“How’s the weather?”
It’s a question often asked. And sometimes we really want to know the answer.
Right now, Summer 2014, Northern California where I live, is experiencing a drought. Lawns are brown, cars are covered with layers of dust and dirt, flowers and plants are drooping. But I’m not complaining. We have plenty of water to drink and the public pool is a great place to cool off.
How’s the weather? We want to know!Photo by Breana Marie
Yard sale, garage sale, tag sale. . . whatever you call ’em, what do you think about ’em?
Or . . . write about an unusual find at a yard sale, garage sale, tag sale . . . whatever you call ’em.
Today’s prompts are inspired by Write Free, Attracting the Creative Life by Rebecca Lawton and Jordan E. Rosenfeld.
Pocket Pronouncements:
Today I trust:
Today I give:
Today I celebrate:
Note from Marlene: You can write on one of these, two of these or all three. You can mix and match them.
Becca and Jordan write: “We call these ‘Pocket Pronouncements’ because you should be able to write them on something small enough to carry around with you, yet their size and power is far greater than you imagine.”
Marlene has two copies of Write Free, Attracting the Creative Life to give away to the first two people who comment on this blog post.
You can purchase Write Free Attracting the Creative Life at Becca‘s or Jordan’s website.
My grandmother put her apron on every morning right after she put on her house dress. She wore an apron every day, even to parties. She made all her clothes, including her aprons. She always chose a small flower design and used colorful seam binding for trim around the edges.
I also wear aprons, but only when cooking and eating. . . saves many an outfit from food stains.
Thank you, Kathy Myers, for the inspiration to hang my aprons in the kitchen.
Thank you, Pam Swanson, for emailing so many years ago, “The History of Aprons.”
THE HISTORY OF APRONS
The principal use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath. Because she only had a few dresses, 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.
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, aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.
And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped her apron 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, the apron 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 eat.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that ‘old-time apron’ that served so many purposes, especially what many children and grandchildren received from the simple apron. . . Love!
Adapted from: The History of Aprons, which may have been originally from Grandma’s Apron.
Writing Prompt: Aprons
Today’s prompt is three parts. Take about 20 minutes, or as much time as you need, for each section.
What aggravated you?
What frustrated you?
What made you laugh or cry?
What made you lose your temper?
What was the worst thing that happened?
The best?
The most disturbing or weird?
Write about something you should throw away but just can’t.
What is the one intangible thing you treasure above all else?
Intangible, meaning: you can’t touch it, feel it, smell it, hold it, see it . . . it may be a character trait, a personality trait, a quirk. . . a feeling. . . .
Prompt: Write about something intangible that you treasure.
Photo by Jane Person
July 4th is coming up. . . . what does this mean to you? Do you consider yourself patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?
Which reminds me of one of my all-time favorite “brain teasers.”
Do they have fourth of July in England?
Writing Prompt: What does July Fourth mean to you?