I have a lot of memories that playback in my mind on holidays when preparing food for the meal or see something that remind me of mom or daddy a long time ago. In the days before every Thanksgiving, I always think first of how mom would always prepare a footed glass bowl with fruit--apples, oranges, pears, grapes, & mixed nuts with the nut cracker. One year, she carefully selected currants, dried in a bunch, on top of the fruit. What a treat! How extravagant! You can't find currants in the store anymore, let along in a bunch! Mom was a master at presentation & could arrange things artfully and make it so appealing. After the holiday had passed & the fruits were eaten, mom would crack the nuts, one by one. First to go were the pecans, then the almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, then filberts (or hazelnuts). The filberts were easiest for me to crack & I developed a fondness for them.
I had hoped to prepare a similar centerpiece this year, and purchased some fuji apples. The oranges weren't orange but more yellow & the mixed nuts were $4.99 a pound so I proceeded no further deciding that the nuts might go to waste if I bought them, & I settled for the ceramic pumpkin (from Drew) with silk leaves arrangement.
I'm trying hard to be careful about spending money needlessly these days. That's a good thing. I think more often about how mom did things before all the gadgets, electronics & instant anything. I'm grateful for those memories & need to share them with the new generation who always have had the gadgets & electronics. I'm grateful that though we had less back then, we had plenty of love, sharing, learned how to take our turn, make do, be creative & do without. Mom made special times when she put things on layaway, cheerfully baked her wonderful pies & cakes or sewed the dress or shirt for the occasion.
No comments:
Post a Comment