Sewing patterns for aprons

I remember those patterns well and my Grannie and Grandmother wearing an apron over their dresses all the time from when they got up to when they retired for the night.  Mother wore one a lot but not all day, like they did.

I have four aprons at my disposal and I am always going to wear them when I cook, but I forget.  I have one hanging in the kitchen, but even that has become a fixture and I forget to wear it.

Oh, for the good ole days.

When I was young, before they outlawed cows and chickens in the Atlanta City Limits where my Grandparents lived, my Grandmother had chickens and they had a cow which Granddaddy milked most of the time.  I was going to learn how but I can attest there is a method of milking a cow that I never was quite able to master.  So, I had to settle for gathering eggs in the hen house.  I always looked for the brown ones because they had double yolks and I love egg yolks and detest egg whites unless they are scrambled so no white shows.    There is a story behind that, having to do with being a skinny, anemic child, believe it or not.  Anyway, growing up, my sister hated the yolk so we sneaked and swapped my white for her yolk.  I tell her now that we know cholesterol is bad, that even as a child she was trying to kill me with her yolks.

I remember the wood burning stove at Grandmothers and she even had to heat her iron on it.  It had a special place to heat irons and once the heat was gone from the iron, she sat it back down to warm again.  I remember how she killed a chicken, plucked it and cooked the most delicious fried chicken you ever ate.  I won't tell you the procedure, in case you have a weak stomach.

Then there was churning milk to make buttermilk or to make butter.  I did master that.  Best butter and buttermilk there ever was, was made in Grandmother's home.

I hope this hasn't bored you but I think my cousins will enjoy it.  Some of them probably don't have those memories because I, fortunately or unfortunately, hold the distinction of being the oldest grandchild from both sides of my family.

Beverly