Those of you who know me know of my obsession with aprons. Not sure where it started or why but have collected many over the years. Vintage of course are my faves and love picking different ones up in our many places of travel. I don't feel you can have too many and when I receive a new one as a gift my heart goes pitter-patter. I think I even have a themed one for every holiday...don't judge me. I literally have drawers of aprons and hooks full of them, see for yourselves.
A few years back Mamaw (Micah's grandmother) let me go through her shed and pull out aprons that were Micah's great Grandmother's, her own and even one that Micah's mom had made in high school. I cherish these special aprons knowing they are family heirlooms and when I wear them wonder what was baked, washed or even cleaned up with when it had been worn before me. A year or so later Mamaw, knowing my love of aprons, mailed me this poem. I thought of it yesterday when discussing with a girlfriend all the uses an apron offers and set out to find this poem. I was thrilled when I came across it and knew immediately that this weeks tip would be the many uses of aprons.
Grandma's Apron
I don't think our kids know what an apron is.
The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect
the dress underneath, because she only had a few,
it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they
used less material, but along with that, it served as
a potholder 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, fussy chicks, and
sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the
warming oven.
When company came, those 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, the apron 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 onto the porch,
waved her apron, and the men-folk knew it was time to come
in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something
that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.
Embrace your womanhood today and slap on that apron you have bundled up in a drawer, even if for only washing dishes or putting toast in the toaster. View these as your capes that give you your "super powers". I mean we are all Superwomen aren't we?
Speaking of aprons, make sure to click on ol' Apron Strings to see what fun tip she has to offer this week. Oh and hope you all have a Marvelous Monday!
