Two Pitchers, A Lamp, and A Chair

Good morning and come on in Through My Back Door, where the coffee is always on and waiting for you to come visit. I really am glad you stopped by this morning. Don't know if you have heard or not, but we're expecting more snow tonight and Friday. Can't do anything about it, so I'm going to sit back and just enjoy it. If you drop in we'll just have a good time chatting and eating.
When I took my Christmas decorations down and did some good cleaning I thought of some of the things that are truly special to me, as I was cleaning and tweaking. I have come to the realization, it is the simple things I cherish the most. That is where the title comes in. I was an only child, and on one side an only grandchild, as my mother too was an only child. I have been blessed to have a lot of family treasures. My children and grandchildren have now become the caretakers of a lot of items, however I still have a lot of things, some which wouldn't be worth much monetarily. That's okay. Today I thought I would share a few items that are precious to me.

Two pitchers. The white pitcher on the left was used by my grandmother to keep cream in the springhouse, when they lived on "the farm". They talked about "the farm" all their lives, even though they hadn't lived there in years. I never went there as they had sold it and moved to "town", long before I came along.  Any way they had a spring house to keep stuff cold and this is what the white pitcher was for. I put daisies in it in the summer. The blue crockery pitcher, was my grandmothers too. By the time I came along she had given it to my mother. That pitcher held ice tea every meal of my life at home. (I came from a long line of tea drinkers, even when it wasn't fashionable) Sometime along the way it was given to me, I can't even remember when I got it. I used it for years until I realized I didn't want it to get broken. Now it sets on a cupboard with yarrow in it. Every time I touch the handles of these 2 pitchers, I feel my mother and grandmother's hands before me. They are just plain simple pitchers, but priceless to me.

The Lamp belonged to my great aunt, who was my grandfather's sister. I always admired this lamp even  when I was a little girl. For several years she lived in an apartment connected to my grandparents house. She made the BEST cinnamon rolls you would ever eat. Back to The Lamp. When she married, The Lamp and the clothes on her back was all she took with her into her marriage. A few years later, she left her husband and took her daughter, their clothes and The Lamp with her. This was early 1900's and people didn't leave their husbands then, so there was no dividing assets. Many years passed and I was married and visiting her, and as usual commented on The Lamp, when she asked me if I wanted to buy it. She was in her late 80's then, and of course I said yes. It isn't as prim as I am now, but it will always have a place in my house. It is also priceless to me.
Now the chair. A plain simple little chair, built over one hundred years  ago, by my great, great grandfather for his wife.

When I found this chair in my parents barn, close to forty years ago I was thrilled to death. I was also furious it was in the barn. My mother did not share my love of old things, like she did the love of family. Anyway it went home with me but it didn't have a seat in it.  It did have tons of different paint colors on it. My husband stripped it, took it and had a seat put in it and it has been in our home ever since. If I had to take only one thing out of my house in case of fire, it would be this chair. My great grandmother was an itty bitty woman and she used this chair. The seat had to be replaced again a few years ago and my husband did it. This chair is my most favorite thing. If you rub your fingers along the bottom rail you can feel where other feet have worn it over the years.
Another thing that was given to me by another great aunt was this little flat iron, that had belonged to the same great grandmother. It and the chair had been in the same house because they had been painted every time the kitchen had been. This little iron had been used as a door stop.

These are just simple things from my past, my mothers and my maternal grandparents. I treasure them more than gold.
I hope you have enjoyed the visit and sharing a few of the items I cherish.  I am sure each of you have things you love that brings memories rolling into your mind when you see or touch them. That is  good.
Okay last blog. I posted a terrible picture of my granddaughter Beth and her husband. The time before I posted one of Curt. So by reposting good pictures maybe I am out of the DOGHOUSE!!!!!
This is Beth and Ryan. They live in Il and don't get to come home as often as we'd like.

This is Curt and his girlfriend Lindsey. She lives in Missouri and we don't get to see her as often either. Curt is in Nashville.

The last one is Amanda, Clay, Andrew and our newest addition Mollie Ann, who was over picture taking at this point.

That is three of my grandchildren and my two greats. I am thankful to have the treasures from my family, but these are some of my TRUE treasures.
Thanks for visiting today and letting me share some of my favorite things. Please continue to come visit Through My Back Door where life is good.
betty