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September 6, 2001 - Life Spans and Makin' Biscuits
Welcome to Grandparents' Week on 2TheHeart!
"Those gasps of astonishment, those shrieks of pleasure, those sighs of delight, lost long ago when your children grew wise and worldly ~ are suddenly given back to you by your grandchildren. What seems to be the same small hands clutch yours, dragging you from one excitement to another ~ "Look! Oh, look! Come ON!"
~~Unknown~~
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Grandparents' Week continues with an open letter to her grandpa by Pattricia Pummill, and a fantastic southern style story by Sandra Smith - both are previous Writers of the Month!
"Life Spans..."
by Pattricia Pummill
Dear Grandpa,
I remember how you took my hand when I was very small and showed to me so much love. How could I forget grandpa? And as time passed and you grew ill it was time to offer out our hand to help you through it all.
And so you came to live with us and I was only twelve... You grew stronger and seemed to flourish and I would like to think, it was from the love you felt since you chose to stay. Through many years of growing up you watched us along the way. But did you know that I watched you and marvelled at your walk? Oft times that cane would hinder you. 'Toss it aside' ......that was my thought. But I was young and didn't know why it stood close by. Just in case you might stumble, it was there to rely on. Much like we do our parents and our grandparents as we grow. Funny isn't it the things we love so much don't know until it's gone... But like I used to grab your handI can imagine momma did so young and then again when my young ones came along.
Some days I hear your chuckle ringing in my ears and when my tomatoes bloom I see your face all aglow and I remember you in the garden. No, never met another who could grow 'em quite like you! Through all those years and with that cane you walked along the way... Be it rain or shine it didn't matter up and down the hill you went to run the ferryboat each day. And for awhile I'd be hard pressed to say who it was - my grandpa or grandad who liked to ride the most. As I look back and picture you with that shiny red car, ever ready just to roll and set on cruise.... Yes, and I can remember a time or two when that cruise got us into trouble and I learned never hurts having the marshall as your uncle. :+)
But in looking back today the thing I learned the most... was making time for family that very special quality you always had. Cause often I would hear these words...
"Who wants to play a game of checkers or some yahztee...do you have the time? Care for a game of aggravation, scrabble or monopoly... Just bought this deck of cards, want to loose a dime?"
And I would think, oh no! grandpa's out to get us all. Will I have to play? Cause seems like mostly you would win and those eyes how they would crinkle as I would hear you shout, "Yep, I'm the Best, I won again....No doubt I'm the Best!"
Looking back tho, I can see the same crinkle 'n twinkle when at times we won. And wee ones too as the art you passed on. So now I know the joy you felt in teaching and in learning. It's always nice to win a game and always nice to know that you taught another and help to mold a young ones mind. But bigger than the game itself comes the loving and the sharing. Then setting down to spend sometime with those you love not rushing or hurrying. So thanks for always reaching out for always having time..... And you are right, 'You are the Best', and not just with the name but your quality in giving with your living made a 'Life span...' of loving along the way.
Pattricia Pummill ©2001
rugged_faith@yahoo.com
Pattricia's grandpa's last name was Best and always used it to his advantage! Pattricia is mother to two and living in Florida. She loves to read and garden and is joyful with the friends she's met through 2theheart. Her poem 'My Quilt' won her Writer of the Month in May 2001!
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"Grandfathers are about twenty inside...sometimes six."
~~Grandparents Defined by kids~~
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"Makin' Biscuits"
by Sandra Smith
Anyone from the South knows that biscuits are a staple of life... smothered in butter,and homemade fig perserves or mayhaw jelly, or soppin up tamater gravy. Biscuits are a little bite of heaven, and every girl raised in the rural south will have a lesson on makin' biscuits, early on. It is as necessary that a southern female know
how to make biscuits as it is to breathe.
I remember my first solo batch, after several lessons from Grandma... a complete flop. To this day I don't know what I did wrong, but I learned a valuble lesson that day - never, never tell anyone you're makin' biscuits, unless you know for a fact, they are gonna turn out...or you have time and ingredients enough to make em until you get it right. Otherwise, be prepared to suffer humiliation the likes of which you have never seen. You see, not only did I tell everyone I was going to make the biscuits, I went so far to boast about how good they would be....well......I got my flour and my lard (these were the days before cholesterol was a word) poured some buttermilk in my bowl and proceded to knead and make biscuits. I made 12 of the prettiest golden biscuits you ever saw and they were so hard you could have used them for baseballs, just like it showed in movies I had seen. I sat there with my grandparents and as my Grandpa picked up his biscuit and went to bite into it, he looked like it had bitten him back... then he took the thing and hit it against the table, like it might crack like an egg... and I wanted to crawl under the table.
Grandma said "Well I reckon we had some bad flour. We'll just have to throw that bag out. I should have known better than to let you use that flour...the same thing happened to me last time I tried to use that kind. Papa said "By all means, throw it out, we can't have our girl makin' bad biscuits!"
I've made enough biscuits(perfect ones too) in the years since then, to know the flour was fine, and even though they weren't fit to eat...that was the best batch of biscuits I ever made.
Sandra Smith
homergrl@yahoo.com
Sandra lives in Alabama and has been a previous Writer of the Month. Her story "Do You Know Who Your Child Is" became a favorite among 2theheart readers. Sandra enjoys being in the company of the 2theHeart family. Read her profile on our Writers Hall of Fame page! www.2theheart.com/writers_hall_of_fame/
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The Letter Box:
2theheart,
I loved the story by Mary Ellen. I love thinking of what it was like in those country days, and sometimes I even sit back and wish it were so. Things have changed so much now. Some would say for the betterment of society but I tend to disagree. Everywhere you look people are ravaging the land and destroying trees for logging and what they like to call, "progress." If this is progress I would rather not be a part of it.
Mary Ellen, I am sure your grandparents were lovely people and I am almost positive they took pride in the country around them. Fresh vegetables and natural foods sound so yummy, and with honey instead of sugar! How sweet! I could imagine the country scene in your story.
Sincerely,
~Misty Freeman
AGoody2ShoesMom@aol.com
Dear Mary-Ellen,
Thank you for the peek into that special summer. Your story is delightful. How I envy you. I never knew any of my grandparents. I'm sure I would have loved hanging around and spending time with them. The closest I came to having grandparents was a dear old couple who lived next door to us when I was in grammar school. I love your stories, they are so uplifting. Keep on writing.
Love & Hugs,
~Pat
Susan,
What a remarkable woman was your Nana. What a beautiful legacy. Whata beautiful tribute. Thank you for sharing it.
~Gloria Cassity Stargel
Author, The Healing
http://www.brightmorning.com/
Dear 2theheart,
I have six grandchildren and I have never celebrated Grandparent's Day. I have been delighted that you have dedicated an entire week to us grandfolk! What a delight! The little sayings throughout the newsletter about grandmas are so cute! Thank you for celebrating us grandparents!
~Estelle Strong
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