Typically the emails I receive for my Trash to Treasure posts are garage sale or thrift store finds. They have never been this personal and I have never loved a submission more. My friend Heather from Massachusetts sent this in and let me tell you Bob, it’s some good stuff:
Hey Mavis,
You of all people would appreciate the story I have.
My mom called in early March to say my grandma was not “doing well” and if I wanted to say good bye to her I should come now. {She was 89 and was fighting cancer for the last 4 yrs so not a surprise}. I hopped on a plane the weekend of March 7th and hustled down to know-wheres-land Indiana. Seriously, a desolate farming community- very interesting but that’s a whole different story.
Turns out my mom was right, as she passed the next Monday. Over that weekend I was able to support my mom and help her sort and pack the MASSIVE amount of stuff my Gma had collected.
My Gma had insisted that her close family come over and “take what they had given her or anything else they wanted” – there’s a simple will for you! With my mom as the “final say” it all went incredibly smoothly.
As it is in every family, everyone sees different “treasures” among other people’s stuff. What I found to be total junk, my aunt thought was valuable – and vice versa.
I’m telling you all this because I think you would think my treasure was treasure too.
My Gma had seeds stashed all over! I was thinking I’d create a grandma garden with her seeds. Some seeds are un-labled, they’ll be a surprise.
And my great grandmother’s recipes written in her hand!
~Heather
Heather- thank you for sharing this. So sorry to hear about your grandma, but the treasures you found are so awesome. Grow on, Grandma. Grow on.
~Mavis
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See More Trash to Treasure Posts:
Red and White Enamelware + Vintage Berry Press
Terra Cotta Flower Pots
Mavis Scores Big At The Garage Sale
Wooden Garden Sign
Mavis Scores BIG at the Goodwill
One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure – Pumpkins
How to Find Free Containers For Your Garden
Mavis Goes to the Goodwill and Finds the Best Dress Ever!
Mavis Goes to The Goodwill and Finds 50 Boyfriends Worse Than Yours
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Jenn in Indian says
Heather, very sorry to hear about your grandmother. I think you found some great treasures. They truly are invaluable. I truly treasure the farm records I have of my great-grandparents, but my dad wanted to trash them!
Tamara says
How so VERY special, Heather! I remember my great grandmother quite well and my grandmothers (Grandma and Granny) were mothers themselves to me for many years. No one can take those cherished lessons and memories from you!
Kristina says
Heather, I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I think any of us who’ve had warm relationships with our grandmothers can relate. I feel like you’ve received such a wonderful treasure in those seeds and recipes. The beautiful idea of a “grandmother garden” brought a happy tear to my eye. In our family, we’ve all got pots of begonia and a geranium, started from cuttings from my great-grandmother. You know you’re really a “grown-up” in our family when one of your elders presents you with a plant started from from the many “children” of these plants. Those “surprise” seeds will be the best!
Lea says
So sorry for your loss, Heather.
I can’t wait for you too see how beautiful that garden will be. I have perennials and seeds (now harvested from the flowers that grew) from my grandmothers, who died in in the 90s several years ago. It’s such a blessing to watch my flowers bloom and think of my grandmother! I hope your garden will be the same blessing to you.
Recently, I found two recipes written down by my grandmother, that she had given me when I was first married. That was a blessing too!
Lea
Lea says
**Their 90s** not **The 90s**.
Sheesh.
Lea
suzanne says
Thanks for sharing Heather. I too have my gram, great grams and MIL’s hand written recipes. The thing that strikes me is they no longer teach cursive writing, at least in our neck of the woods. I also have a golden pathos (?) house plant that has been around for at least a hundred years. Great gram brought back (stole) a cutting when she honeymooned in Mexico so the story goes. I got my cutting from my favorite aunt and have been growing and aggressively trimming my baby for at least 45 years. Since I was 12.
Darlene says
That’s so awesome!!!!!
Lisa Millar says
I am sorry for your loss…. but what wonderful memories and keepsakes.
The idea of a “grandma garden” is lovely!
I too treasure my Nanna’s recipes, especially those written in her own hand 🙂
ConnieP says
Thank you so much for sharing, Heather. My deepest sympathy to you and your family. What a blessing to possess seeds that have a story to tell, along with those handwritten recipes. I absolutely treasure the ones I was able to keep from my Grandma and only hope that our children and their children will not allow such an important gift to be lost … the art of a handwritten note. Enjoy sowing and growing your Grandma’s Garden!
Kari says
What special treasures! When my Aunt and my Grandma each passed, I. Was sure to get some hand-written recipes from each. Now that my mom is in a nursing home, I also have her recipe boxes. To me there is nothing more special to pass on to the next generations than the art of cooking and gardening. I’m sorry for your loss, but hope it brings you joy each time you look at your Grandma Garden or eat her yummy pickles!
Erin Wilson says
Oh, I love this. Heather’s grandmother’s handwriting reminds me of my own grandmother’s handwriting. There were no seeds when my grandmother passed away (she planted the same pink petunias every year from the garden center, to set off her green aluminum sided house). But there were hand-written recipes that I brought home. Strange, since my grandmother disliked cooking and baking. I guess my “to make” board on Pinterest, that I’ve never once actually made anything from, comes honestly.
Vy says
Oh wow, a grandma garden is a fantastic idea, what a great way to keep her spirit (and plants!) alive.
RebekahU says
Heather – What a blessing! The idea of a special garden using your grandmother’s seed stash is really a wonderful one. Think of the awesome memories you’ll have as you watch those seeds grow and bloom and re-seed – and the lessons that your kids will learn by watching you during this whole project. And, I also think your garden will be super special to your mother because she be reminded of her mother as she watches your garden grow. Seeds and hand written recipes – priceless!
Heather in MA says
Thanks everyone for your kind words. I’ve got plans for the garden, have figured out the mystery seeds, and now just have to wait for the ground to thaw 🙂 I might put some in the winter sowing greenhouses to kick start the season.
I do remember my mom making those freezer pickles but, ironically, I thought it was just a weird “mom thing”. Guess who’s the weird mom now? Ha!