Sunday, July 26, 2009

Special Memories...

: molasses cookies in an old ice cream container on the bottom shelf, just inside the kitchen door : standing on the heater with cold winter feet : swirling grape nut ice cream in a small dish with gold trim : homemade strawberry and raspberry jam on fresh white bread from the farm market : date squares in a scottish tin : the feeling of the upstairs front hall as I rummaged through old 'nancy drew' and 'hardy boys' books : exploring the 'el' with wonder : looking down the old well and thinking it was the most scariest thing ever : christmas eve gatherings : the 'good ham' and cheese : multi-colored christmas lights around the picture window and press on snowflakes all over the glass : round shortbread cookies with small pieces of red cherries : nanny's warm kitchen : the sound of the blue dishes rattling in the glass cabinet as i excitably hurried by : peppermints on the stereo : playing with nanny's yarn and knitting needles, determined to sew the perfect scarf : canadian living magazine : watching 'road to avonlea' on sunday evenings : the smell of the wood fire : the flower room : helping to set the dining room table, complete with pretty napkins sent from afar : peeking through the heater upstairs at the grown-ups down below : eating breakfast at the round table in the kitchen, nanny in her bathrobe, the birds at the feeder, just outside the window : picking raspberries in the warm sun, from nanny's raspberry bushes : playing badminton on the grass in my bare feet : swinging on the old red swing, across from nanny, pushing with our feet to keep us moving : all us kids piled on 'grandpa's swing' - you know the swing with the canopy - taking turns swinging us with the old smooth stick : snoozing on the couch with the blanket knit of brightly colored squares : watching from the living room window as family members' cars slow to turn into the 'century old farm' : the old barn : dad and the old outhouse : walks back through the field and old knoll - the cattle skulls in that one strange spot : warming my cold hands and mittens by the wood stove : nanny leaning against the wood stove chatting : piling wood : yummy chocolates at christmas : footstools : the wide stairs leading to the second floor : washing dishes with my sisters, nieces, cousins and aunts : the silver dish pan : cups of tea : doing homework on a sunday afternoon in the living room : nanny in her chair : the rocker in the kitchen and the calendar that hung behind it : the bottles of jam nanny would lay out for me to take home : the coins nanny would sneak us kids when grandpa wasn't looking : nanny's handwriting : nanny dressed for town - classy lady : that firm tone in nanny's voice when she would say 'ingram' : nanny sitting in the kitchen window when you pulled in the driveway : our wedding pictures : jesse singeing his tail from the heat of the wood stove :

Nanny may be gone but these sweet memories will live in my heart forever. I just hope that I can someday pass on some of this beautiful woman to my children, even if it just means making them their Great-grandmother's molasses cookies. I wish I could be at home with my family during this time. I miss you all and love you very much. xoxo

7 comments:

Wanda said...

Sorry to here about your grandmother, I didn't know her very well but she always made me feel welcomed when I went there with Connie, my thoughts are with you, take care of the cold, I have had my for 3 weeks now

Anonymous said...

Cari, your posting says it all. We all share so many of the same special memories. I guess those things are the ties that bind and make us the family we are. We have lost someone so special to all of us this weekend and it is hard to accept. We have had Chelsea and our "Nannies" for so long it is almost impossible to think of our life without them. I wonder if she knew what a huge difference she made in our lives. We will remember her kind and caring ways as we carry these special memories with us forever. We are very fortunate to have had our Nanny. We wish you could be here and know that you are missed and loved "best & special".

Carol

Unknown said...

Oh Cari, my deepest condolences. She sounds like an amazing woman and your post is so evocative, I almost feel transported. Much love and oodles of hugs for this time.

Unknown said...

We are sorry to hear about your grandmother Cari. Hope you are doing ok (As well as one can when they loose someone close). Lots of love from Stace and the kids and myself.

George said...

Well done Cari - you about covered it all. Nannie had the heart of a lion and the intellect to match.

The day before she passed away we got to visit her. She was so frail,almost translucent in appearance,but knew we were there despite the pain medications. In fact she even told us a story how she figured out an alegbra problem that the local teachers could not decipher.
It was all in response to the kids telling her how well they did in school except for math which they struggled with.It was a special moment for sure.

She was one strong woman!Let there be no doubt.
Geo

Dan said...

She sounds like a wonderful grandmother, so sorry Cari. I'm sure you'll do those cookies proud one day. Lots of love Dan & Amy

Katherine said...

What a wonderful, heartfelt post. I'm very sorry for your loss. Sending lots of hugs your way.