Thursday, June 12, 2008

Do You Own An Apron?

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

 


The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, 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 wereideal 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 autumn, 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 for dinner.

 

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

 

THE PAST.........
 Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool..

 

THE PRESENT....
Her granddaughters and great granddaughters set theirs on the kitchen counter to thaw!!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved your entry. I never really thought about it but you are right, the apron is a thing from the past. I remember my grandma always weraing one especially when she was baking. I agree with the baking thing. I am no better. I dont bake much. I really miss homemade pies and cookies. Maybe I should make some sometime. Maybe is the word..lol ....love, Christine

Anonymous said...

Times are so different now.  My grandma always had her apron on.  Funny, I hadn't thought of that in years.
Hugs, Joyce

Anonymous said...

I'm a messy cook, I use an apron!
Traci

Anonymous said...

I pull it out everytime I cook....hubby too @ the bbq....
cindi

Anonymous said...

I hardly cook these days but never used an apron when I did, however, my MIL always would use an apron, she'd be cooking with it and then take it off before the meal was served; this was a nice trip to take down memory lane!

oh, come to think about it, my SIL (my brother's wife) uses an apron all the time too

and I think my son would know what an apron is because he has to wear one for his job :)

betty

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful look back in time. My Mom and Grandmom used them alot, I have myself years ago...I do find I miss them while at the kitchen sink - sometimes my jeans wind up being my apron for wet hands! Lol.....Sandi

Anonymous said...

Oh, thank you for the history of the apron,  What a delight.  I sometimes bake things and the only place to cool them is on the fire escape landing.  But I must be an awful cook, because none of the local wildlife will touch them.
                                                                                                  DB

Anonymous said...

I do not own one of my own but have one of my mom's and one of my granny's.....
Linda :)

Anonymous said...

I have many aprons Linda, the most special one being one given to me by a friend.  It was given to her by her mother in law once upon a time.  I admired it one day when she was wearing it and next thing I knew she had it all wrapped up and was giving it to me.  Aprons are wonderful things.  DOn't knw how I'd get along without mine!
Marie
http://ayearatoakcottage.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Like Marie, I too have many aprons, my most recent one I bought in a French market from a lovely little old man selling them along with tablecloths!  When I get in the first thing I do is take off my shoes, the next thing is to put on my apron...even if I'm not cooking!  Lovely entry Linda!  ~~~ Pat  http://journals.aol.co.uk/pm71blackfen/ramblings-from-pat/

Anonymous said...

Linda ,what a delightful entry ,When I was first married and lived next door to my in laws ,Mother in law would say on a friday (that was payday )We had better put clean pinnys on its payday lol ..love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

I use an apron all the time! lol I couldn't cook unless I had one on! lol  I call it my big "onesy" lol I kind of collect them too and my family tries to find interesting ones for me too. lol
Nancy

Anonymous said...

I love aprons especially vintange ones.  I have wanted to buy some old vintage ones for years to wear when I cook but they go around a very small waisted cook and I was always too plump!  Maybe soon I can buy one....I always dreamed of being a "Leave it to Beaver" Mom.

Anonymous said...

What a great entry, I know my Mom worn an apron all the time in the kitchen and so did yours, I remember.  I used one alot when my kids were little and cooking, saved on clothes, we had to wear them at B. Dalton, part of the dress code.  Joni

Anonymous said...

What a fun entry to read.  My mom had an apron for baking - she baked my dad cooked.  My aunt wore one ALL the time it seemed.  Me?  Never had one and I thaw my pies.  ::sigh::  It's been about 2 years since I baked a pie.  It's hard when I can get a pie for $6.00 already made - the Sara Lee THICK pie - it's a deluxe or something like that. Not the regular pies, the deluxe one has a nice flakey crust and everything.  Not as good as homemade but almost. :-)

Monica

Anonymous said...

My Mum and Mother~in~Law wore an apron all the time ~ thanks for these lovely memories ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

Both of my grandmothers wore aprons every day.  They had those with the bib tops and pockets. Inside each pocket was a soft cotton hanky with lace trim or embroidered flowers.   I think they had one apron for each day of the week.  They were made of sturdy cotton and even needed to be ironed.  I have two aprons that I use when I really get in there a cook or bake.  I also use one when I have a lot of pots and pans to scrub so I don't get my clothes wet.  I'm not very neat.  LOL

Thanks for the memories!  I loved this entry.
Hugs, Kathy

Anonymous said...

You brought back such memories of my Grandmother and her apron.  I must confess I have never worn one and neither did my mother.  But oh those memories especially her carrying vegetables in it.  I never realised just how many uses they had.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/

Anonymous said...

Nice post! I had almost forgotten.

Jimmy

Anonymous said...

This is certainly a trip down memory lane, I recall my grandma wearing her apron and using it for so many things as well...kind of like duct tape I guess.  LOL
Lisa