ca. 1915. Grandma is standing next to her mama. (Love how the house looks tilted. I saw this house last June. It is in really bad shape, but it is not tilted. lol) As usual, click on pictures to view larger size.

This Grandma (I can't figure out how to link to older posts):





The strangest thing happened yesterday. This was just a fleeting thing, but it was so very real.

I was working in the kitchen. Was I cleaning the stove top, wiping out the oven, or emptying the corn starch into a bug proof container? I don't remember, and I guess it doesn't matter. Yes, I do to remember. I was sifting the cornstarch into a container to make sure there weren't any bugs in it.

Just as normal/natural as could be, I realized my grandmother was off to the side and a little behind me. I told her that most young people now have never been so poor that they have had to sift the weevils out of the flour. They would just throw it away and buy new. (I can remember lots of times having to sift out the weevils. I can remember Grandma doing it, too, so it didn't gross me out.)

Then Pete dog walked through the kitchen. Not Grandma and Grandpa's Pete (Pete I with Patches ? as a puppy):




but Pete II:




Grandma spoke to him. But Pete ignored Grandma. I told Grandma that this wasn't her Pete; this was Pete II - the new Pete. I had the distinct impression that Grandma's feelings were hurt. Then she was gone.

I was working in the kitchen. Grandma's kitchen. I was not conscious of the date until just this instant. Grandma Margaret b. December 1908, d. February 10, 2008. Grandma, oh, how I miss you! God grant peace to your soul.



And, you may now honestly say that I am completely "losing it".

****

1920's photo

Blatantly copying others who have posted old pictures or another found treasure? How about both!

This a copy (of a copy) of a hand tinted photograph of my maternal grandmother circa 1928. I know it was taken before she was married in 1931.



I love the red and gold highlights in her hair. LOL Her hair was a fairly dark brown. I wish I had thought to ask her what color the dress really was. I don't think she would have ever worn green or yellow, but I've been known to be wrong. ;)

The wave in her hair? Natural. All she had to do to style her hair was wet it, comb it the way she wanted it, and let it dry. (Did I inherit her hair? Sadly, no.)

My Grandmothers, Random Thoughts & (Indirectly) Why Vote

I was lucky. I had two grandmothers that were passionate about life, their rights, and beliefs. Each belonged to a very different church, but both would have been considered good, religious women. Both were vocal about current affairs; both liked to discuss politics in general. Both were adamant about voting. (Neither here nor there, both were pretty much self-educated and enjoyed learning, neither drank alcohol, both of their mothers died in 1926, both happened to be Republican.)

My paternal grandmother was older and "old", less demonstrative, quieter, more stern, and rather old fashioned about how women should act. However, she was insistant on being involved and having women (in general) involved in the community. She belonged to several civic organizations and was very active in a couple of them.

She was one of the youngest of 26 (count them!) children. Grandma didn't say too much about her younger years. She'd just say, "You don't have any idea how lucky you are." or "You sure are spoiled." From other family members, I learned of her childhood; it wasn't particularly good, happy, or otherwise.

This grandma didn't talk to us directly very much, but did take us with her to many functions. (She was of the "a child should be seen but not heard" school.) We were influenced by what we heard her say to others and by what she did with her life.

My maternal grandmother was almost 14 years younger than my other grandmother, so her outlook was different. She was a teen in the "Roaring" wicked 1920's, although she lived on a ranch a long way from civilization during part of that time. This grandma was a little more lenient, more open-minded, more demonstrative. She worked and had worked outside the home; had lived and worked for a while on an Indian reservation; had run a business; and had moved all over the country - where ever there was work for either her or her husband (Grandpa).

She was concerned with social issues such as domestic abuse, disease control, women and minority's rights, and (horrors!) birth control. (One would think that she should have been a Democrat. The difference is that she believed that individuals and churches should be responsible for taking care of these problems not the government.)

This grandma would listen to what we had to say. She would correct us or discuss with us, but we were never treated like we were silly or stupid. This grandma talked to us like we were adults. She told of her family, her experiences, about things that bothered her, what made her happy.

This grandma was one of the oldest of seven living children and had been expected to bring in money to help support the family. She grew up rather poor, but she had a fairly happy and loving childhood. Grandma taught us with her words and actions.

I was in high school, went to college, worked, got married, and had a child all in the 1970's. But, the feminism idea wasn't really new to me. I'd basically heard my female relatives "vent" (usually they were fairly quiet about it - there would be almost hidden tears and "I don't like it, but that's life. I wish I could change it, but I can't" attitude) against the inequities all my life. There are too many instances to write about here.) Although I didn't agree with the most radical aspects of Feminism, I was glad that in the 1970's somebody was finally doing something about trying to change attitudes of society and some of the laws that still forbid women certain rights.