Do you have certain things that happen now that bring back memories? Good memories I hope! It’s amusing that certain things will trigger a memory I hadn’t thought about in years. I’ve mentioned here that I loved spending time at my grandparents farm. They lived about 2 hours north of us and had a pig or two, a horse or two, a cow or two, chickens, dogs, a well where we got water and after a while, they got an indoor toilet! We did have an indoor toilet at our house and dad had a hunting dog once but we never had dogs that could come in the house or chickens or cows or pigs or horses.
My grandma had a huge fig tree. I love figs and I loved that old tree. It was so big (or maybe I was just so little!) and I could get under it and climb up in it. Apparently figs don’t grow so well in my part of MO because I never see them but when I was coming back from Louisiana I stopped at a roadside fruit stand and bought a gallon. I wish I’d bought two gallons but I didn’t. Most of them went into fig preserves.
Homemade whole wheat bread, a little butter, a little bit of figs . .
Spread those figs out real good . .
Oh, how I’d love to go back, knowing what I know now, and sit at the table with my grandparents, have some of her fig preserves, and talk about things I’ll never know; things my generation and future generations will never experience.
For those of you with grandparents and parents alive, ask as many questions as you can. When they’re gone, those memories of the “old days” are gone with them. For you who are parents and grandparents, always share as much of your memories as your offspring will allow. Back when I was a teen and young adult, I would have been bored to tears to sit and listen to the old stories but now . . I’d give anything to hear more of them.
Vicky says
You’re so lucky to have grandmother memories. Mine were gone before I was born. There was a huge fig tree in my grandfather’s yard. As a kid, I would love to climb up in that thing and eat fresh figs – until I’d make myself sick. Also, I’d itch like crazy from the fig leaves after climbing in that tree, but that didn’t stop me! Love figs!
Pam in KC says
I remember being bored listening to my grandfather, uncles and dad rehash the same stories each time we visited. Then as I became old enough to appreciate the stories, they weren’t there to tell them.
And I love fig preserves (or think I do). I don’t think I’ve had any in 30 years — at least not since my dad’s parents passed and we moved to Kansas City. We had a fig tree/bush in the back yard in Houston and occassionally Mom would do preserves with the guidance of my dad’s mom.
quiltmom( Anna) says
Judy,
I loved my grandparents very much and they had a profound effect on my life. I spent many happy summers with them as a child- my last week’s blog post ( July 27) was a reflection piece about summer time with them. You can find it here at http://quiltmomsjourney.blogspot.com/
My grandfather was a wonderful storyteller and he did write down a few of his stories. My mother is very much into genealogy and she has been gathering stories for a long time now.
I tried to encourage my gran to write but she wasn’t much into writing. She was a fabulous cook and she made the most delicious fried chicken imaginable. My mom’s is a good cook too but it will never taste like my grans. One thing that is really interesting about cooking is that no matter how one tries to copy someone else’s recipe, it doesn’t quite taste the same in spite of using the same ingredients.
As for figs, well my gran always bought me fig newton cookies- so when I see figs that is what I think of- have never had fresh figs or fig jam- perhaps some day.
Don’t forget to write down your memories- one day Chad will want to read them.
Regards,
Anna
Trish says
Aren’t childhood memories of summer and grandparents the BEST???
I am the family genealogist, so I need to add a resounding AMEN! to talking to the older folk!
I just got an email today from a cousin of my dads, who for some reason has become a lot older than he ever was in MY childhood!!!
74 next week. Seems wrong, I recall him being much younger back then….
but, he asked ME to hook him up to all the names he had floating around in his head of cousins and uncles and aunts….
carol fun says
hi judi — i have wonderful memories of my grandmother and my two great aunts – we use to sit outside in the evenings on those old metal chairs that kinda bounced and we’d talk or listen to baseball on the radio– the smell of petunias and the flickering of lightning bugs brings it all flooding back —
if you have time ( and i know you are one busy busy gal) check out the book “Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven” by Fannie Flagg — a fig tree figures prominently in this book and i think you would like it — it will make you laugh and cry and in the end you’ll feel real good —
take care
carol
Lynn Beck says
You are so right about sharing memories. Neither of my parents shared their memories of growing up, and now those are lost forever. My brothers and I look at pictures of our parents as children, and we have no idea of what was happening in any of them.
Bobbie says
Minnie and Jim-My Moms Mother and father-we called them and my Mom & Dad by their 1st. names-Sally & Eddie. Minnie was the best GMa ever-she made sure we went to Church -cooked like no bodys business-taught me to sew-my favorite thing she made was called “Carmel Pie”–I make it every Christmas plus her Prune Cake-I think she was the most wonderful lady ever-They lived on ranches . Spent a lot of time with them–I would give the world to see them again and more than the world to see Sally & Eddie. Hugs, Bobbie
Pat says
My daughter gave me this book (think it was from Hallmark or someplace like that) and it has all kinds of ideas on the pages of things to jot down so my kids and grandkids can keep it and pass it on. I haven’t worked on it in awhile, but this is making me think I should get it out. My parents and all my grandparents are long-deceased now….and I do wish I had more information from them about things they did when younger. GOOD post! (Not that you ever have any BAD ones!!! LOL)
Brenda says
What a wonderful thought! Becoming a grandma, I’ve been thinking alot about my grandma. I do wish I could sit down with her and talk as an adult. One day I believe I will be able to. P.S. She would fix me apple sauce and biscuits (all home made, we had apple trees in Iowa).
GingerQuilter says
Judy,
I love your stories and agree wholeheartedly about writing down memories and have been working on that. You inspired me to post one from the not too distant past (40 years) that maybe my children will enjoy. It is called “We Watched the Man In the Moon Together.” You can find it on my blog: http://frontporchquilts.blogspot.com/
Lyn in North Georgia
AnnieO says
I always hung around the “old folks” at my Grandma’s house (my dad’s mom) when we gathered there at holidays and loved to hear all the stories. I once interviewed my Great Grandma about her Depression Era experiences, for a history class in high school. That was great fun because my Grandma and Great Aunt also chimed in their memories! I only have one Grandma left but she has vascular dementia and it is difficult to have conversations with her.
Karen says
Hi Judy. My dad had a fig tree here in St. Louis. In the fall when the weather started to cool he would bend it over and bury the top in the dirt. Sounds weird but it worked – he got figs from that tree and it wintered well. My cousin in the Chicago area has one in a pot that she drags into the garage for the winter.
CindyC says
I too remember being bored listening to the stories as a child, but would give anything to hear them again now. My dad goes to a “cousins retreat” every year. (Used to have family reunions while I was growing up, but everyone’s parents passed away and their kids are all left. My parents don’t get their kids together only them, hence, they are all cousins.) One year, one decided to put a book together and mailed a questionaire out to everyone to fill out. They put it all together and made copies for each family. It had several stories in it that I had never heard. Of course, growing up we heard Grandma’s stories, not dad’s or mom’s. So it was interesting hearing/reading them.