Memories of Grandma’s Apron

Autumn brings back such childhood memories. The times were simpler and life a bit slower; children used their imagination. The out of doors cried out and we could not wait to go out and play. Raking up leaves and then jumping into the pile; throwing leaves in the air without a care in the world. The air would be crisp and you could smell the burning leaves throughout the neighborhood. But most all it was memories of my Grandmother. She was the center of our universe. Whenever we would visit her, she was always in her kitchen cooking or baking. Her uniform of the day was a dress and a work apron - the kind that would loop over her head and tie behind her back. When I received the e-mail entitled “Grandma’s Apron” I knew that I had to reprint it. It brought back a flood of memories for me - I hope you too. Enjoy!

The principle use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven; it was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears. From the chicken-coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fuzzy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven. When company came, those old aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids; and when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms. Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove. Chips and kindling-wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron. From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls. In the fall, it was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees. When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds. When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out on the porch and waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in for dinner. It will be a long time before anyone invents something that will replace that old-time apron that served so many purposes. ~ Author Unknown