Old Ladies Wear Undershirts
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There was no end to the many hand sewn items that Mrs. Maggie made. She was always productive. She always shared her finished projects with family, friends and neighbors. These items were always received with such gracious hearts and a big ‘thank you.’ It was not unusual for these gifts to be placed in a hand-made reed basket. There were seasons when a family friend who lived 45 miles away and farmed vegetables, would bring a load of fresh cut reeds to Mrs. Maggie. She made small baskets from the long slender leaves while they were still green. When they dried, their color had changed to tan and they were now stiff, not flexible any more. They, too, were beautiful works of art. For those who wanted to learn the talents and skills that Mrs. Maggie had, she would sit with them and teach them when they had the time. She always had the time.
How did she learn how to do so many useful things? From her ancestors. They had done all those things out of a need for them. It helped them survive better. They deliberately and lovingly passed it all down to Mrs. Maggie and her siblings, so now she uses the life skills and teaches them to the younger ones around her. As a young mother, she taught her children: John, Harry, William, Robert, Michael, Rosie, Berta, Nora, and Charlie. Like their mother, they each taught their children many skills and then they each developed a few of their skills to the level that community members would seek them for help or advice in a particular skill area. Some of their specialties were fishing, farming, mechanical repairs, building houses, managing stores, cooking/cafes, seamstress, teaching reading and handwriting and arithmetic, making use of nature (using local stone, processing/using animal hides, experimenting with local grain, etc.) One art form that was seen in nearly every family was quilting. They would quilt covers for beds, and sometimes quilt to insert into parts of clothing (long coats, jackets, pants, etc.). Don’t forget that very little was thrown away; most things were recycled and made into something new and different. It certainly makes me wonder if this is part of the life learning cycle? I can only imagine that those were sometimes wild, but interesting and exciting times. Everybody knew something, did something with what they knew, and then passed it on to their children.
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About the Book
The Mrs. Maggie you will meet here is like no other lady who is beyond 94 years of age. Where her energy comes from is anybody’s guess. She grew up in a family of six; one older sister and two older brothers. Her father was a carpenter and her mother stayed home. She grew up in a rural area where most people earned their wages from fishing and/or farming corn, soy beans, or tobacco. Her parents had a strong belief in God and taught their beliefs to their children. They also taught them survival skills, instilled a great work ethic, and disciplined them by the rulings of the Bible.
Mrs. Maggie married Mr. Charles and they had nine children; six boys and three girls. They raised their children with the Bible as their guide. They both believed that everything one does in life can be found and spoken to in the Bible. That was what they both grew up believing, and that is what they taught their children. All their children attended public school, but they, as parents, also taught them again at home. They attended church services where good vs. bad, right vs. wrong, and such things as honor, respect, ethics, and worship were taught. Again, as parents, they taught their children Bible lessons at home to show how it could apply to daily living.
After Mr. Charles’ death and all the children had moved away and were married, Mrs. Maggie continued to live in the large white house on the corner. She began to spend more time making useful and highly appreciated gifts for others who lived in the neighborhood. Leslie and Melba were two young girls who absolutely adored her and spent many hours with her. They were not with her every day, but they did spend many hours in her company learning about life.
About the Author
Barbara Regan is a storyteller and she enjoys reading – not only to herself, but also to others.
When she reads stories to young children in the library, the scenes sometimes become so lifelike until the children begin to visually search the room with the hope that they will actually see the characters in the stories. She often animates as she reads stories. Whether the listeners are at elementary level, high school, or adult, their attention is riveted. She is as excited about reading the story as her audience is excited about listening to it.
Whether teaching Sunday school as a teenager, or attending classes, or leading adult groups the desire to know more and help others more was always there. It is still part of the fabric which leads this author to the sources to improve. She is always seeking to learn and serve God.
To know Barbara Regan is to know she enjoys her craft. She is degreed in Education, with advanced degrees in Reading, Library Science and Communication Media, and Administration. She has taught and administered from eighth grade level to university level.