When this picture was taken, the Squire kids were about ages 3 t0 maybe 11 or 12. We lived in a 3 bedroom cottage converted to a year-round house in Blue Lake Township, which was about a mile from a little village called Lakewood Club. My Grandma's sister Myrtle Devering must have worked year-round to make us these nightgowns, which she sewed for us just about every Christmas. They were made of a rich, soft flannel. Each child's gown had a special print, for instance: kittens, cowboys and Indians, horses, etc. They were complete with collars, facings, buttons and or snaps, with ruffled sleeves and bottoms for the girls. We were so thrilled to have these soft, warm nightgowns. But she didn't stop there! She made us two apiece! And usually there was a huge bag of popcorn balls to go along with the other goodies she made. As an adult, I can only imagine the time and effort she spent making 2 nightgowns apiece for us just about every year. It must have taken such a long time, and infinite patience to get each one so perfectly made. But it remains one of my favorite Christmas memories. Even though Aunt Myrtle passed away when I was barely grown, I remember her as being loving and extremely fruitful, always cooking, planting, reaping, sewing, making life better for all of those lucky enough to know her. I just wanted to take this opportunity to remember her with love and gratitude.
7 comments:
GREAT PIC, VEE!! AND WELCOME BACK THE THE BLOGSPHERE. I KNOW TYPING ALL THAT WASN'T AS EASY AS IT USED TO BE (OR AS IT WILL BE IN THE NEAR FUTURE), BUT YOU'RE PROGRESSING ALONG GREATLY!!
Very nice post. I remember this picture, but never knew the story behind it.
This is a really cute pic. I love how Yoob is hiding his face. It's adorable.
he should do that more often.
This is a great post, hearkening back to the time when women did things like make clothing and plant gardens. It has such nostalgia....love the pic, too. Very cool.
I was terrified of the camera's flash and even more upset by vacuum cleaners. I guess I saw too many cartoons where the operator, furniture and sometimes an entire house gets sucked into it...I remember when this was taken and the nightgowns. Aunt Murtle's popcorn balls were packed as tight as an ice ball in winter and not too sticky as I recall. She made them in Christmas colors of red and green too!
She gave me my first haircut and was always to nice to be around, I do not recall even once hearing a cross word or raised voice. If the world were populated by more mothers like her our society would be much different for sure. That cottage was unisulated and had inadequate heating, the toilet would get a skim of ice on it in the winter and the pipes would freeze regularly but it was a home. There was a quiet comfort there that people could sense and enjoy when they would visit, folks from all walks of life found solice and good company there. If God gave the opportunity to trade creature comfort for warm feeling I felt when I was there I would have to pass. The structure itself was deplorable and never meant to be occupied during winter but we made it a home.
Yoob
Thanks yoob for adding your memories to mine. Of course, the main event at Christmas was going to Grandma's in Pentwater, which I absolutely have to write about someday soon. All of kids have very fond memories of that time.
You are most welcomed. The only horrific and damaging memory of that time was being dropped on my head so that a $.50 rocking chair could be spared some deformation of the already chipped paint.
Yoob
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