We were at
June’s for dinner and had the usual spread though Aunt had told us to not
expect much. Ina
to Vance, January 1937
It
was late afternoon on New Year’s Day. Ina sat in the rocker beside the fire
while Ethel and Ernest played Chinese checkers with Shirley Jean on the dining
room table. Jack had hurried off to take care of the evening chores. Shirley failed
to get New Year’s off and had to return to work in Orofino, a sure sign that
the holidays were drawing to a close.
Ina
was tired and sleepy and not much in the mood to do anything but sit before the
blazing fire. At Shirley Jean’s pleading, Ethel had agreed to let her stay up
to greet the New Year, and so Ina stayed up, too. Jack had helped her pop some
corn and sugar it as a New Year’s Eve treat. Beginning at 9:00 p.m., they
turned on the radio and listened to the New Year’s celebrations from New York,
then Chicago, then Denver, and finally Los Angeles, munching popcorn, oranges,
and other holiday goodies. Only Jack had retired early, knowing that he would
have to do the morning chores as usual.
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Traditionally,
Bertha hosted the New Year’s Day dinner, and the five of them had walked over
at noon. Ina was sure that the heavy meal was adding to her lethargy. Bertha
always served a lavish feast of the richest foods a farm family could muster. “Now don’t expect much,” she would say, and
then proceed to put way too much food on the table.
Bertha’s
usual New Year’s Day spread was something like this:
Oyster
soup – always very good
Fried
chicken with gravy
Potatoes
Corn
on the cob
Cabbage
salad
Jell-O
fruit salad
Fruit
cake with thick icing
Mince
pie
Pumpkin
pie
Apricot
Jell-O pie, etc., etc., etc.
And
Ina nearly laughed out loud when she thought of Bertha’s comment: “Why Ruth! We
didn’t put any citron preserves on the table.” Bertha also set out treats -- popcorn
balls, nuts, candy, gum, and the chocolates Earle and Bernice had sent them for
Christmas.
Really,
there was nothing wrong with the food. Bertha was an excellent cook but lacked
skill in planning a balanced meal. It seemed as though she simply couldn’t make
choices. Ina had been careful not to
overeat, but she still felt uncomfortably full even after walking home in the
fresh air. And as far as she was concerned, anyone who wished to eat more today
– and Jack just might -- could fix himself bread and milk.
The
tree still sat in the corner of the living room. She would leave it up a day or
two longer, Ina decided, because Shirley Jean enjoyed it so. And since they
didn’t receive Vance’s decorative pieces until after Christmas anyway, it
seemed fitting to keep them just a while longer.
So,
Ina dozed off while sitting in her rocking chair, wondering what would unfold
in 1937. In a while she would get up and take herself off to bed. KW
[I took the color picture December 18, 2012. This is the spectacular view the family would have enjoyed as they returned to the farmhouse from Bertha and June's. The picture of the Christmas tree was taken in 1952.]
3 comments:
I love looking at the picture of the fireplace. The clock. Is it still in your family? The turn of the 20th century seems to have been a time when families had ornate mantle clocks. Dan's grandparents on his mother's side had one but it was lower and longer. I think they must have been much treasured items. Also, I can see a corner of the wicker chair in the Christmas tree photo. :-)
Yes, the clock sits on the mantel, though it's been with me since we were married. Bertha and June gave it to Ina and Jack in the early 1900s. Mike keeps it running. I understand that these clocks are not rare, but this one also moves through the days of the month, and that feature is rare.
The old wicker rocker was there until Aunt Lynn threw it on a burn pile in the 1960s. She also burned a makeshift doll house my dad made for little sister Shirley and who knows what all else. I remember Daddy coming home from the farm and telling Mother about it. Oh well. Someone has to cut down on the clutter, I guess. It was just odd for her to do that without talking about it beforehand.
I think the clocks were treasured but also, they just kept on ticking. We've had to have this one serviced twice - in the '80s and again last year.
I have been researching my surname (Walrath)for over 40 years. Recently I began looking for the ancestors of Fairly John Walrath. I know his grandparents were John & Mary Walrath. There was a John, age 37, and Mary, age 36, Walrath, with a son, Harry, age 3, in the 1880 census of Constantia, N.Y.
Your blog has been an interesting read. Can you help in any way to finding additional information about John & Mary Walrath?
Jerry L. Walrath [jlw9358 at gmail ]
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