Potholders

I am a very sentimental person.  I treasure and cherish items given to me be loved ones--especially home made items.  Like this treasure here.

 I know it doesn't look like much.  It is, after all, a simple pot holder.  It's rather worn and torn and obviously heavily used.  I have two of these pot holders.  They were made by a lady who's been dead many years now.  She lived to be 90 something and was a respected member of our community and was a friend of my Grandmother, Mrs. Osborn.

Mrs. Osborn was a very small lady.  I remember going to her house (which was a former hardware store) with Grandma to deliver eggs.  She and Mr. Osborn were always nice to see us, always offered me a slice of homemade bread or piece of gum.  Grandma didn't just deliver the eggs and leave; no, we would sit and visit for what seemed an eternity to me.  I remember the smell of their home and the rag rug on the living room floor.  It was huge.  Mrs. Osborn also attended our church.  She always sat in the second pew, close to the door.  I even remember once she passed out during the service.  She was all right, but I remember the scare she gave everyone in Church that day.  I also remember her telling me that when she was a child, she was scared of tornadoes and thunderstorms because her father got her family up one dark night and sent them all to the cellar during a storm.  She shared that it was a very long time before she would go to bed without her shoes on.  She was a very nice lady, and her potholders are a reminder of her.

"Mrs. Osborn's Potholders" are not just a treasure to me, but to the women of my family and to the women in the small community of Englewood.  In fact, that's what they are known as, "Mrs. Osborn's Potholders." Everyone knows what potholders you are talking about when you label them such.

 See, I actually have a new "Mrs. Osborn's potholder" awaiting use.  When Grandma B. died, and Mom, Sandy and I were going through the house, we found some "Mrs Osborn's potholders" that Grandma had stashed away.  While we didn't fight over the potholders, we did quickly split them up among the three of us.  I know that eventually, I'll have to break down and use these, but I can't make myself do so yet.

The old potholders with the new.  All treasures to me.

These potholders are also a treasure to me.  My bloggy friend, Karin, (Lovin' life at the end of the Dirt Road) sent these to me.  See, the pumpkin fabric you see in the background is the same fabric as my curtains.  (It has chickens on it, which you can't see in this photo.) Karin's a quilter but also makes these beautiful potholders.  They are so pretty and her stitching is very nicely done too.  Karin threatened me about using them--she wants me to use them, to get them dirty and to abuse them.  It's going to be hard, but I will do as she wishes.  But every time I use them, I'll think of Karin and her generous spirit.  Just as I still think of Mrs. Osborn every time I use those old worn out , handmade potholders.