Kitchens. I think I almost drove our realtor crazy with my obsession over what I wanted a kitchen to look like. At first he'd sigh when we'd walk into a house, I'd see a ho-hum kitchen, and tell him that I didn't need to see the rest of the house. For a while I think I didn't even know why it was so important to me.
Two weeks ago as we stood in my grandparent's tiny kitchen, I realized why this particular room could make or break a house in my mind. A kitchen is a place where one of my love languages is spoken. This after all is the room where Grandma expressed her love. To the casual observer, these pot holders and measuring spoons may just look like kitchen decoration. But to those of us who knew grandma, they were instruments of love.
Take a second look. Those spoons have been used so many times the finish is worn off in spots. Countless spice cakes and batches of cookies were whipped up after ingredients were measured with those tools.
As I thumbed through Grandma's recipe box, I couldn't help but smile at how clearly used her card for chocolate crinkles appeared to be. This index card was pulled time and time again as she lovingly created batch after batch of those delicious cookies. I still smile when I think of pulling a package notice slip out of my mailbox at Elon. Many times that slip told of a shoebox filled with chocolate goodness that came from me from Ohio.
And if the cookies didn't come to me, I could be sure that the cookie jar would be brimming when we headed "home" for a visit. Take one, take two, or even more. Even if Grandma saw us snitch three or four, the secret was safe with her ~ and the little owl who seemed to say that he knew, but wouldn't tell.
Oh the memories from that tiny room filled with love.
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| my sister and i with my grandparents in their kitchen, august 2003 ~ the last picture i have of them together |
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9 comments:
I need a cookie jar. I think cookie jars have the same effect as baseball fields in the middle of Iowa cornfields. ;-)
OK, I knew there were so many reasons I loved you...I LOVED this post, and it took me on a walk down memory lane in my own grandmother's kitchen. Loved the picture of the stuff on the wall, and the cookie jar. I still have my grandparent's clock hanging in my kitchen to this day - it's an old coffee pot complete with the orange light that is on showing the "perking" and it makes a constant sound that always puts me right back in their kitchen sitting at the table eating homemade goodies and drinking homemade iced tea. AND, I thought chocolate crinkles were a treasure from our family as I never have seen them anywhere else! They are a Christmas tradition and my sister's absolute favorite cookie! The picture of the recipe made my heart melt - so many of my recipes and recipe books look like that - I hope my grandkids some day will treasure these things like we do.
Great post my friend - your grandparent's kitchen sounded like a heavenly place to be filled with so many wonderful memories! Thanks for sharing!
Love the cookie jar! My best memories growing up are the time spent in my grandma's kitchen.
My grandmother still bakes me cookies every Christmas as a gift and it is the best gift I receive every year. I love those kinds of special family memories. So glad I get to pass them on to my children!
All those little acts of love end up being the big things of a person's legacy. I love those hand written recipie cards. They are a treasure.
Oh my that little owl was always winking at us as we snitched cookie after cookie! :)
I had to laugh at your comment about the kitchen! I am just the same!! As I look at homes right there in NC, I always look at the kitchen first!!
So sweet what you wrote about your Grandma!
Looking forward to meeting you!
Thanks for all your help :)
Beautiful tribute to your Grandma, Kristi!
I love this post! Thank you for sharing. I have a bowl and measuring come that my grandma used to use in the kitchen. These types of things are priceless I know to you. :0)
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