Sunday, July 5, 2009

Connections To The Past



My Grandmother's dish cabinet stayed in the same spot in her dinning room for over 77 years. I acquired it after my uncles death in 1993.


The paper shelf liners were changed each month. We were paid fifty cents to dust and change the shelf papers. Another monthly chore was to clean the pantry. We had to organize the food and stuff and clean each shelf. I loved this job. The high top shelf was poorly lit and somewhat scary, but I loved dusting all the odds and ends that hadn't been used for years.

I would polish the wood till it gleamed. I love the smell of this Old English polish, which brings memories of past comforts and pleasures. I sometimes polish the cabinet just to have the fragrance in my home.

This ceramic frog was a gift from my Grandmother's only daughter, my aunt. It's from the 1940s, or maybe the early 1950s.


The wine carafe and the blue pitcher were saved from the Great 1907 San Francisco fire. They were living in the area at the time. The carafe had two wine classes were broken long ago. The carafe was the gift I chose from the cabinet as my wedding gift.



I'm not sure of the age of this iridescent, paper thin shell planter. It always sat near the coo coo clock on a high shelf. I love being surrounded by all my Grandmother's things. It is the connection to my family and my childhood. In today's world filled with swift changes and not knowing what lies ahead, it is important not to lose touch with the past that made us what we are. That is the key to real and lasting changes.






5 comments:

Claude said...

The frog (from the glaze, I'd say mid to late 40's) reminds me of the post you did about the rock painted like a frog out in the desert...

The blue pitcher is intriging... does it have a makers mark? It looks like some of the dutch pottery...

Regardless, they are beautiful pieces tied to beautiful memories. Thank you for sharing them.

Aiyana said...

The frog planter looks like a McCoy from the early 1950s. Does it have a mark?
I had one of those shells many years ago, but haven't seen it in a long time. I think I let my sister borrow it and never got it back. Maybe I should check with her.
You can get the Old English Red Oil at Ace Hardware. I wonder if it smells the same as your old stuff.
Aiyana

Julie said...

Oh what lovely things from your grandmother! I have a childs plate with nursery rhymes on it...depression glass (green), and a handwritten letter she wrote to my mom, which i cherish...

You are so right about the comfort these things bring! I sure do miss my grandmas.

xoxo- Julie

Pudgeduck said...

Claude-Can't find any other markings.

Aiyana-It is marked MC
Julie-My Grandmother was 64 years old when I was born.Only saw my other Grandmother a few times due to distance.

kesslerdee said...

I loved this post! I would die for that little ceramic frog too! My second passion after gardening is collecting old things- especially depression era glassware but really just about anything old!