A Peach is Worth a Thousand Words

It's been a great summer for peaches! And since I'm on this huge veggie and some fruit kick, well, I'm eating a lot of them. Peaches always bring back fond memories of my grandmother. Is there a food that brings back a memory for you?

Mmm. . .Peaches

My Mom's mother scared me a little. She could be quite stern. She often sat at her dining room table, chain smoking More cigarettes, drinking coffee and reading from one of her many books of family genealogy. She could go on for hours about our family history. Way before the days of caller ID we would reluctantly answer the phone to avoid the litany of our great heritage. You would think we were royalty. In fact, when the grocery store clerk would ask grandmother for ID after writing a check,  she would reply in her wonderful Charlestonian tone of superiority, "young lady, do you know who I am?" Well, it worked. Everyone but my grandmother had to show ID.

She paid her dues faithfully to the Daughters of the American Revolution and could tell you anything about the war between the states (you knew not to call it the Civil War - "there was nothing civil about it.")

When we were younger we called her Granny. Well, one day she couldn't take it anymore and she set us straight. She was NO granny! She was GRANDmother! When granny became grandmother that's when I knew to always take her seriously. But even in her most serious moments she might just be joking. You weren't quite sure. Like when she encouraged us to "snitch" a piece of bacon while breakfast was cooking. Or giving little ol' me a cup of coffee and letting me fill it with lots of cream and sugar until it was just right. 

Grandmother had a caring and sentimental side peaking through her often stern demeanor. Like the time I gave her a pencil for Christmas. She always kept it in a special box on her desk and made me feel like I gave her fine jewels. She adored her sister June and named her only child, my mother, after her. Also, after my parents divorced, she always sent us home with bags of groceries. We never went home empty handed. She loved her animals too. Her Chihuahua was way too good for dog food. She boiled chicken for her spunky, oh so loyal little dog. My grandparents also had a chicken house and she knew how much we loved playing with the baby chicks.

I remember my grandfather Pops as a tall and strong but gentle man. He loved to ride us around their property on his lawn mower. We would walk through the Muscadine groves and eat them right off the vines. And we would sit on the swing outside for what seemed like hours. These memories remind me of a simpler time. When it was okay to just BE. Sometimes I wonder if he was a little scared of  my tiny but mighty grandmother too. 

Sadly, my Pops eventually aged and was too sick to be at home. He went into a nursing home. 

And THIS is where the peaches come in. Grandmother would cut up a large serving bowl of peaches and sprinkle them with sugar. They were so delicious. We carried the peaches to the nursing home and spoon fed them to my dear Pops. The nursing home was very sterile and smelled like a nursing home. The halls were lined with elderly people, some with their hands fastened to their wheel chairs so they wouldn't hurt themselves. They were so happy to see us children and motioned for us to come to them. It felt like we were there for hours visiting with these elderly who were starving for a little attention. Oh, I hope those sweet peaches brought a little joy to my Pops.

Every time I see peaches, every time, I think of my grandmother. My siblings and I spent a lot of time with grandmother and it wasn't always a barrel of fun. But I cherish the sweet memories like this.

I think I'll go eat a peach. 

Notice my grandmother's hair. This was her signature hairdo. Always with two long braids pinned on top of her head.