My mother almost always wore an apron, especially when she was working in the kitchen. She preferred a simple half apron with pockets; one she could whisk on and tie as quickly as the blink of an eye. I can see her doing that right now.
From an early age, it was expected of me, the older girl in the family, to be right by Momma's side helping do whatever needed to be done. Of course, I wore an apron too.
In the picture above, I must have been a senior in high school, because that's when I got my first pair of shorts. I remember that some of the girls in our class decided that we would all wear shorts on our senior class trip to Hot Springs, so Momma made this pair for me. Why, I even wore an apron over my shorts!
But, I have been side-tracked for I started out to write this post about screen doors. They are all the rage now, it seems, as The Farm House look sweeps the country. What would a farm house be without at least one screen door? Maybe even a couple of old ones could be brought inside for the pantry and wherever.
Well, our farmhouse, even though I don't remember ever having called it a farmhouse, had two screen doors, one at the front and one at the back. Our screen doors were the kind that screeched menacingly when opened and thwacked soundly when closed. Momma was always hollering, "You kids quit slamming those doors." I guess we were a rowdy bunch.
When I was looking through old folders trying to find screen door pictures, I came across this one. This door was a nice stout one at the back of the house. As I sat studying this old picture, I noticed a vague image standing inside the screen door. I don't think I had ever noticed it before. I did just a bit of photo editing brightening up the exposure, and there stood my mom; right there in that screen door wearing her apron just as clear as could be.
I looked long and hard at that old screen door with Momma miraculously standing behind it. I cried a little. Maybe more than a little. I squinted hard trying to see past her into the house. It was as though I was looking back through the years of my life, thinking about those things that were fixed in my mind, and trying to remember those that weren't.
Yes, all of you Farm House enthusiasts, you will definitely be needing a screen door, preferably one that screeches and thwacks, but more importantly, one that offers a mighty good view when you, one day, take a good hard look back through the misty depths of that old door.
15 comments:
I just discovered your blog (through Henny Penny's blog) and this post is beautiful. Those last two paragraphs are pure poetry and touched my heart. Thank you!
Just look at your sweet momma wearing her apron. I have always loved screen doors on country farm houses. I love the sounds those rusty old hinges make as people come and go. I love the views that the screen mesh gifts you whilst keeping out those pesky insects. Here in Australia we have bush flies that are bigger than big. Your beautiful words have brought sunshine to my day.
If I had a screen door that is the kind I would want.
My grandmothers both wore aprons but my mom never did and I've never worn one either.
Your words are beautiful.
Sandra!!! I love this comment! "A God Wink" YES! Thank you!
I have no words for this. I remember that door and the young lady on the steps, but I had never seen the other picture...
Bush flies that are bigger than big! I would imagine screen doors might be a nice thing to have there! Thank you, Kim!
Karen, we don't have a screen door either; kind of miss having one! My sister would never wear an apron, either, but I still do.
Thank you for the visit, Bonnie! I think we all love Henny Penny. It's a great gathering place, for sure!
I just cropped the original picture and enlarged Mom's image in the door. This is one of the pictures from your slides.
Oh, my, I loved this...I remember screen doors...we had one on the back porch. And one on the front porch when I was little. But others had them, so I am very familiar with their sound. My mom always wore and apron, and I even wrote a short post about it on my blog some time ago. She did not wear the kind with the bib, and they must have pockets. And she always wanted pockets in her dresses, too.
I'll go back and look for your post on aprons. (I wish I had found your blog way back!) I never saw my mom wear an apron with a bib, but I wear them a lot. I always wanted pockets in my dresses, so Mom would sew a hidden pocket in the side seam of all my dresses.
Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I love discovering new blogs and I've enjoyed reading back the few entries of this, your new blog. I'll be back to visit again I'm sure.
I liked seeing the picture of you and I love that you 'found' your mom standing there behind you.
What a find in discovering your blog. I never found your previous blog so am grateful I found you here near "the beginning" of this one. When I saw the second photo, I thought "Hey, someone else wears an apron with shorts." :-) I do that as well. I to heard Mom's voice calling to quit slamming the screen door. We didn't slam them, they had springs. What was she thinking? (heehee)
(Found you through your comment on Bonnie's blog.)
Mary, what an amazing find. Seeing your mother standing at the door--so touching to bring it into focus for you! What a beautiful gift. You look darling with your shorts and apron on. A lovely post, my friend.
My only real regret about our cabin is we didn't incorporate a screen door. My husband tried to make on for me this winter, but they aren't easy to make. I love the photo and the story.
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