People are always asking me where to take vacation. What's a cool place? What's the most scenic drive? Carolina Conversations attempts to answer those questions and others.

Monday Morning

Posted: Oct 13, 2008

How do you remember your parents, grandparents and other loved ones who have passed on? What tangible things did they leave behind that help you remember their many gifts and talents? Maybe they carved toys out of wood or left handmade quilts. Please share your thoughts on this topic.

This week on Carolina Conservations I'd like to share with you some of my father's mountain watercolors and my stories about growing up in Western North Carolina. These paintings, prose and poetry are included in a new book to be released on Friday evening October 17 with a signing and musical performance at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh . The book is called Bue Ridge Reunion. There is also a companion CD which I will talk about later.

The first painting is called Monday Morning. My father finished it in 1965. However, it had been marinating in his memory and imagination for about 20 years. It was taken from a windy wash day in autumn. I don't know the specific location but I believe the painting came from a country scene in northern Burke County about 20 miles from where my family lived in Morganton. This watercolor reflects a much simpler time yet includes the struggles of the day. There was a rhythm of life back then that was pretty predictable. Here's what I wrote about the painting in Blue Ridge Reunion:

A windy wash day,

Dawn after our day of rest,

Big baskets of heavy wet work,

Lift ‘em up on the line,

Smell the sweet Appalachian air,

Sheets and pillow cases in a pine tree breeze,

Flapping flannel shirts will soon be dry,

Tomorrow we'll iron 'em,

Wednesday we'll sew 'em,

Gather groceries on Thursday,

Scrub a dub on Friday,

Bake and shake on Saturday,

Worship and rest our bones on Sunday,

Before another round of weekly chores,

The Blue Ridge Rhythm of Life.

Read More Posts from this Blog

Holiday Preparations Posted: Nov. 23, 2009
Gift Basket Deadline Posted: Nov. 20, 2009
Charles Kuralt & the Magic Elevator Posted: Nov. 19, 2009

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My Granny B was an amazing woman who taught me so much about enjoying the simple things in life. When my brother and sister and I were small, we would go next door to her house, sit on stools around her big kitchen table, and make soapsuds in this big bowl that she had. What's the secret to making soapsuds? A little water, a little dishwashing detergent and an old fashioned hand turned egg beater!! What a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Then, if we were antsy to get out, she would take us in her 1950 Plymouth on the "bumpy road" to see her friend, Mrs. Helms. And what was that "bumpy road" you might ask? It was right inside the beltline -- Glen Eden Road, which in those days was just a small, two-lane, dirt road. Without my Granny B, I don't think I'd have the appreciation of life that I have now. And, by the way, my Golo name, mdoodle, came from her. She used to make sock monkeys that she called Monkey Doodles. I am now carrying on her tradition, them for friends and family.

mdoodle
GOLO member since March 1, 2008
October 13, 2008 7:42 a.m.

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My grandmother, NaNa, passed away in 2000. She lived in Maryland so I only got to see her about once a year growing up. She did a lot of needle point work but I never really knew that until after she died. My son was born in 2002 & my aunt, who helped take care of NaNa until she died, gave me a baby gift from her. I was a little puzzled but it was a needle point baby bib. My aunt told me that it was the last one she did before she died & wanted it to be given to me when I had children. She had made them for all her grandchildren to have when they had children. Since mine was the last one, I have cousins who didn't get one because of her death. It is so special to me, & her great-grandson. He only used it 1 time because I didn't want it to get messed up. It is tucked away in a special place & I will pass it down to the next generation for his children to use.

khoggard
October 13, 2008 9:07 a.m.

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My granddaddy could do anything! My family is from the mountains of Virginia (go HOKIES!) and it provided a simple life for him! Unfortunately, my granddaddy passed away 10 years ago with Pancreatic Cancer. One thing that my granddaddy did was refinish/refurbish furniture. For both me and my sister, granddaddy refinished/furbished an old fashioned kitchen cabinate, complete with the old timey flour sifter. He put beveled glass in the doors, he added beautiful hardware to the doors and drawers. Another great thing we did with granddaddy, was fishing days in Bluefield, WVa. We used to (heaven forbid now...) ride in the back of his old pick up truck from Pearisburg to Bluefield, about a 35-40 minute ride and spend the day fishing rainbow trout..those memories are so special to us, and my dad is making the same kinds of memories with my children.

jwstevens04
October 13, 2008 9:17 a.m.

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My grandpa died when I was four, but I still remember him playing the guitar & singing w/ me. That's where I got my love of music & I still sing to this day. My Papaw died about 12 years ago. He had made a beautiful dulcimer...he wasn't a musician but loved wood-workign...and my Mamaw gave it to me after he died. I cherish it. My Granny died 2 years ago, a huge loss, but I still have an African violet on my kitchen counter (her favorite) to make me smile everyday. She didn't have much of worldly value, but I have a few trinkets of hers that I cherish and remember from childhood. So beautiful to remember.

ladybugs-mom
GOLO member since October 18, 2007
October 13, 2008 9:39 a.m.

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I only knew 2 of my 4 grandparents - my Mother's parents - Nana and Papa. Nana could crochet like no one I've ever known. I have no idea how she did it - sometimes making her own patterns and she went along. One year I had seen some crocheted snowflakes in a store window and I told her about them. Next thing I knew, she must have made 25 of them and sent them to me! She could sew too! And cook . . . I learned a lot about cooking from watching and asking questions. One of the fun things we did when we stayed with her was make our own little individual apple pies.

My Papa loved baseball, photography and music! He instilled a love of all three of these things in me. He called all the girls in the family Bridget and then each of his 5 grandchildren had special nicknames. Being grandchild #1, mine was Princess.

They were both very special to me. Papa died first (1984) and then Nana 10 years later.

It was a priviledge to know them and have them in my life.

LMRA
GOLO member since July 27, 2007
October 13, 2008 10:05 a.m.

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My grandmother's pound cake. Always baked and ready when we arrived with a camellia blossom in the center. I was born on her birthday and her name sake so one time when I asked her why her pound cake was better than anyone else's in the family, she pulled me to the back porch and we sat on the couch. She said, "I will tell you the secret to my pound cake but ONLY because you are my namesake. I put in a special ingredient that no one else can add. Love. That's what makes it taste so good." I remember it like it was yesterday. She's been gone for 16 years and even though a number of us have her recipe, no one has ever been able to make it taste quite like hers.

happy
GOLO member since August 2, 2007
October 13, 2008 10:49 a.m.

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I have been very fornuate to have been blessed to have known both set of my grandparents as well as 3 great-grandmothers. I have lost all of them except my dad's mother.

My Grandma Dorothy is the absolute best & she is an inspiration to everyone that comes into contact with her. I have learn so many things from her that are things that are "going way" with her generation. Over the years, she has taught me the love of canning & quilting. It really blows my mind when I think back to all of the things that I have learned & continue to learn from Grandma. Like I said, she is amazing.

I'm truly blessed that I live right across the road from her & that my two children are able to see her every day & spend time with her. They love her dearly & they help keep Grandma young & she loves them so much.

Grandma Dorothy is definitely an Angel sent to us from Heaven & I love you very much & treasure all my time with her.

ltstegal
October 13, 2008 10:54 a.m.

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My cousin recently gave all the cousins in my family a real treasure---copies of letters that our grandmother wrote to her daughters in the 1940s! And each cousin also got an original letter still in its envelope postmarked 1945! What a treat. Can you imagine that our aunts actually kept the letters (noting on the outside when they answered their mama's letter)so that we can read them today? My grandma's letters commented on what she'd done that Sunday--church and visits--and on general neighborhood and family happenings. Most letters also included a snippet of information on at least one of the many extended family member serving in World War II.

This gift has made me think that I need to write more real snail mail letters! And, I need to keep the precious few that I receive.

tarhillmom
October 13, 2008 11:08 a.m.

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Slightly off topic, but that painting reminds me of one Bob Timberlake did many years later called "Gilly's Place" (I think). IBM used Timberlake's painting as part of their United Way campaign, and my father brought me home a poster of it. I had it tacked up in the garage for many years.

ziradog
October 13, 2008 12:00 p.m.

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Wow Bill... what a beautiful painting! Your father was very talented. I have lots of memories of my grandparents. My father's dad (Granddaddy) used to bring us penny candy on every one of his visits. I got so excited waiting to see what was in those small paper sacks. He left each of us a silver dollar from the late 1800's. Maybe we were to use them for candy? I kept mine. My Grandmother on my Mom's side was a very talented quilter. Both she and my mother are gone now but I have several of their quilts which are more like objects of art than anything else. There wasn't any kind of needle work that they couldn't do. I remember the many quilting bees that were held in the living room with ladies sitting all around the quilting frame, sewing, talking and laughing. I'm sure many problems were solved at those gatherings. Today, people don't slow down long enough to sit that long and produce such beauty.