Sunday, March 29, 2015

Colleen B. Hubert Flour Sack poem

Verna sent me this poem today via email.
I wondered how many of the squares in my blog background
were flour or grain feed sacks.
 
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1930 Flour Sacks


 
BY COLLEEN B. HUBERT
 
 
IN THAT LONG AGO TIME WHEN THINGS WERE SAVED,
WHEN ROADS WERE GRAVELED AND BARRELS WERE STAVED,
WHEN WORN-OUT CLOTHING WAS USED AS RAGS,
AND THERE WERE NO PLASTIC WRAP OR BAGS,
AND THE WELL AND THE PUMP WERE WAY OUT BACK,
A VERSATILE ITEM WAS THE FLOUR SACK.
 
 
PILLSBURY'S BEST, MOTHER'S, AND GOLD MEDAL, TOO
STAMPED THEIR NAMES PROUDLY IN PURPLE AND BLUE.
THE STRING SEWN ON TOP WAS PULLED AND KEPT;
THE FLOUR EMPTIED AND SPILLS WERE SWEPT,
THE BAG WAS FOLDED AND STORED IN A SACK
THAT DURABLE, PRACTICAL FLOUR SACK.
 
 
THE SACK COULD BE FILLED WITH FEATHERS AND DOWN, FOR A PILLOW,
OR T'WOULD MAKE A NICE SLEEPING GOWN.
IT COULD CARRY A BOOK AND BE A SCHOOL BAG,
OR BECOME A MAIL SACK SLUNG OVER A NAG.
IT MADE A VERY CONVENIENT PACK,
tHAT ADAPTABLE, COTTON FLOUR SACK.
 
 
 
BLEACHED AND SEWN, IT WAS DUTIFULLY WORN
AS BIBS, DIAPERS, OR KERCHIEF ADORNED. 
IT WAS MADE INTO SKIRTS, BLOUSES AND SLIPS.
AND MOM BRAIDED RUGS FROM ONE HUNDRED STRIPS
SHE MADE RUFFLED CURTAINS FOR THE HOUSE OR SHACK,
FROM THAT HUMBLE BUT TREASURED FLOUR SACK!
 



AS A STRAINER FOR MILK OR APPLE JUICE,
TO WAVE MEN IN, IT WAS A VERY GOOD USE,
AS A SLING FOR A SPRAINED WRIST OR A BREAK,
TO HELP MOTHER ROLL UP A JELLY CAKE,
AS A WINDOW SHADE OR TO STUFF A CRACK,
WE USED A STURDY, COMMON FLOUR SACK!


AS DISH TOWELS, EMBROIDERED OR NOT,
THEY COVERED UP DOUGH, HELPED PASS PANS SO HOT,
TIED UP DISHES FOR NEIGHBORS IN NEED,
AND FOR MEN OUT IN THE FIELD TO SEED.
THEY DRIED DISHES FROM PAN, NOT RACK
THAT ABSORBENT, HANDY FLOUR SACK!


WE POLISHED AND CLEANED STOVE AND TABLE,
SCOURED AND SCRUBBED FROM CELLAR TO GABLE,
WE DUSTED THE BUREAU AND OAK BED POST,
MADE COSTUMES FOR OCTOBER (A SCARY GHOST)
AND A PARACHUTE FOR A CAT NAMED JACK.
FROM THAT LOWLY, USEFUL OLD FLOUR SACK!


SO NOW MY FRIENDS, WHEN THEY ASK YOU
AS CURIOUS YOUNGSTERS OFTEN DO,
"BEFORE PLASTIC WRAP, ELMERS GLUE
AND PAPER TOWELS, WHAT DID YOU DO?"
TELL THEM LOUDLY AND WITH PRIDE DON'T LACK,
"GRANDMOTHER HAD THAT WONDERFUL FLOUR SACK!"



 
 


Friday, March 13, 2015

Happy St. David's Day!

I know, I know, I'm a little late, but I just had to share what I got in the mail yesterday! It's so cute! It's from a good friend Verna Angerhofer. She said I put her up to designing this card, just like the one that's on her blog. She did good don't you think?! !

Card designed by Verna Angerhofer.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Shed-Oh!

I haven't been out to the shed-oh, for a couple of weeks as I've the flu and then it snowed. My husband asked me to not go out, because he was afraid I'd slip and fall in the snow (I have chronic vertigo that comes and goes and I never know when it's gonna hit), but thought I would share a picture of the current mess on my work table, a clean corner, and an idea I had for my small ephemera boxes.
mess!

a clean corner behind the shed door

 paper trays plus bead boxes = neat storage!
It's getting there!