Monday Morning Inspiration

A friend of mine sent this little nostalgic, "History of Aprons" piece to me this past weekend. It brought back so many memories of my grandmother. Before she cooked breakfast, her apron was put on and stayed on until the dinner dishes were washed and put away. At that point, we would all go out and sit on the front porch and talk until it was time for bed. 

The History of 'APRONS'

The principal use of an apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids..

And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

In recent years there has been a renewed interest in aprons. They are no longer the utilitarian object of the past, but

cute and frilly.

Even men wear aprons, but there is usually some reference to the fact that they are still "men."

There are companies who have been successful at building an entire business around an apron, like Ice Milk Aprons.

Their concept is really cute and very nostalgic. Each apron arrives in a mason jar along with a Heritage Tag, the Apron Story, and Recipe Cards.
There is a question that puzzles me though, why do we look so fondly back to the days when we wore aprons like a uniform? We are blessed with so many conveniences that would boggle the minds of our ancestors. I ran into a distant relative recently while I was on my morning walk, she was on her way to work. She made a statement that I think sums it all up, "Our families so rarely get together anymore. Everyone is just so busy." I think that it is not the apron that we long for, but the sense of connection to those we love. Just a thought.
Wishing you all a wonderful week.
Rhonda