I don't think our kids know what an apron is.
The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few and it was easier to wash aprons than dresses.
An apron used less material, and along with that, it served as a pot holder for removing hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.
After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that old-time apron' that served so many purposes.
REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.
Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.
They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron.
Anonymous.... if I didn't know better, I'd swear that Sizzie wrote this... but then again, I don't know better.
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8 comments:
Boy, that made me want to pull out grandma's apron and just smell it...apple pie, the dusting powder from her face, dirt from the veggies, and a lot of cedar from the chest. Nice post.
The Texas Woman
This is such an interesting post! What made you think of it, I wonder?? The pallu (end that hangs over the shoulder) in a traditional sari that indian women wear has all these uses too, except it doesn't protect the front of the sari. So few of the younger indian women wear a sari while cooking these days (I don't either), and wear it only for occasions ...
Cher: I agree... I remember aprons... I can still see my Aunt, when we would visit, as she would go out to her garden, pick the green beans and bring them into the house, Apron full. She would let us kids help pick and we'd throw them into her "pocket" she had made out of the pristene white apron she wore. I have to admit, I never saw it dirty.
bindu... would love to see a picture of you in a sari. This is an entirely different culture for me, meaning limited knowledge, and it would be very interesting to hear (read) some of your memories as well. I know, I could go research something, but it wouldn't be as much fun as to hear it from someone who actually knows it first hand.
very nice post
Regards
Ah meb, you made me laugh with that last line. I wear an apron, when I cook, because I need it. I make a real mess in the kitchen. But, I remember my mother had so many aprons, she had an apron drawer and even had a few fancy fabric ones for when cooking for company.which is pretty funny when you think of it. Every body always takes an apron off when company comes by. Good post, thanks!
Wow, how great to take this little walk through the uses. I got a complete visual/nostalgic hit on every single one. I did wear an apron while cooking both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner... otherwise I spill things on my "shelf", lol.
I've got the same "shelf" problem Syd... my grandkids bought me some of thos lobster bibs cause I was always ruining my blouses. Needless to say I don't wear them and I'm still spilling food on myself.
What a wonderful read!! I came on over from Cher (Texas women, who I love reading). I visually connected on almost all of them as if it was yesterday at my Gramma's house! I have an apron it my kitchen drawer, but only use it on the holidays when I don't want to get by shirt slopped up! Love the walk down memorie lane ...thank you!
~Debra
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