I remember standing on a stool, up on tiptoe in my black mary janes, a wet dishtowel in one hand, a dripping saucer in the other. Helping Grandma in the tiny kitchen after our holiday meal made me feel so grown up. The way she wrapped her apron, once, twice, then tying it snuggly under my arms so it wouldn’t slip and wouldn’t make me trip made me feel so grown up.
So many of my readers are telling me the word ‘apron’ brings an automatic response of ‘Grandma!’ In honor of all Grandmas, past present and future I’m sharing this sweet poem with you today. Whether you read and remember or read and look ahead, I hope you think on just how much one generation influences the next.
Grandma’s Apron
The strings were tied, it was freshly washed, and maybe even pressed.
For Grandma, it was everyday to choose one when she dressed.
The simple apron that it was, you would never think about;
the things she used it for, that made it look worn out.She may have used it to hold some wildflowers that she’d found.
Or to hide a crying child’s face when a stranger came around.
Imagine all the little tears that were wiped with just that cloth.
Or it became a potholder to serve some chicken broth.She probably carried kindling to stoke the kitchen fire.
To hold a load of laundry, or to wipe the clothesline wire.
When canning all her vegetables, it was used to wipe her brow.
You never know, she might have used it to shoo flies from the cow.She might have carried eggs in from the chicken coop outside.
Whatever chore she used it for, she did them all with pride.
When Grandma went to heaven, God said she now could rest.
I’m sure the apron that she chose, was her Sunday best.
by Tina Trivett
{to the best of my knowledge this poem is an original work by Tina Trivett and was first published at http://tinatrivett.blogspot.com/2007/08/grandmas-apron.html}
This is the fifth post in my Aprons – a 31 Day Series. You’ll find them all listed by clicking on the image below.
{sharing this post at some of these wonderful places}
These wonderful posts are getting me really excited to sew my own. I have 2 plain jane aprons (one from Calphalon and one from Williams Sonoma) and a third that my in-laws got for me when they visited Hawaii. It has bright red-orange and yellow flowers on it. 🙂 But I’m ready for one that is a bit more feminine. My Eiffel tower fabric is waiting.
get sewing, girl! better yet – how about guest posting and show us that Parisian apron? I’m happy to be a motivator 😉
I just saw a post on Facebook yesterday of your wonderful Grandma’s Apron.! It touched my heart doubly! The words are so meaningful it made me cry;-) built the big surprise was the photo that accompanied it. IT WAS MY GRANDMOTHER! It took my breath away. This was yesterday, 2/3/22, pasted by a Tina Trivett. I’m trying to find her now, to see if we are possibly related …. The photo is so much my Arkansas Grandma!! Thank you again for the poem and the photo!
thank you, Jackie for your enthusiastic and touching note. So glad you enjoyed it. This poem gets me teary-eyed as well. I was not able to track down the original author, hence the Anonymous notation. And the photo, which reminds me of my own grandmother, is a stock photo.
This is a lovely poem. Thank you for sharing it. I don’t remember either of my grandmother’s wearing aprons but spending time with them in their kitchens are some of the fondest memories I have.
I love aprons. So I am sure my grandchildren will remember mine.
so many memories come from spending time in the kitchen, don’t they? I am praying my children and grandchildren look back and remember good times with me, my apron, and bustling about the kitchen together.
I just love the stories about the aprons. It brings back memories about my grandma. She lived next door to us while growing up. Such a warm and loving time in my life. Nowadays it’s all about fight, fight, fight!!!
I have a few aprons now. They are silly ones and old ones. Now people say (with their nose in the air) What’s that. New generation, I guess. Put me on your lists so I can read more. Thanks