My Grandma

Memories of Grandma Figg

Today my family is gathering together to honor and remember my Grandma who has just passed away. I have been thinking about her a lot lately and I have many sweet memories of spending time with her. Please let me share some memories with you....


My Grandma called herself a “hair dresser” in her younger years. I can remember climbing into her chair in the “shop” to get my first hair cut. The “shop” was a converted mobile home that sat at the edge of their property in Iroquios. It was bright and sunny with lots of Grandma's plants in the windows. Many local women came to get “permanents”and hair cuts. Grandma cut my hair for many years. Most of the time when I needed a haircut she would get her scissors and we would go outside where I would sit on the picnic table while she trimmed my hair.

Many of my favorite memories are from spending time in the kitchen with Grandma. Grandma always let me help with meals. When I was small she would let me pick the cool-aid flavor and taste it to make sure it had enough sugar. I can vividly remember the smell and taste of Grape cool-aid from a wooden spoon. My Grandma made the best home-made noodles in the world. Chicken noodle soup at Grandma's was the best. I can remember helping roll out the dough and cut the noodles. My brother's favorite food from Grandma's kitchen was her home-made bisquits or rolls which were always eaten up quickly!

My brother and I loved to go and stay the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Grandma would move the coffee table and make up beds for us to sleep on the floor in the living room. In the mornings Wes and I would sit at the breakfast table eating toast with lots of cinnamon and sugar.

Another favorite place at Grandma and Grandpa's was the front porch. When I was little, Wes and I would sit on the concrete porch and play with the little plastic cowboy and indian toys or marbles while Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa would sit and talk. As we got older we sit and read on the porch while watching for the hummingbirds that Grandma loved.

The yard at Grandma and Grandpa's house was a wonderful place to play as a child. I used to spend hours in the “climbing tree”. It was a great place to get away from the world and as I got older I would often take a book up with me. Wes and I and my cousins would have lots of fun playing with the toys Grandma kept for us. We would get out the frisbees and yoyos to play in the yard.

I love hearing stories about my Grandma's life when she was a young mother. She was a true homemaker.... busy cooking, cleaning, sewing and gardening in order to take care of her family.

My Grandma loved flowers and gardening. My Mom and Grandma would usually walk around the yard and look at the flowers and plants. Now I do the same thing with my Mom at her house and I love flowers and gardening just like Grandma and Mom.

Thank you Grandma for letting me experience life with you.... You showed me what a blessing it is to enjoy creation and also create things with my own hands. You were an artist creating beauty in whatever you did... making a pie for your family, painting a picture or planting beautiful flowers. You introduced me to joy that comes from enjoying the simple things in life and you will be greatly missed by all.

More than French Fries!

So, contrary to popular belief, France has food that is better than French Fries! :) Here's a picture of me and some of my girls enjoying croissants fresh from the Bakery in Aix-en-Provence, France!