Monday, May 4, 2009

Anyone Still Wear an Apron?

I don't think our kids know , what an apron is.

Remember the pioneer women in the westerns we watched who always wore one? In my mind, I picture a gray-haired woman stepping out onto the porch to welcome John Wayne, first wiping her hands on the her apron before waving hello. Sad, both the Duke and aprons have become little more than a memory. Here's a little history:

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath,because she only had a few,it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Thanks for whomever shared this piece so I could pass it along. It brought back some warm memories of my grandmother and her aprons. *smile*

5 comments:

  1. To paraphrase Dean Martin, "Thanks for the memories". I think there was more to that phrase. Anyway, good post.

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  2. I still wear one when I'm cooking to save my clothes from mess and smells. Doesn't everyone?
    Jen

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  3. We put aprons on the kids when they were little, and helping out with dinner or making cakes. And hubby uses one when he's doing serious grill duty outdoors!

    I'll wear one if I'm making something particularly messy.

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  4. I have an apron somewhere, with cats all over it. A gift needless to say, but I have worn it when making food for dinner parties.

    Wonderful post, Ginger!

    Warmly,
    Lisabet

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  5. I must be old fashioned because I still use an apron. And I make my grandchildren wear them when they're cooking with me.

    Old fashioned or not, they're an important part of my kitchen tools!

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