Thursday, January 03, 2008

Back Then

Sometimes a scent or a sound takes me back to a time when things were so much simpler, a time when I think I felt the most secure in my life.

I wish I could remember how many sunny mornings I spent next to the old wood stove at Grandma's house. I could look through the door and see her in the kitchen puttering around making dinner (what we called the mid-day meal). The radio would be on KBFC in Forrest City and every one of my memories includes "The Wings of a Snow White Dove" being the background music she'd listen to as she kneaded the dough to make rolls, or beat the batter for her yummy cornbread.




A pot of pinto or great northern beans would be simmering on the wood stove and the aroma that drifted up when she'd lift the lid to give them a stir would make me so hungry even though it hadn't been all that long since breakfast. I can't remember ever having a dinner or supper at her house when there weren't some of those beans on the table.

If a hard freeze hadn't damaged the green patch, she'd also be washing some turnip or mustard greens to get them ready to throw in a pot of water with some tiny slices of salt pork for seasoning. Sometimes there'd be some little potatoes cooked in their jackets staying warm on the back burner of her old range. She'd always put a little pitcher of bacon drippings beside them so we could season them with a little drizzle.

I think if I could go back to just one place in time it would be as a child in Grandma's kitchen, maybe sitting at the table with her and Grandpa, a bowl of her hot cornbread covered in cold buttermilk sitting in front of us.

13 comments:

Donna said...

My only live Grandmother lived 2000 miles away. I didn't get to meet her till I was 8. Saw her almost every summer after that. Couldn't make too many memories in two weeks time. I try to be a good Gamma to mine though...night sweetie!

Anonymous said...

Hello from Jonesboro, but was raised near Fisher.

Also got an old wood stove in my memories. It never got any better than a big pan of biscuits and "real" butter with cream gravy for breakfast.

loretta

Karen H. said...

Good Evening Brenda,
Dang Girl, you gots my mouth waterin' now. LOL. Ain't nuthin' better than a pan of cornbread and beans. Also I like is cornbread and some of them greens. That is a meal in itself too. And cornbread crumbled up in a glass with some buttermilk poured over it, mmmm, mmmm, you talkin' about good. I've got some buttermilk. I'm gonna have to make me another pan of cornbread now. LOL. I never had the knowings of using a wood stove. I've heard my Mother and Father talking about them using one tho. Take care my friend and have a great evening. "THANKS" for the trip down memory lane with you. If things keep getting any worse, we all may have to be going back to those days. May God Bless You and Yours.

Hugs,
Karen H.

bichonpawz said...

What a wonderful memory! Makes me hungry just thinking about it!

Anonymous said...

It's as if you searched my mind, plucked my thoughts, and put pen to paper. I'm sitting here with a tear or three of happy memories. Thanks so much, Ms. Brenda.

AndiePandie said...

Ditto, Brenda. I would love to be back in my grandma's kitchen just for a minute to see her and watch her cook.

Anonymous said...

Sis,
I would wish to be right there with you. I miss those days so much.

Anonymous said...

I listened to the music with my eyes shut and I could almost see your Grandmother with flour on her apron beckoning a little blonde headed gal to come to dinner.

Great post!

Cindra said...

Strangely enough, my food memories were not of my grandmother, but of my cousin's grandmother. She was Hungarian. When we visited I remember waking in the early morning and seeing this tiny little woman, who spoke no English, padding down the hallway with her braid hanging down her back almost to the floor. Shortly after her little walk wonderful smells would waft out of the kitchen and I would creep down the hall and peek around the corner and watch her quietly as she cooked up a wonderful breakfast. The most memorable smell would have to be the cinnamon rolls from scratch.... I can still smell it in my mind.
Thanks for making me think of those times.

Anonymous said...

Isn't it amazing how a smell can revive your memories? Good times, Brenda.

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Anonymous said...

What a nice way to grow up. I'm envious. I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

Cas

Special K said...

What sweet memories, Miz Lady Bee. Times then weren't easy, but they were simpler in a lot of ways, weren't they?