A month before Mom turned 16, she married Dad. About 2 years after that, she had us 5 kids—one year apart!

We lived in east Texas until we were out of diapers, then we moved to varied places in Oklahoma. We went to 5 different schools till we graduated at New Lima. In all those places, we lived in varied rent houses. They weren’t new or expensive, but Mom kept them spotless. I’m sure she learned to keep house before she was married since she was the oldest of 10 kids, helping Grandma with cooking and cleaning, and helping Grandpa in the fields since he was a farmer.

I just know Mom’s skills were endless because of all she knew how to do. I made a list of those things that I can remember), and I counted to 25. I’d like to share with you the unbelievable list of talents that she had, and most she taught us kids to help her with.

Gardening: planting, hoeing, pulling weeds, and harvesting tomatoes, corn, potatoes, lettuce, varied beans, onions, carrots, turnips, peppers, squash, watermelons, cantaloupes.

Preparing the foods: stringing and snapping or shelling beans, peeling tomatoes, and shucking corn.

Canning: she canned fruits (from roadside stands), and vegetables in either hot water baths or pressure cookers.

I learned to make jellies— from peaches, pears, and some even from wild plums. She made the best chow-chow from green tomatoes, onions and I don’t know what all. And she made sweet, dill, and bread and butter pickles.

Freezing: the shucked corn was washed, blanched, and dried and put in our big freezer, along with beef and pork that we raised and Daddy had butchered.

Cooking: Mom was a great cook. She taught Oneita and me to help prepare food for her to cook or bake. She made the best baking powder biscuits— over browned gravy was the best!

Making butter and buttermilk. Mom helped milk cows at times and she’d collect the milk, separate the milk from the cream, after it would rise, and churn the cream until it formed into butter. She made buttermilk from milk and added vinegar. Growing up, I thought it looked disgusting and stayed with using margarine.

Washing dishes: In earliest years we didn’t have hot water, so Mom would boil water that was pumped and brought in from the well. Right after the table was cleared, we’d wash and dry all the dishes and put them up.

Washing clothes: Mom wouldn’t wash on Sunday, so every Monday, I remember filling up the ringer- washer and double-tubs for rinsing. We’d sort clothes for 7 people in piles on the garage floor. When the washer quit washing, Mom would get a pole (a former broom handle), and feed the boiling hot clothes into the ringer, and let them fall into the rinse tubs. Then she taught me to take them from the rinse water and feed them through the ringer, catch them, and put them in a laundry basket, ready to take outside to the clothes line. To this day, since moving into town, I haven’t had a clothes line to hang towels and linens to dry. I miss their fresh smell. Ironing: After dry clothes are taken from the line, they are brought into the house, sprinkled with water, wrapped in balls and pressed together in a basket until ironing began. I remember ironing sheets, pillowcases, tea towels, and blouses, skirts and dresses. Then, everything was cotton, so spreading out the damp clothes, they were sprayed with starch, then ironed.

Sewing: Mom had an old treadle sewing machine that I learned to sew on. She made a lot of our clothes— even shirts for the 3 boys. I was never ashamed of wearing homemade clothes because she did such a good job. I remember her wearing gathered skirts and blouses all the time— she’d made, too. She handquilted over a hundred beautiful creations that she shared with each family member and her sisters. She also taught us how to embroidery. I embroidered pillow cases, table runners, and tablecloths and placed them proudly in my hope chest to save for my home in the future.

Housecleaning: a rule in our house was that as soon as we got out of bed, we made it up. Mom said it was evidence of taking care of a home that we should be grateful for. It just wouldn’t do for visitors to come into our house and see unmade beds! Oneita and I helped, sweep and mop the floors and all that goes into cleaning a house.

For fun, Mom would get out the big, old family Bible, and we kids would sit at her feet as she read Bible stories from the sections off illustrated children’s stories. We didn’t attend church much as we were growing up, so she saw to it that we were familiar with God’s Word.

If the weather was bad, many, many hours were spent coloring in our coloring books. Not having many toys, we treasured those coloring books and a few puzzles (in which I’ve still have after almost 70 years! (This taught me that when kids have an abundance of toys, they usually don’t appreciate them or care for them as much.) She also taught us how to play Chinese Checkers—in which she still has the board.

When Daddy passed in ’76, at 47 years old, she kept tending to a herd of cows and kept fences mended with help from the family when needed. She flew to Japan and Hawaii by herself to see my brother Bill’s family. She learned to drive and came a fun Tupperware Lady, and worked in election boards, and in a school cafeteria for a bit. When she was in her late 70s or early 80s, she learned to oil paint and did very well. Her full life helped teach us not to ever stop learning new things.

What a legacy she leaves. And, by the way, she’s 98, has a good mind, and lets us know what’s what when we visit her at Heritage Village in Holdenville.

I’ve had a good week celebrating my birthday with family and friends. Have a great week, smile, and bless someone!

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