Friday, August 14, 2009

Old Buttons and Strawberries.....

I collect old buttons....once again, things that were a part of someones everyday life in a time gone by. The ones showing in this picture and the one from yesterday came from
an Antique Shop in Colorado and have been in my collection for years. They are mostly from the 40's and came to me in this sting with the knots. The little Strawberry is from a scrap of fabric and I have no idea where I got the little design. I like these strawberries and I think it is about my Mom.

Ruth is gifted with the ability to make Strawberry Jam that makes grown men weep and beg. My ex husband and our friend John would take a new box of Ritz Crackers, a Jar of Peanut Butter and a New, Large Jar of Jam and make these little discs of Joy and eat until they were both sick.

My Mom would measure the sunshine and rain from the last weeks of May till early June and on the precise Saturday morning of peak ripeness we would be awakened to head to the "Pick UR Self" Strawberry Farm. We would fill basket after basket till mid morning.
Home to wash and clean. Because as she would tell you , the optimum taste is from newly picked and sun warm berries......She does not make the regular recipe on the Sure Gel Box Instructions, but rather, the "Freezer Jam" recipe. Diane and I would take turns stirring the pot waiting for it to come to a rolling boil! Soon the kitchen would be filled with jar after jar. We waited anxiously for the click that the tops locked in place. Every spring we still make a batch or two of Jam. We buy the berries but Ruth inspects them carefully and passes judgement on their size, color, and sweetness. It, in some ways, defines another year!

Mom says it is for Elizabeth, who probably does eat a jar or two a year. Some things are more important than the results they provide.

Have a great weekend.....

5 comments:

  1. Adorable! And I love your story.. :) I LOVE strawberry jam. It's my favorite kind.

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  2. What a lovely story thanks for sharing.

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  3. What a sweet story. Aren't family memories wonderful? I just love the little strawberry, such a treasure.

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  4. Memories are just wonderful especially when you can stitch them too.

    Hugs
    Dawn (UK)

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  5. It's an Elizabeth's Design, called Christmas Greetings. It's very pretty, isn't it!

    Marilyn

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