The other day, a friend and I were riding around and my eye caught these hollyhocks growing in front of an old schoolhouse. They were so beautiful! I hadn’t seen hollyhocks in a few years and it spurred memories, that I had to write down! 

I sure was a tom-boy then and still a little now! I could hardly wait for school to be out, so I could spend the summer with my grandparents on the farm. There were no trucks, tractors or farm machinery there. All was done by hand. Raking and forking the hay up to the loft was fun for me, even though it was hard work. I carried pails of water from the well, as soon as I could lift them. It was fun, showing off my muscles and comparing with my grandpa’s. I loved walking out to the back field to help lead the cows home to be milked. In the Spring I enjoyed teaching the new calves how to drink and eat, using my thumb! 

Gathering eggs and cleaning the coops was my job in the summers too. In the house I swept and mopped the floors and dusted the wooden shelves and furniture. I churned butter and helped make the pot cheese. Picking berries to sell, put up for winter and of course eat some, and dig the potatoes, was good, working side by side. 

After supper, we listened to music and shows on the radio and watched maybe an hour of black and white TV. Sometimes I would help Grandma write letters to family in Lithuania. I learned a little of the language enough to talk to cousins that came for visits. One cousin brought fabric swatches from the factory where he worked. Those swatches were cut and sewn by hand into pretty quilts. I loved picking out which square to sew to what!
 
Grandma’s brother would come and stay for a couple of weeks. He and Grandpa spent some time in the cellar making dandelion and grape wines. I always snuck a taste of course. Also, my great uncle would make beautiful baskets, necklaces from willow branches he cut. I sat next to him watching in awe! 

One of my fondest memories was picking hollyhock blossoms and sitting on the floor making dolls of all the colors. I would pretend they were princesses and queens. I moved them all around, talking and singing to them as is they were human, playing for hours in my imaginary world. Looking up, sometimes, I would see Grandma smiling down at me from the doorway. During these times, I was not the tom-boy like I usually was. I was Grandma’s young lady! 

I wonder how many other girls get to know and enjoy their Grandma and Grandpa and help out with chores, to learn, and be happy and loved, just for a little while?