the women before me

I am making scalloped potatoes. Whenever I cook with potatoes I think of my nana Kitty. I remember her beautiful gnarled fingers, strong yet elegant. I can hear her many silver bracelets clinking together. She always had a few carefully chosen rings adorning her fingers, always silver sometimes with a large turqoise stone. She had fabulous taste in jewelry. So we would be in the kitchen, nana and I . Maybe my sisters would be there. Nana might be performing some racy quotes of Mae West. She might be telling a story of growing up in a big family in PA. Whatever she was saying, her hands were busy with the potatoes. She must have peeled, chopped diced, mashed a million potatoes in her life. Oh nana, I miss you. I wish you were here. I appreciated you then, I have no regrets. I just have new questions. I think you would like who I have become. I know you would adore my children. We could talk about motherhood, quilting and crafts. You could teach me so many things.

I often think of the women who came before me. My other Nana, Louise (Nana Wedie) I did not know you so well but I would have liked to. I remember you telling me about your grandmother Louisa. You loved her so much and I decided if I ever had a daughter, she would be Louisa.

The pictures above are of some important ladies. My dad's mom, Kitty. My mom and her parents. My mom and her grandmother, Nen (actually her great aunt, her grandmothr died and my grandpa was raised by his mother's sister).