue Ribbon

I decided to get some cookies baked....and what could be better than butter and sugar.  Not so very healthy.   But once in awhile.........

Here's the results.  What with the phone ringing...having to let the dogs out and in...The delivery man decided to interupt me too.  I got my cookies made and baked.  They are not star quality.  But they taste good and the kids will devour them....Like I say...butter and sugar.


 
 

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

After The Holidays

Christmas is over.  New Years is over.  We are 3 days into the New Year,   2013.  It did not treat us very well.  We are deep in snow...the temperature at night goes down to minus 26.  Last night it was minus 27, broke a record.  It doesn't warm up that much in the day...maybe 16 degrees...Oh well, good day to stay indoors and do a lot of things I have put off until I had time.  Now, I have the time.  I have been crocheting some head wraps and hats.  Knitted some neck wraps.. I'm  only a novice when it comes to doing a lot of this stuff.  I worked most of my life.  When I retired I decided to do all the crafty things I so admired of other women.  But I'm actually not that crafty.  Most of my attempts turn out looking just like what they are....crude.   But I'm not  going to give up.  Ist's all in the eye of the beholder....so I admire my own work.  Others look at my attempts and nod their heads and say "Umm huh".  Whatever that means.  Okay...now I shall display some ot my projects


Okay, so I need a little more practice.  What I need is a teacher.  This last little hat I made for JoJo my little great granddaughter.  Got to get busy.  Want to make some cookies.