Roses and Crochet

Two pretty combinations: roses and crochet. Simply saying these words makes me sound like a 'grandma' type. Well, I definitely AM a grandma type....still to this day called "Grandmother" by my one and only grandchild. He's 26 years old. So...yes....roses and crochet....that's me. Grandmother.

The roses you see on this post were sent to me on my recent birthday....last Tuesday, by my favorite son, Scott. Aren't they beautiful? There's not much on this earth prettier than flowers, is there? And, a rose...my goodness. I've saved lots of roses that he has sent and even though those are dried now...they are still very beautiful. At one of my flea market raids, I purchased what I call a sieve - my husband says it looks like something you'd use to find gold in some river somewhere. When my roses start to look a tad wilted, I cut them off the stem, place them in my 'sieve' and let them dry naturally. It works. I'm saving them, although I really don't know what for except I still like to look at them and keep them on my dining room buffet in an antique rose dish. I thought you'd enjoy seeing my 'birthday roses' sitting on my dining room table.

You'll notice this is where the crochet comes in....that crocheted tablecloth on my dining room table has a story too. I made it myself. It's the only one I have ever made...or probably ever will make. And, I made it under circumstances that are rather unique.

So, here's the story: When my children were five and six, I insisted they take swimming lessons. She wanted to, but he didn't. I wanted them to know how to swim so they wouldn't be afraid of water. I couldn't teach them, so they took private lessons at a friend's home swimming pool during that summer. It was very important to me that they KNOW how to conduct themselves in water because their mother (ME) is deathly afraid of being in the water. I can't swim and don't like to be on boats, or drive over bridges. Yes, I know it's weird. So, the kids took their swimming lessons, learned to swim and love to swim to this day. That summer, after they learned to swim, I took them several times a week to the local pool. Now, this is me......of course, I couldn't swim with them, but watched as they swam and while I was watching....I crocheted this tablecloth. It took six weeks to crochet the tablecloth and when it was done...swimming for the summer was over. That summer, my kids became very good swimmers and I got a crocheted tablecloth out of the deal.

I enjoy knowing that my 'forty-something' children enjoy swimming and so does that only grandchild of mine. They LOVE the water. And, even though they think there might be too much of the 'grandma' touches in my home....they enjoy the fact that I LOVE my roses and my crochet and all the other vintage-y things I seem to 'drag in here' (as that old navy man says). Then, too, finding, making or collecting these things keeps me 'out of their hair, I guess! Yes, roses and my crocheted tablecloth....love 'em! And, I enjoy remembering how that tablecloth was made too....back in 1973. Hope you enjoy seeing them....take care, pat