Grandma's words (in italics here) bring her childhood to life. I thought some pictures would help to capture the feel of those years as well.
I remember—
the first time I was shown the lilac buds swelling in the spring
By LtPowers (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
the big grape arbor over the walk in our backyard.
the man slowly driving his old wagon through our alley, calling over and over "Rags oliarn . . . Rags oliarn."*
the man who came to the back door with the big wooden buckets: one of them held freshly grated horseradish.
the popcorn wagon with the high thin whistle
the clomp clomp of the horses from the ice wagon
and the milk man's cart
and the grocery boy bringing the groceries.
the wonderful, joyous, light-as-air feeling I had in the first warm days of spring
when I first took off my winter underwear
when I got my first pair of sneakers and went skipping down the street
the little kitten who followed us home one winter night. it had one blue eye and one brown
I took one of the best hand-painted plates with some homemade taffy as an offering to a birthday party
to which I had not been invited.
riding on the El from Austin into the loop with my daddy and asking over and over, "How many more stations now, Daddy?"
By An unidentified Chicago Daily News photographer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
View of the Oak Park elevated train at Austin Avenue in the Austin community area of Chicago
Armistice Day after World War One, walking down Washington Blvd.
Someone threw me a paper hat (great thrill).
Armistice Day Celebration on South Michigan, Chicago, in front of the Art Institute
Mother's marvelous caramel pudding made from burnt sugar.
Cinnamon toast
Graham Cracker cake with mocha frosting
the time I cut a big piece for me and one for Philip when he discovered me and then when he told where he got it I hid in the coat closet.
Lying in the big bed in the little back room upstairs with the door closed, lights out and hearing cats yowling for the first time.
Singing a solo in Sunday school.
Insisting to older people that my father was my daddy and not my grandfather (he was 68 or 9)
going to the Plaisance movie theater (to see what this theatre actually looked like, click here) in Austin to see Mary Pickford in "Pollyanna," "Poor Little Rich Girl," "Daddy Long Legs" "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm"
Mary Pickford in Pollyanna (1919)
watching the soldiers parade down State St. after World War I
from a window in Marshall Field's
Marshall Field and Company tea room, 1909
First and second grade in Robert Emmet school in Austin
two little clouds one summer's day
lining up outdoors and marching in line with the leader
carrying a flag and someone playing a march by Sousa on the piano
Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0003451. Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Children reading at desks in 1911 at Robert Emmet Elementary School. The school was located at 5500 W. Madison St. in the Austin Community area of Chicago.
Hearing my daddy grinding coffee for breakfast when I wakened. He always got up at five a.m., took a cold bath and then a brisk walk. After this he prepared breakfast for all of us.
Sitting on my Daddy's lap and hearing about when he was a little boy.
Going to Stratford, Canada when I was five on the train and hiding in the berth so the conductor wouldn't make Florence pay extra fare—I don't know why.
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Bishop Barker Company [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Stratford, Ontario from the Air, 1919
*"Rags Oliarn" was "Rags! Old Iron!"
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