Remembering Great Grandma & Family

August 1959 Manastash - Ellensburg WA

I was born on my great grandma birthday, so was my mom. Grandma lived in Longmont CO. Every spring she would come to Washington state to spend our birthday’s together staying the whole month at her daughter my grandma’s house. Being born in 1879, she had many wonderful stories to share. Traveling by covered wagon, cooking for the Ranch Hands. Being a pioneer daughter, wife and mother. She baked her own bread most of her life. One of my favorite stories was the time my grandma was a baby & got sick. Great Grandpa was away on a cattle drive, Great grandma was home with the kids. The only horse was a wild mustang in the corral. They lived on the ranch & had no other way to town. Great grandma needed to get the baby to the doctor. She wrapped up Grandma tight, put her on the pump house roof. Great Grandma went into the corral, saddled the horse, he bucked around for awhile, she open the gate & as they ran passed the pump house, she reached out & grabbed grandma. That horse ran all the way to town & was broke by the time they got to town. I all ways looked up to her. She was a wonderful patient, loving, determined, strong Lady. Each year she would get all the ladies of the family together for the family project. They would sewing, quilting & crochet Afghans, at the end of her stay each family was given a quilt or afghan. My love for sewing start from my Grandmas example. I can remember sitting under the quilt rack & watching those strong hands work. She never tired, was active in church until her passed away in 1971.

I make my aprons in memory of Grandma, who showed a little girl how to sew.