A Day in Granny's Life

When you're 89 (and pushing 90! as Granny likes to say), a lot of days are just for resting and taking it easy. Other days she has a little more energy and is ready for action.

This week found Granny at the stove frying some apples for the family. She doesn't really do any kitchen chores anymore, but whenever we have apples in the house, she always volunteers to peel and fry them up...yummy cinnamon fried apples! And something else Granny just loves to do...and yesterday she spent all morning doing it...making a basket! Baskets are definitely her first love!

We have a garden shed that's half-garden tools and half-basket workshop. And if you've ever come to visit, Granny wants to take you on a tour of her basket area. But when winter comes, it's just too cold for her to work outside in the shed.

So instead she sets up shop in her bathroom...there's plenty of room for her handy TV tray, a big piece of plywood covering it to use as her table, a convenient nearby basin for water to soak her weaving strips, and her trusty radio to keep her company.

Here she is taking a break right in the middle of making a trash basket. There's a sample trash basket there on the makeshift table that she made for me many years ago which she's trying to duplicate. You can also see another basket on the counter which she finished another day...productive Granny!

And here's Granny holding up this basket to show the bottom where she usually double weaves after the basket is finished to make a sturdier bottom: Almost all done....that took over 3 hours to set everything up, lay out the pattern, and then to weave the basket from beginning to end. It still needs to be dipped in walnut stain, signed, dated, and tagged before it can go in her Etsy shop:

I hope you've enjoyed seeing a little bit of Granny's life on a typical week day. I'll feature her again in a future post if you've enjoyed this.

~Deb

Comments

[Sarah H]

Yay! Go Granny! Don't wear yourself out too much, now.
Pretty baskets, and I wish I could have a taste of those apples...

[victoria]

Amazing Granny and her wonderful baskets. She is an incredible lady. Go Granny!

[Doris Epps]

Good job! so glad you have a hobby to keep your mind active and something you enjoy doing. You always look the same and that is so pretty. I would love to eat some of your fried apples. I love them with homemade biscuits.

[ANA]

WOW QUE BUENO SABER DE USTED DEB, ME PREGUNTABA QUE ESTABA PASANDO, YA HACE TIEMPO QUE NO PUBLICA ALGO. QUE BUENO VER A LA ABUELA, TAN LINDA Y TRABAJADORA, ES IMPORTANTE TENER A LA GENTE MAYOR OCUPADA SU MENTE EN ALGO, ES BENEFICIOSO PARA ELLOS. ESPERO QUE TODOS USTEDES ESTEN PASANDO UN INVIERNO TRANQUILO. ¿Y COMO ESTAN LOS HERMOSOS NIETOS? DIOS LOS BENDIGA RICAMENTE.

Translation:
WOW THAT GOOD TO KNOW OF YOU DEB, I ASKED THAT WAS PASSING, ALREADY THAT TIME NOT PUBLISH SOMETHING. THAT GOOD TO SEE GRANDMOTHER, SO CUTE AND WORKING, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE OLDER PEOPLE OCCUPIED WITH THEIR MIND IN SOMETHING, IS BENEFICIAL FOR THEM. I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU ARE PASSING A QUIET WINTER. AND HOW ARE THE BEAUTIFUL GRANDCHILDREN? GOD BLESS YOU RICHLY.

[Brenda Nuland]

She is amazing!

[Carol]

Psalm 92:14 -- "[She] shall still bring forth fruit in old age . . . and shall flourish."

[Tammy C]

Nice story about the day in the life of Granny. When you hadn't been posting I was concerned that she was sick again.I have been praying for you and the family.2 of 3 baskets at my house are in view when I am on the computer so it is easy to think of Granny.

[Mary Ann Hentschell]

Beautiful work she does......what's her recipe for those fried apples?? survivor972002@midco.net

Response:
Peel and slice 8 apples
Put in fry pan with:
1 cup sugar
¼ - ½ cup water
½ stick butter
Cinnamon over all

Put top on pan and cook on medium HIGH for 30 min.
Take top off and let cook to boil the water out…keep checking.
Yummy!

Deb

[Cathy]

I was pleasantly surprised to see a new post...and what an enjoyable one it is! It’s so fun to read about a day in the life of your beloved mom.

[Barbara J.]

Granny looks wonderful and so do those fried apples. And what beautiful baskets she makes. Thanks for the recipe. My aunt and I used to make fried apples every summer but I had forgotten the ratio of sugar to butter.

[Chris O'Dorisio]

YES!! I would love to see more! Tell her she looks younger than she is, beautiful lady inside and out!! I'm so glad she could set up shop inside, looks like she enjoyed it. Being the proud owner of several of her creations, I can say her work is beautiful!.
Yummy fried apples....I think I'd keep a bushel of apples near by! :)

[Carolyn Shortt]

Loved this post! A lovely Granny she is! She is pretty inside and out and has had a wonderful testimony through the years! It is so good to see her interest in making baskets still motivating her. She does a wonderful job! Her apples also look so good! It makes me want to go fry up some! Tell her we love her and thank her for letting her light shine for others through the years.

[Dorothy]

It amazes me, all that she does! She’s so active & sweet. Give her my love, please. ❤️

[Alice]

Lovely post on granny!
Would you consider doing a day in the life of Hannah in the future? I am a fellow single gal living at home, and would love some insight on how she keeps serving her family in a productive way!

Blessings,

Alice

[Ann Kapala]

Thank you for posting about Granny. Although you have written about her back ailments, ptrsently she appears the picture of health. My mom who is 91 and lives with us suffers from Alzheimer's and a host of additional issues. I was struck by how bright and chipper Granny seems compared to Mom.

Enjoy each day. Each is special gift from God!

God bless!