Sunday, September 17, 2023

Old Time Country Mothers

Connie's Kitchen




 {From the Archives of Connie's Letters, September 2008.}


Dear Mothers,

Good Morning. I have been thinking lately about my Aunt Eileen's farm. . I remember when the beans from her garden were coming on in the summertime. . The farm women were always up early in the morning for chores. But in the afternoon they would all sit around the TV. . .  watching Soap Operas and snapping green beans to can when the soaps were over.

Gram lived in a little house on the farm property. . So she would help with the canning too. . Mom used to say, "Your Grandma would roll over in her grave if she saw how bad the soap operas of today have gotten." And oh yeah she would have.  I remember when I was about 7 and the Honey Mooners were first on TV. . Gram Canaday would stay in the kitchen but would say, loud enough for the family to hear it. ."He doesn't need to talk to her like that." Meaning how Jackie Gleason spoke to his wife. . . Gram thought the Honey Mooners was a dirty show. . Gram probably never tasted any kind of fermented beverage in her life. . Soda pop was a stretch for her. . She never drank that either. . Never wore lipstick. .When my mom and her sisters came home with fingernail polish on, their dad tried to wash it off with soap and water.

The housewives back when I was growing up wouldn't even wear shorts hardly at all, no matter how hot the summer was. . If they did have shorts on and someone talked them into going to town for something, they would say, "Well let me change clothes. . I wont wear shorts to town."

My mother wouldn't wear any colors that were bright when I was growing up. . She did later on as the styles changed. . But she would say. ."I wont wear orange, it is too loud". . Loud colors were colors that brought attention to the woman. .Women were to be quiet and lady-like and always under control.

Love Connie


{Note from the administrator: This writing has been gleaned from the archives of Connie's letters. Find out more about the posts on this blog by reading this introduction. }






* Order Connie's book, "Dear Kitchen Saints," available on Amazon. It is autobiographical and tells the beautiful story of her marriage testimony! You will be encouraged in old time homemaking.*