Friday, January 21, 2011

Memories

The History of 'APRONS'
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. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder 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 folk 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.

Send this to those who would know (and love) the story about Grandma's aprons.

REMEMBER: Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters now 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 - but love...

6 comments:

Arkansas Patti said...

What a versatile tool. I know my clothes would last longer if I used one.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Very good.I remember those handy dandy aprons.Have worn a few myself,and used them for some of those things mentioned.Good memories.
Ruth

Carole Barkett said...

I agree about the love and wonderful memories

Winifred said...

That was lovely. My Mam always wore an apron well she called it a "pinny" which I think was short for pinafore. My mother in law always wore a sort of overall.

I'm making my grand daughter a pretty pink one at the moment as she likes to wear them to keep her dresses clean when she's painting!

Wanda said...

Oh patty this brought a tear... I have so many aprons, and each of your ways an apron was used brings so many memories.

I still wear aprons, and tie them on my grandsons when they help me bake cookies.

Loved this post. My computer has been on the blink...infected files and virus, Geek Squad came out today, and I'm up and running again.

Margaret Cloud said...

My mom wore aprons all the time. I inherited those aprons and wore them for many years.