I loved my grandma. Grandpa too, but for different reasons. Grandma taught me inside the house, kitchen and heart stuff - Grandpa taught me that baby chicks can't swim (after I couldn't figure out why they sank and duckies didn't.) and outside stuff, growing raspberries, sheep, beekeeping.
But Grandma taught me one thing and she always wrote it in a birthday card or when we left the farm for home, she would give me a hug and say "Be good and you'll always be happy". Grandpa and Grandma had a little farm in Waterloo, Wisconsin. I loved it there - Fireflies at night, rooster crowing in the morning, windmill creaking and the sheep baa'ing! And my little lamb - Sammy. He was the black sheep in the herd. Grandma and Grandpa came to visit us here in St. Paul and mom called us in for dinner and we sat down and said grace and we're eating and chatting and Grandma said "How do you like the dinner?" "It's good", we said. Mom said "It's Sammy". I was about nine years old at the time........I am going to be 76 come September and have never been able to eat lamb since. My poor little Sammy. That was when I learned that farm animals are not pets and my son and his family live on a farm and they have gone through the same thing with the grandkids and son of a gun, I felt so bad for them the first time. Deja vu all over again!!!!!!! Cherish the memories of grandma and grandpa. They are too soon gone. I have several of grandma's recipes - my favorite is Wisconsin Hickory Nut Cake. A Prize recipe. Can't find Wisconsin Hickory Nuts that easily, however.
I am happy.
Edie