"Before the Time of Fancy Marshmallow Cream"

Now and then, I come across some of my grandmother's writings. These are often discovered in the margins of books, sometimes right over the text. She was a prolific writer and cook. In Mary Blake's Carnation Cookbook from 1948 she writes:


December 1994-Sorting out my cookbooks- will sell in April, 1995. My goodness. Remember the first sale at the new house when we brought all the leftovers from two sales at the old? A woman from the new street stole many of my cookbooks- walked right off with them.


As I touched these cookbooks
they are spread all over the house
I'm trying to rid the ones away
or should I say like a baby
from a mother's breast

I remember
certain days
cold outside
wind blowing
as I was cooking

Autumn moods, put
in my stomach,
May sadness - yet again

Could it be I was overjoyed
for it might have been Spring
-time to turn the soil over-
I can raise my kitchen window letting
it announce its presence to me

My man is in sight
I am watching him digging
stopping to shake out
clods of dirt
remaining stubborn