Last night we went into the city to go to my mother's house. My great aunt was in town for her sister's funeral. She is 92, and the last of 11 siblings.
I really enjoyed listening to her, her daughter, and to her niece's stories. It was different then what my grandmother use to talk about. My grandmother really didn't tell too many stories, the Alzheimer's had seen to that. My great aunt has it as well, but seems to be easily lead down that road of her past.
Paper dolls, she talked about playing with paper dolls up in the hay loft with one of her other sisters. Grandmother was too young to be allowed to play with them, and the two girls would all ways send her away. There was a game called clodding, some of you may know that one. But one day they were clodding (throwing dirt clods at the outhouse when someone was using it) when their grandmother came out of it. My grandmother thew a clod just as her grandmother's hand had reached out, grasping the outhouse door, and it busted up her finger pretty badly. I remember my grandmother teaching me how to make corn shuck dolls. My great aunt pulled out a photo of my great great grandmother and father. I told my husband that this is what we will look like in 40 years.
The meeting last night and the some of the things I have heard from the mouths of children from the Great Depression have me thinking. Next week I would like to start a series on the Great depression, and things that went on to survive. And then modernize it. Would this be something that you would be interested in discussing? I realize that the current hot issue is environmental, but in my life, the Great depression seems to be just looming over the homestead once again.
11 comments:
Awesome pictures! Can you point out which one is your grandmother?
I would be totally interested in reading about the Depression. I have a couple things I can post about it regarding my own grandparents. Not as many as I'd like but NO ONE TALKS ABOUT IT! It was such a terrible time everyone wants to put it out their brains.
I will need to ask my mother. The top picture is just my great aunts. I think my grnadmother is the infant in the bottom picture.
My great aunt is 91 and mentally still very together. I love to hear her stories. She has lived through so much!
I think that is a wonderful idea for a series of posts. Making ends meet and getting by is also a very hot topic. I also feel the black cloud of financial pressure looming over the woods.
I too love hearing stories of the Depression. My grandmother has always enjoyed telling her stories of the depression and WWII, and she always found an eager listener in me.
Hello this is Phelan's mother.
The answer to the question "which one is you grandmother?" is:
In the first pic she is the one in the front.
In the second, she is the one that you can only see the top of her head.
I think your idea of a series on the depression is great. Daughter of mine.
Yeah, that would be a good topic. Our life style is definitely more driven by financials than environmental.
Those are wonderful photos and it's great that you were able to hear some of your great aunt's stories.
I think your idea for discussing the Depression and then modernizing it for current homesteaders is a great one.
Go for it Phelan. Good subject.
monica
Another vote for the series. I thinkif things go "South" as quick as they seem to be going, the environment is going to fall back in favor of keeping the family fed. My late father was born during the depression and lived a hard life most of his childhood. I have a few stories (never enough!!) as well. Would love to hear more.
would definately love to see you post a Depression series..I'm very interested in that time period, too, which is when my own grandparents were growing up, and their habits from that era lasted their entire lives
Another vote for the series. I would love to hear old and new way to suvive our great depression. We must learn from history.
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