Thursday, May 28, 2009

Mom's Apron

I was cleaning and doing some general de-cluttering today when I came across one of my Mom's old aprons. It isn't what anyone could call pretty, its a worn faded royal blue with several scorch marks on it. It still feels soft like her aprons always did. (To me it feels like love.)I sat there for a while just holding it and allowing many good memories to come back.
Mom always wore an apron. Usually it was several shades lighter than the color of dress she was wearing.
As a child, her apron was as much a part of her as her smile, or her gentle hands. If I hurt myself and had to cry her apron was always there to dry my tears.
In the evenings after supper, Mom and Daddy would often walk out to the garden to see how everything was growing, and often times it would be filled with various vegetables by the time we got back to the house.
Her apron served as a pot holder on the occasions when a pot was threatening to boil over on the stove.
It served as a towel to dry her hands when ever she had to leave in the middle of washing the dishes to answer the door or help us children with something.
It was used as a blanket when we sat on the porch swing in the evening and one of us would be chilly.
It was removed and snapped at stray dogs to chase them out of our yard and away from her frightened children.
It was used to fan her face on summer days when the kitchen was hot from canning.
Every once in a while she would let us hold the apron strings and pretend to be driving a horse.
Often when she spied something dusty, the corner of her apron would be used to wipe it off.

I gently folded the apron and put it into one of my drawers. I'll never use it, but every once in a while when I'm missing my Mom I can go hold that apron and once again be a carefree little girl skipping beside my mother.

26 comments:

  1. Oh, what a beautiful post, and a wonderful essay. I love aprons, too and cannot pass one up when I'm at a garage sale (I bought two of them today!) I would love to use your essay here to post on my "PATRIOTS IN APRONS" blog... with your permission, of course, and giving you credit as author. Let me know if you think it's okay! Love this post so much, it makes me misty eyed for you.
    XOXO
    Joni

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  2. This made me cry a little. What sweet memories of your mom.

    I really think you should write a book!

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  3. This was precious and I remember my mom's all neatly folded in the kitchen drawer. Have you read the poem called "Grandma's Apron" because you would LOVE it?! This is the one by the original author:

    Grandma's Apron
    by Tina Trivett

    The strings were tied, It was freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.
    For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.
    The simple apron that it was, you would never think about;
    the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.

    She may have used it to hold, some wildflowers that she'd found.
    Or to hide a crying child's face, when a stranger came around.
    Imagine all the little tears that were wiped with just that cloth.
    Or it became a potholder to serve some chicken broth.

    She probably carried kindling to stoke the kitchen fire.
    To hold a load of laundry, or to wipe the clothesline wire.
    When canning all her vegetables, it was used to wipe her brow.
    You never know, she might have used it to shoo flies from the cow.

    She might have carried eggs in from the chicken coop outside.
    Whatever chore she used it for, she did them all with pride.
    When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.
    I'm sure the apron that she chose, was her Sunday best.

    I know your post is about your mom, but you get the drift. What a neat neat memory - for me, too. Thanks for that ~

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  4. What a lovely post! I have my dishtowel over my shoulder much the same as my mother had her apron. Isn't it comforting to have something that brings such warmth in memories.

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  5. I don't remember my mom wearing an apron very often, but I very definitely associate one with my grandmother. And she used hers in many of the same ways as you recall!
    I love the warmth and memories of this post.

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  6. I'm teary eyed! Lovely tribute to your mother and her apron. Reminded me of my great-grandmother's and grandmother's aprons. My mom used them sometimes but they were never without them.

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  7. Beautiful post and such a wonderful tribute to your mother. Thanks for sharing your mom's apron with us.

    Blessings,
    Elizabeth

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  8. I love that double rainbow photo on your blog- how beautiful! Thanks for stopping by my blog and entering my giveaway!

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  9. What a beautiful post! I have similar memories of my Mom and grandmother wearing their aprons (they still do). I guess this is why I love aprons and own quite a few of them myself.

    Thanks for sharing your lovely memories with us.

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  10. O how sweet a memory!!
    I remember my Mom's and grandmothers apron. Yes and all the things a apron could be good for. How the younger generation is missing out ,not using aprons. I used to wear them my self. i set down at my Mom's sewing machine 7 it helps me.
    Thank you for sharing with us.
    Elsie <><

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  11. What a endearing post. We should all have an "apron" in our lives to connect us with the love that brought us up to where we are now. How fortunate that you have such a precious item.

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  12. What an exquisite post. Moving imagery and I felt like I was right there with you.

    I'm realizing I don't know much about your past and need to read back. Has your mother passed on or is she still living but you can't be together? I hope I'm not being too personal. Thank you for this today. So lovely.

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  13. You came to "visit" me and now, curious, I've come to "visit" your blog. I'm so glad I did! Your essay is so moving and brings back many memories for me. I'm probably old enough to be your mother (maybe even grandmother!), but your memories and mine seem similar. I grew up in Lancaster County, PA - a real apron kind of place!

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  14. Such a lovely post about your mother's apron. Your post reminded me... my grandmother wore an apron! She too, had many uses for her apron, but the one that stands out most in my mind, is when she would use her apron to hide her arthritic hands. Her hands were badly disfigured from rheumatoid arthritis.

    I enjoyed reading your previous posts. Not only are you lovely inside, but outside, as well. There is no need to hide from the camera. Your daughter received her beauty from you.

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  15. This is a beautiful post and I am so glad you found the apron to bring back all those memories. :)
    Carrie

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  16. Beautiful. So many happy memories and all because of who owned the apron.

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  17. You are an awesome writer! It is neat to read about someone raised this way. I am a Christian and live in the country and so in some ways can identify to the "simple life" - I totally love it! Keep up the good work! :)

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  18. How very precious that you have her well-loved and worn apron to comfort you. God bless.

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  19. Thank you for visiting our blog, missouri Star quilt co and this is such a lovely post. My Mom also wore and apron and I too love it. Thank you for bringing back some wonderful memories.

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  20. What a sweet way of describing these memories...
    It just makes me cry, because I just can't imagine what my life will be when my mother will no longer be in my world...

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  21. Oh Joyful, your post about your mom's apron brought back the most wonderful memories to me. You see, my mom also always wore and apron and used it in much the same way as your mom did. It also dried our tears, doubled as a duster, a oven mitten and a towel, just like your mom's did. Thank you so much, it was lovely reading your post. It is strange that although we grew up half a world apart (and I guess quite a few years apart) we could have such similar memories. I also own a Singer sowing machine almost identical to yours, I just never learned to do quilting, but I did make many of my own and my children's clothes on it.

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  22. Oh the beautiful story! So many little things can allow memories getting back... I have three aprons, but always use the same one, given as a gift when my youngest son is born (he will be 28 years old on feb.20 2010). It's tired, burned at some places, cut at others, machine quilted 50% almost unsewed , burgundy callicot, but I love it. I didn't use it in as much things done and services as your mother did with hers but I will never be able to throw it in a garbage I think. It's almost a member of the family :), so I understand how you feel when you take it in your hands. It's part of your mother. :)

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  23. You are so blessed to have sweet memories of you mom. My mother was an odd duck (to be as kind as possible) and I have very few really happy memories of life with her. I don't think she ever learned to love, and wasn't able to give it. I hope my children think more kindly of me!

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  24. Your moms apron was so many things. It so nice that you have such happy memories.

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  25. This brought tears to my eyes. My mom always wore an apron around the house and used it just as your mom did. Now my dad has passed away and Mom has Alzheimer's disease and lives in an assisted living place, she doesn't wear her aprons any more. Wonderful memories.

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.