The Archivist~Part 2

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

Recently I wrote about being the family “archivist.”  In keeping with that theme, I want to talk about one of my great-grandparents.  I had often heard her spoken of as “Grandma Mac.”  She was my mother’s grandmother.

I don’t know a lot about her – she was quite a lovely lady…she loved having flowers around the house…she had one son and three daughters (my grandmother being the oldest of those daughters), and that son died at about age two.

Not only do I have a bunch of family pictures, but I have a few “keepsakes” of hers.  I have a “pressed glass” dish that was hers.

I also have a silver-plated flower arranger.  I really didn’t know what it was for a long time, until my mother told me that Grandma Mac always had some type of natural flowers “arranged” in that dish.  It made it quite easy for people to have a nice flower arrangement on their table, without having to have the knowledge or knack of arranging flowers.  The pedestal stand and “bowl” are one piece, and the removal top is lattice-shaped, with holes where the flower stems would be inserted.

After holding onto that piece for a while, I decided that I would like to have a more permanent silk flower arrangement for my solid teak dining room table, and thought that arranger would be just the thing.  So I took it to our local florist, and asked them what they could/would do with it.  The sales person began suggesting this flower, and then that flower, and nothing really appealed to me.  Then she said, “oh wait….what about gardenias?”  And just like that, it was decided.  Gardenias are absolutely my favorite flower!  Why didn’t I think of that?

What do you think?  I think it’s gorgeous, and it sits on my dining room table every day except for Thanksgiving and Christmas, when I have other special arrangements.  And every day I am reminded of my heritage, and the sweet lady that loved lovely things.

I am blest.

Tags: #Ancestry, #Grandparents.#Antiques, Flowers