A Finish Honoring My Grandmother

Finally here is Hannah Lovina Joslin 1856 by Blackbird Designs all completed! I am honoring my maternal grandmother Vida Mae McCants Salter with this sampler. I absolutely love seeing her name on this and it is one of the many things I love about Blackbird Designs. My grandmother was born December 18, 1904 in Alabama. She was the oldest of 12 children.  Those were very hard times and there wasn't much to be had.  She worked in the fields as a child and made about 10 cents a day. She only completed school until about the 8th grade, because she needed to help out at home with the other children and chores. She met and married my grandfather Mack Travis Salter in 1929.  She worked in the homes of others and when not doing that she was taking care of her family.. She went on the have 12 children of her own, of which 3 boys went to heaven. My mom is her youngest child and namesake. 

I became close to my grandmother as a baby, when she cared for me while my mom was in college. I stayed with her till I was about 4 years old. One summer, when I was about 15-16 I was tasked with taking care of my grandmother.  She had been ill and my family left me to stay with her till they could get some things organized. I was responsible for her meals, medications and general care. For me it was no hardship, and I firmly believe that moment in time that summer cemented my desire to be a nurse. I must admit to being scared and thinking that my family was nuts to leave me with her, but I took my job seriously because I couldn't let her down. I will never forget that summer. 

My grandmother died when I was 18 of cancer. I wish that we had had more time together.  Now that I am older I think of all the things I should have asked and talked to her about. Things that at the time I was too young to appreciate and understand the significance of. Things that I miss from our time together are fresh tomato sandwiches and egg custard pies. Two of her sister's didn't live far from her and we would walk to visit them. Also, every time we went into town, I could con her into getting me a small toy from the five and dime store ;-)  I miss her more than I can say. 

This is she and I. most likely when I was a little over a year old,  sometime in 1967.  We don't have a lot of pictures of my grandmother for some reason. I love the way my finger clutches hers.

That is my grandmother smiling the pink dress with the bun on top of her head. This was in 1976 at a family reunion and she is surrounded by two of her sisters and three of her brothers. I love this picture! Also, I get a kick out of seeing those seventies clothes too.

This last picture is most likely from 1979, and is probably the last formal picture we have of my grandmother. If you have made it to the end here, I appreciate your reading about someone that was and is still very special to me. Thank you! 

Blessings

xoxo