Grandma as a young mother with Pop and Aunt Vivian.

Grandma on her birthday in her kitchen.
Grandpa built the cabinets, counter, captain chairs
and paper towel holder.

Grandma at 80 at a baby shower.
I think she looks pretty good for 80!

My Grandma is still living at the time I write this 11/06/05. I wanted to write these things down before God called her home and time faded the memories. As I remember other things, I will add them here.

The first thing I think about when I think of Grandma is how she'd hug everyone who came in the door no matter who they were (stranger or family) and then make them feel welcome. Southern hospitality was at it's best in my Grandma's house! I warned my friends before I took them over to my grandparents that they would be hugged...it was unavoidable.

I guess the second closest memory is of her scraping pan leavings with a fork and calling it "Good Good." It seems she was always in her kitchen cooking or making something good to eat. When she wasn't in the kitchen, she'd be in her garden growing vegetables.

She grew a very large garden every year until her later years. I can remember her giving sacks of fresh vegetables away to everyone who came to see her. As I grew older, say 10-12 or so, I got pretty upset with all of the people who came and "took advantage" of my grandmother's hard work. When I married, I realized they weren't taking advantage of her at all. She cheerfully gave it. As a matter of fact, you couldn't leave her house without something. I refused food one time because of lack of space. She made me take home a plant! She graced our table with many vegetables. Now, as a busy mother on a grocery budget, I can see what a blessing she was to all of those people. She grew more than she needed as a way to bless many others. What a wonderful ministry she had!

I realized early on that Grandma did not drive and asked others in the family why. I was told that she did at one time, but a crack of thunder and a flash of lightning scared her so badly she drove straight into a tree (or ditch, depending on who is telling the story) and totalled their brand new car. Grandpa had to continue making payments on the car until it was paid for. She never drove again.

When I spent the night there once, we had a thunderstorm blow up. Grandma ran around and shut all of the windows and pull the shades and then closed the drapes. She reassured me that the coming storm would not hurt me and all would be well. I told her that I wasn't afraid of the storms. That night every time thunder cracked, my grandmother would go "Wooooo, wooooo!" I asked my Dad about it later and he told me with a chuckle that Grandma was afraid of storms.

I never saw Grandma get angry. She was always loving, happy to see you and ready to feed you. If you looked tired, she'd offer you a bed. I slipped in the creek one day while trying to walk on a algae covered pier. I fell right into the stinky marsh mud and had to do something about it before I rode home. (I can also remember my cousin Dora laughing her butt off at seeing me in such a state. I love you Cous!) Grandma wrapped me in a sheet, soothed my hurt pride and washed and dried my clothes while trying to feed me. She was the ultimate nurturer! She'd "mama" you til you couldn't take any more.

Grandma adored Grandpa. They were always cuddling, hugging, kissing, and touching each other. Grandma would sit in his lap and kiss him right in front of all of us. She would also sit on the arm of his chair and kiss him right on his bald head.

She met his desire for prompt meals in a sweet, noncomplaining manner. She did this not out of a sense of servitude, but because she wanted to please and honor the man she loved. How many marriages would be saved today if the wife could take on the attitude of ministering to her husband's desires instead of asserting our independence (placing self first)?

Grandma would often pull out family pictures and show me my ancestors. She wanted me to know and love them as she did. She had a Cuck Coo clock in her living room she would wind up so I could watch the bird come out.

She loved flowers, trees, nature, and animals. If there was a stray cat around, she'd feed it her table scraps. She'd walk me in her yard, show me her recent additions in her beautiful gardens and point out the birds and wildlife.

Grandmother loved nothing better than entertaining company. The more the better. She enjoyed having family reunions at their place and seeing everyone who would come. It was a priority to her to make sure everyone was taken care of and enjoying themselves. She stayed prepared for company by keeping a large quantity of paper party supplies in a large wood container.

As we were leaving, she'd blow us children kisses.

Grandma's nickname was Buttercup, which is what she called the Daffodil. Someone had a plaque made for her with "Buttercup's Kitchen" on it.

Grandma kept a picture of Jesus knocking on a door in her dining room for many years.