Saturday, May 1, 2010

Birthday Wishes For May Day

P1010028j This day is a very special day.

It is the day that my sweet Nanny celebrated her birthday.

The photo on the far left is of my Nanny and I, when I was 5.

My Nanny….my father’s mother, my grandmother…..

….the woman who inspired me to sew. A wonderful doll maker, homemaker, a master at making the best chocolate pies and a steadfast reader of Harlequin Romance books.

Nanny always had a good joke to tell, loved the Oakland A’s and was a loyal fan up to her age of 94.

A little tea cup was kept for me in her china cabinet. She served me hot chocolate in it when I was a little girl. I have it now and cherish the sweet times shared with her over a cup of hot chocolate goodness.

A patient woman who allowed me to drive her car through country roads before I was even allowed to drive. She didn’t fret when we climbed fences or trees. In fact, she even knew about the time we took an old purse of hers, tucked a dollar bill at the top, strung fishing line to it and put it in the middle of the road. We waited for someone to stop to get the purse and would real it in, much to their surprise! Oh the things we got away with!! Those were the days!……….

Nanny always gave us pocket change so we could walk to the corner market to get a bottle of Coke and a bag of peanuts. Ever had peanuts in Coke? It is really good. Like French fries dipped in a chocolate shake good!

Visits to Nan’s were always the best. She was a wonderful grandmother……always in my heart…even with every stitch I make on my sewing machine. Because of her, I create, I explore my dreams – like she did. A dreamer….A hard worker…an amazing woman.

P1010018b1

Best Birthday wishes to you, Nanny Hazel. Sending a hug to Heaven this day…..

xxoo

35 comments:

Pondside said...

You're so lucky to have such memories of your grandmother. She sounds like everyone's idea of the best sort of granny!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

What wonderful memories you have of your grandmother. I can just see you driving that car through the country roads!
Hugs,
Penny

Anonymous said...

What a precious post Becky. Not too sure about the peanuts in the coke though...LOL!

Have a blessed weekend.

xo
LeAnn

fiberdoodles said...

What a sweet, sweet post and such special memories of your Nanny.

No to floating things in my pop and I can oh so see you toolin around in her car, I bet your tall self didn't even need to sit on a phone book ;)
But the purse... seriously?
So lol here!

Sending sweet birthday wishes to heaven with you.

(((hugs)))
Sharon

Heather Lee said...

I love this post! I had a Nanny too, and it seems that I miss her more and more as my kids get older. It's good to know our Nanny's are in heaven together.
God Bles,
Heather

Connie said...

You are so lucky to have a grandmother. My grandmothers were all in heaven by the time I was born. I think I missed a really important part of my life because of it. Someday I will meet them - what a glad reunion that will be.

Betty said...

You were so very lucky to have such a wonderful grandmother. I want to be the same kind of granny some day!

Tales From My Empty Nest said...

I have wonderful memories like that of both my Grandmothers. They taught me how to sew, do needlework, cook and just enjoy being a homemaker. I miss both of them, as I know you miss your Grandmother. Glad we have such great memories to remember them by. Love & blessings from NC!

The Green Pea said...

What wonderful memories, tomorrow is the day my Grandmother was born. Being a Grandmother is a wonderful time in ones life...sandi

Jocelyn said...

What a very sweet post. And such a precious tribute to a special lady in your life. Thanks for sharing.

Jocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

Carol said...

Thanks for sharing your sweet memories of your Grandmother! What a wonderful tribute!

Smiles,
Carol

Lynn said...

Such sweet memories you have of your grandmother.. She sounds like she was a real sweet lady! I was real close to my grandmother, my Dad's Mom too.. Memories certainly are beautiful!

Blessings,
~Lynn

Blondie's Journal said...

Such a sweet tribute to your grandmother {and we all should have had one like her!}. You were a lucky...and imaginative child!! Happy Birthday to your sweet Nanny!

xoxo
Janie

Lallee said...

What a sweet remembrance of your nanny. Childhood relationships like that are cherished for a lifetime, aren't they?
Hugs,
Lallee

Molly the Airedale said...

awwwww happy birthday to your Nanny! Grandmothers are such special people!

Kathleen Grace said...

One more thing that you and I have in common Becky. I was very close to my dear grandmother. She taught me to sew, to cook, she read me the Bible when I was little and made me 7-up and vanilla ice cream floats. Grandmothers can be such a big influence. I love the story of the purse on the fishing line! What a stinker!

FLOWERSHOPGURL said...

What a lovely tribute to your sweet Nanny. Memories like those are so priceless. Funny how our grandmothers would allow us to do things that our parents would never, ever, ever be allowed to get away with. I'm enjoying my granddaughter's and I'm always creating wonderful memories for them. I want them always to feel so special when they have spent time with me. Have a sweet day!
Hugz,
Kim

Thimbleanna said...

What a lovely birthday wish Becky! It always makes me sad that there are so many years between our grandmothers and us. I would have loved to know my grandmother as a young woman. Your grandmother sounds wonderful!

Linda said...

So sweet...why are old memories the best?! Happy Birthday to Nanny.

Lisa said...

Lovely! Happy May Day!
Hugs,Lisa

Lori Lucas said...

Isn't it wonderful to 1. Have unbelievable grandmothers? 2. Have the memories from our lives with those grandmothers? 3. Have material possessions that make us think of grandmothers every time we see them?
I miss my grandmothers everyday. I realize more and more how they shaped my life. I LOVED your post. It was wonderful I wrote about one of my grandmothers on my March 1 post. I even went back to reread my post after reading yours. You brought a smile to my face today. Thank you. Lori L

The Polka Dot Closet said...

I have followed your blog and I love your creativity! I am a new blogger on the block so, I thought I would stop in and say Hi. I would be honored if you would take a peak at my blog. I think you might like it? It is filled with DIY tips, tricks, and secrets. http://thepolkadotcloset.blogspot.com/ I am always so impressed with people who create and bake! What wonderful memories of you grandma! Keep up the wonderful posts. Thank you!

Valarie said...

What wonderful memories you have of your sweet Grandmother. I hope my Grandbabies think as fondly of me some day. Have a wonderful weekend.
Valarie

marie said...

What a wonderful bunch of memories of your sweet Nanny! I love the tea cup story and the old purse/dollar bill/fishing line story is a hoot!

My grandmothers died when I was very young and my daughters have never lived very close to their grandmothers. While there are good memories there aren't a lot and there aren't any "tea cup" kind of traditions.
I read things like this and realize how important it is to me (and hopefully to them) to make sure I spend lots of special time with my grandbabies and it makes me realize just how blessed I am to have them all close by.

Thanks so much Becky for sharing your special memories!

Carrie @ Cottage Cozy said...

~A wonderful memory of a wonderful Nana~

Anonymous said...

She sounds like she was an amazing sweet woman, that must be where you get it!
Marcia

Mindy said...

What a sweet post. I can relate to so much of this! I'm hoping to make those kinds of memories with my grandchildren. I love peanuts and coke, but it was always the best in the glass bottle cokes!

The Tattered Cottage said...

What wonderful memories you have of your grandmother. She sounds like a treasure. My paternal grandmother would always let us eat dessert first, she would say "that way you know you have room for it :)".
Hugs,
Toni

Sandy, Sisters of Season said...

After reading your post, it makes me sure miss my Grandma . . she was so much fun to be around. My Grandma was the one that always inspired me to create. She spoke very little English, but I could understand her. She made the best kind of coffee. My grandma just loved color, lots of it. Thanks for the beautiful memory.

p.s love the peanut in the coke :O)

Susan Freeman said...

What a wonderful grandmother! Such wonderful memories! I love the story about the dollar bill too!!

Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo

Janet said...

What a sweet post Becky; my grandmother and I were very close also. We had many a "cocoa party" while watching Lawrence Welk or the Tennessee Ernie Ford Show.

Thestrawberrymallard said...

What wonderful memories and how blessed you are dear friend!
Love ya!
Nebby & G-dog

~from my front porch in the mountains~ said...

Your sweet post made me cry. My 87 year old Nana was diagnosed with Alzheimer last year. Each phone call and visit she is fading away from me. She doesn't call me "honey-babe" anymore.
But, I have a lifetime of memories, and time to make new ones! Thanks for this, Becky!
xo, misha

Elsie said...

You sound like you had my childhood. Peanuts in coke YUM!!
Grandmas are "WONDERFUL",that's
why I try to be a good one to all
of my 5 grandchildren. We just had
a girl weekend and my daughters and
my nieces were all talking about
what their grandmother use to do
for them. My daddy came in from the chicken house with the eggs
one time and handed one to my
4yr old daughter and told her to
throw it to grandma. She did and
grandma fussed at grandpa for the
longest because she had to clean
up the mess. My daughter will never
forget that. He made a memory for
her and all the kids.
Very sweet post Becky.:O)

Kathie Truitt said...

This was great! It even reminded me of my own Grandma and is exactly the kind of Grandma I want to be.