I love old things. Old furniture, old people, old clothes, old fashioned ways of doing things. I think I fell in love with these things when I was just a little girl. I remember going to my Aunt Florence's house and sitting in her parlor, yes parlor, and looking around at all of the wonderful things in her home, all the while drinking tea and eating dainty cookies. I use to love to sit next to her and have her tell me about when she was a girl. She instilled in me romantic ideas of how ladies should act. All ruffles and lace and softness. Her whole house dripped of southern femininity and charm. I especially liked sleeping on the feather beds and using a bolster for a pillow. Of course, back then, I had no idea it was a bolster... it was just the long round pillow. From there we would drive to my Uncle Ernest and Aunt Claudia's house. The difference was like night and day. Uncle Ernest would be out on the tractor somewhere, doing important man work. Aunt Claudia would always be in the kitchen, making something out of this world to eat. As a child, I did not realize that she knew we were coming and was cooking accordingly. I think to this day that is the way they eat all the time. I also did not realize that Aunt Claudia had been tearing up the phone lines, calling every relative to tell them we were back for our yearly visit. It would take the next two days to be able to see everyone. While at my aunt and uncle's house we would sleep in the most beautiful cast iron bed that had the most beautiful quilts on it and I would go to sleep to the sound of crickets. Every morning I would wake up to the sound of roosters crowing and run to the kitchen to find Aunt Claudia, where she would tie one of her MANY aprons around me and we would then start cooking breakfast and getting ready for the day. While all the other cousins, including my brother and sister were outside playing... I would hang out in that kitchen with Aunt Claudia and whatever female relative happened along. I learned "southern" cooking from her and still love Virginia ham because of her.
Both of these women played instrumental roles in who I am today. Their old fashioned ways wrapped around my heart and dug in.
My husband and I left conventional living a long time ago. It just never fit right. It's not that I don't appreciate modern conveniences, I do. I am not stupid. I would much rather have a washing machine then try and wash everything we have by hand. I would however, rather hang my laundry on the line then use a dryer. I can think while I hang laundry instead of mindlessly throwing them in a hole and pushing a button. It's all about slowing down. I much rather make my husbands lunch with homemade bread then store bought because I know he appreciates the effort it took and therefore thinks about me with love and respect. Just as I think about him with awe and wonder when I walk out to the barn. He built that. He could have paid someone to do it, but he built that to suit our needs and to provide. This is not an "easier" life. It is more work... it is hard work. I am working with someone I love and care for deeply to obtain a life that is both pleasing and rewarding. I appreciate so many more things now. Simple things. I love providing for my family by the use of my mind and hands. I have become a master out of making something out of nothing. That nothing is really something...
This is why I do what I do...
