Move over Marttha

What can be imagined can be done......

This seemed to be Catherine's slogan, my mother was industrious, ambitious, and focused.

This is what a week growing up on the farm may have looked like.

• Monday's- wash clothes-using the wringer washer beginning with the whites, hanging them all up to dry, in the winter they freeze dried on the line outside. Sprinkled with water for Tuesday's ironing.
• Tuesday's-ironing cotton shirts, pillow cases, sheets, pants, skirts.
• Wednesday's- scrub the floors, clean the bathrooms
• Thursday's- bake buns and maybe a couple pans of bars.
• Friday's- dust, vacuum, shake rugs, clean both upstairs and down.
• Saturday's-get groceries in town, 
• Sundays- fellowship meeting, afternoon drive, visit to relatives in the afternoon.

Any space was fair game for a storage shelf or hook. She had her own hammer, nails, and the know how to turn raw material into useful space.

A neighbors auction could provide the wood furniture that could be painted or repurposed to a place of honor in her home.

Trading flowers, fruit trees, or shrubs helped populate this prairie land into a beautiful farmstead.

Garden produce, apples,  raspberries, strawberries and cherries changed the everyday meal into something special.

Holidays with good China, cloth napkins, candles turned our farm home into a castle

Look, Life, Good Housekeeping, and Better Homes and Gardens were delivered monthly, we could keep up with clothing styles, home decor, and garden tips.

Whatever was in style could be reproduced with a sewing machine, fabric, thread, and this talented seamstress.

Games of parcheesi, ping pong, and scrabble helped pass the winter evenings as a quick break from knitting or crocheting.

A treehouse or fort is necessary for kid play, it can be built from any materials that would be found on the farm.

I could go on, but because of my Moms abilities our home was always a clean, interesting, and well managed place. Martha Stewart doesn't have anything new to show Catherine, or any of the other ladies of this the 'greatest generation'.

Besides this, all the work was done without a gardener, housekeeper, groundskeeper, or chef. Motivation wasn't because of ratings, stocks, or notoriety.

These accomplishments happened for the best reasons; love and the desire for a well kept home.

Missing Mom

Sure do miss her!

I'm missing the little lady- that for 65 years answered to Mom- when I called.
Some would say we were just very fortunate to have her in our life on earth for this long.
Yes, I would agree, but even with all of these years - it's just extremely hard to say good bye!
After all, we've had many years of memories.

We miss that smile, positive attitude, sense of humor, and accepting demeanor.

• A smile and little wave ALWAYS welcomed us into the house when we walked by her west window, from here she watched Will grill steaks and hamburgers, cars come and go, and our neighbors drive the golf cart- giving their dog an evening ride.
• When company came she was pleased to play with the little kids, sit and listen to conversation, and greet everyone as if they were her very best friend.
• A quick wit served as a come back when Will tease her, the doctor asked her a question, or someone made an off the wall comment-she was listening and ready to respond.
• If we were busy, she could find a word search book, newspaper, or pictures to occupy her time. If we were occupied and didn't have time to prepare a really good meal, she was satisfied with scrambled eggs, a lean cuisine or the forbidden ramen  noodles. (Which only happened when I was at work).

She loved cards and letters, wow-The cards sent over the years by Kristin, Elizabeth, and Laura, Shirley, Eunice and Velva, and the annual Christmas greetings were valued, being read and re-read throughout the year.

Catherine stayed busy being useful most of her life, sewing, gardening, baking bars, entertaining kids, working in the field. There came a time when being useful turned into being fruitful. During the time she lived with us, we were the reciepients of this fruitful time in her life. Patients, kindness, long suffering, gentleness, love, joy, goodness, and faith. 

Because of her fruitfulness our faith is strengthened. Old age can greatly hamper the ability to be useful but maybe it can provide a window for fruitfulness to abound.