There are things in life that, while serious business to some people, are downright humorous to local folks (wherever local is). For instance, folks up north are amused by the south's reaction to snow. Yep. We admit it. We get a tad excited when a few snowflakes fall. We overreact. We stockpile foodstuffs. We call it a holiday. Hey. We never get to see the stuff so its a novel thing. Having northerners make fun of our glee is ok by us. We know that it is all in fun and we are not offended. The same thing happens when a freak hurricane zips up the East Coast. Panic mode sets in and those in the Deep South are quick to throw a few jokes to our neighbors. It is all in fun and is not meant to hurt any one's feelings. Then there are things that are just laughable.
I was searching through things in the storeroom to use as possible props for the clue hunt that is still a long time from now. However, October will come quickly and I need to get some things prepared. While in there, I came across a few burlap sacks. Well...maybe? The sacks themselves are what caused me to giggle. I had one that used to hold chestnuts, one that held coffee beans and the other was an oyster sack. Overall, burlap sacks are not humorous. In fact, they are good, sturdy things that are quite useful. It was that oyster sack that sent me into a fit of giggles. THAT had to be the tiniest oyster sack I have ever seen! I mean...come on...if you are going to the trouble to open oysters at least get an 80 to 100 lb sack! This thing could not have held more than two dozen oysters! What do you do with 24 oysters? Oh, geez. Whoever bought oysters in this sack could not be from here. Sample sack...maybe? heehee
In most yards of true southerners, there are huge mounds of oyster shells. These are the remnants of the 3 or 4 (80lb) sacks that are shucked at any given sitting. Folks just do NOT open 24 oysters. When the sacks come in, you might as well call it a party. Any one who is in the neighborhood can drop in for a fully dressed oyster po-boy or at least a handful of the fried oysters. No one bats an eye at the sharing of the food. It is all good. "Come on in and get a po-boy! We just shucked a few sacks and I'm fryin' them up right now! Sit yourself down and help yourself!" These words flow freely to any and all.
Any person who toted that miniature oyster sack to the back yard shucking bench would most likely wind up being the butt end of numerous jokes. It just would not fly here. Itty, bitty sack of oysters! Still, the sack will come in handy as a clue hunt prop so I guess it is all good. Now...I wonder how in the world I came into possession of the cute, little thing?? And why do the oysters printed on the sack look like evil eyes?
I took a few moments today to stick up some of the Christmas decorations. Yep, I am slacking! The Little Bayou House should have been bedecked long ago but somehow that just did not happen. Today, however, I made progress even though the tree is still not in its rightful place all adorned with lights and ornaments. Some day soon, I hope. What did occur to me was that, as I tied a big bow to the garland on the stair rail, is that nothing is new. A few weeks ago, Darling Daughter and I visited one of our local stores and we were both amazed at how burlap has become all the rage. Burlap and canvas...well, who would have thought?! I admit that I did buy several rolls of printed burlap ribbon. After all, it is ribbon! Who can resist buying Christmas ribbon?
While digging around in the decoration boxes, I came to two conclusions. One..that I own far too many doodads that scream holidays and, two..most of my decorations are at least thirty years old! Some are far older as it seems that I inherit every aunts', parents' and grandparents' decorations. I cannot part with them. That just seems like sacrilege! What would my kinsfolk think if I just tossed their prizes to the wayside??
It was in that box that I came across several short strands of garland that I bought when my oldest was just a wee babe some thirty-plus (and we won't go there!) years ago. The stringing for the garland was jute, burlap Santas and fabric scrap Christmas Trees were dotted at six inch intervals. I loved this garland and used it in the kitchen for years! But I was a bit bemused as the current rage for burlap seemed to be nothing more than a repeat of Christmases past. Long, long ago, it was not uncommon to use what was on hand whether it be for everyday items or happy decorations. I can remember wearing dresses that Mom sewed out of flour sacks and having curtains made from the same pattern. (It was pretty neat to be able to blend in with the draperies!) I made dolls from corn husks and pine needles and used jute string, burlap and canvas for everything! It was cheap! As matter of fact, all of those things were free for the taking. On the farm, those items were always on hand.
The Little Bayou House is decorated with pine limbs, cones and burlap ribbon. Homemade ornaments are stashed in bowls and boxes as they await their place on the tree. Wooden toys, hand-sewn calico gingerbread men dangle from threads in the kitchen windows and paper snowflakes swing happily from a garland of jute string. Yep, there is nothing new about the decorations. Nostalgia is good during the holidays. It takes us all home.
I have often said that I am more of a flannel shirt and jeans type of woman than a pearls and lace type. I am just more at ease in comfortable clothing that can take a beating. Not that I have anything against dressing nicely, it is just more my style. This "style" spills over into my home decor as well which might be a good thing in a sense. Being the only female in the Little Bayou House, I cannot imagine frills would go over too well. My husband and son might just call a halt to lace, rose-covered wallpaper and frou-frou knickknacks filling the space. So, instead of that, I have gone with a more rustic decor. No problem by me! I am used to having fishing gear, antique tools and sisal rugs.
This past week, I decided that the dining room needed a bit of brightening. I cleaned all of the shelves that flanked the fireplace which made things look better but a bunch of antique books still look a bit drab. I needed new curtains! I pulled out several fabrics to drape over the rods to "eye" the look. Nothing looked right. My son, Michael, put a nix to any bright fabric. Hmmm...what to do, what to do? I asked his opinion. "Burlap." Burlap? "Yep, burlap." Well? I looked around and found some at the building supply place and asked my husband to pick up some for me. Mark came home with four huge rolls of the stuff! I could make curtains for every room in the house! I was still a bit dubious about how this was going to look but both guys seemed to think it would be fantastic! So it was a go. Burlap curtains would adorn my dining room windows.
After I cut, hemmed and hung the burlap, something looked a bit off. My dining room looked a tad like what I remembered as the barn back on the farm. Feed for the cows, hogs and chickens came in burlap sacks. When Pop would empty a sack, he would drape it over the fence railing. These would be used for any number of jobs later with the main one of hauling fertilizer. Egad! I just created a barn in my dining room! Sorry, guys, but I need to soften this look a bit. Scrounging around in my cedar chest, I found some antique crocheted pieces from my Great Aunt Ruth. These were originally handmade to go on the back and arms of a sofa. These would be the perfect touch! I just draped them across the top of the rod. My curtains were finished and they looked really...well...different! They have the rustic look to please the guys but a bit softer look to satisfy me. Plus I was able to display Great Aunt Ruth's handiwork! It seems like the perfect decor! I love the look when the outside light filters through the curtains! (I think the lights will always stay turned off!) Ok...so it is not burlap and lace but close enough. Burlap and crochet is fine by me!
