April Musings - 9. Longing

On 02/24/2017 06:30 AM, Headstall said:

Big smile for this, Val. From the title, I was expecting sadness, but this bit of nostalgia was wonderful. I had two brothers long before my sister was born, and we'd fight over who got to lick the bowl or the spoon. Back then, there was a lot more of moms baking from scratch... and Carol Burnett, and Tim Comway... awesome... I will take the time to give honorable mentions to Harvey Korman. Vicki Lawrence, and Lyle Waggoner hehe... cheers... Gary....

Thanks, Gary. I'm describing memories of spending the night at my grandparents house. My grandpa made the best pancakes. He cooked them in oil, which made the edges very crispy. My mom used Pam cooking spry, which wasn't nearly as good. lol At home we had Log Cabin or some other cheap syrup... it didn't have the same buttery flavor as Mrs. Butterworths, so it was a treat to get to have it. Now I only buy real maple syrup. lol My grandpa had a real big sweet tooth, and I think one of the reasons he like having us over was the excuse to make fudge. My grandma would cook dinner, then we'd sit in the living room and watch the Carol Burnett show and Hee Haw. I've been missing them like crazy lately, so wanted to write this as a tribute. Those were some great times. The 'longing' comes from wanting to go back to those simpler times. sigh. Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked it.

On 02/24/2017 07:07 AM, dughlas said:

Childhood comforts ...

Yes I've been missing my grandparents lately. My brother and I used to have such a good time when we spent the night there when we were kids. Thanks for the review.

On 02/24/2017 08:53 AM, Parker Owens said:

This was an unexpected treat; like Gary, I was expecting sadness. I, too, recall the chance to lick the spoon, the mixing beaters or the bowl. Such simple delights. Like Tim Conway and Carol Burnett, these are timeless pleasures. Your lines evoke memory after memory, scene after scene in my mind. I thank you for this.

Thanks so much, Parker. I was worried the poem might have been too personal and not relatable, but your and the others' reviews show me that quite the opposite is true. I'm glad I was able to evoke so many memories. Thanks for the review.

On 02/24/2017 12:44 PM, Defiance19 said:

Simple pleasures. These are some of the best memories. Fighting over who got the spoon or the bowl. Stealing batter when you think no one is looking.. The mess, the mad giggles, the endless chatter, the smells that made you feel safe and loved.. The warmth and smile this evokes..

Thanks Val..

Thanks for the great review. I have lots of fond memories of cooking with my family.

On 02/24/2017 01:16 PM, Mikiesboy said:

Aw lots of lovely memories! Hope you lick a spoon this week!

xoxxo

lol I'm definitely in the mood for some baking now. Thanks for the review, tim.

On 02/24/2017 03:03 PM, MacGreg said:

Val, this was a wonderful poem, full of nostalgia and warm feelings. I was reminded of my own childhood, as I'm sure many readers here would agree (and have expressed in their reviews already). For me, I did not have sweet grandmothers who made fluffy pancakes and homemade fudge or other goodies that I could lick the bowls and spoons of, but I do have fond memories of being at my grandmother's house and admiring her collections of antiques, playing hide-and-seek with my brother, falling into big piles of leaves that we raked in autumn. For me, it was watching Lawrence Welk with my grandmother. Sad, but true. I much prefer the humor Carol Burnett and Friends.

 

Thank you for sharing this piece. It made me feel good.

Thanks so much, Mac. My grandpa and my aunt made pancakes the same way--I bet she learned from him. Cooked in oil and they just melted in your mouth. Making fudge with my grandpa is one of the highlights of my childhood. I'm blessed to have been brought up in a family of good cooks. My grandma was known for her German potato salad and made the best meatloaf. We also used to have a great time during the holidays, making all sorts of different Christmas cookies. They used to watch Lawrence Whelk, too, but I associate Carol Burnett and Hee Haw with sleepovers at the grandparents. There are so many good memories I could go on and on... I miss them terribly, hence the title. I'm so glad this poem provoked so many memories for people. Thanks for the review.

On 02/25/2017 03:04 AM, AC Benus said:

I love the images. Reminds me how the family I sometimes ate breakfast kept their pancake batter in a bright yellow Tupperware water pitcher. The mom would make a huge batch the night before - there were six of us kids to feed, after all - stow it in the refrigerator, and in the morning the older boys would make the pancakes for the rest of us (and their mom and dad too).

 

Thanks for the memory trip, Val

What a great memory. It's amazing how many memories I can think of that involve pancakes. My dad used to cook amazing pancakes. When I was in Girl Scouts, my mom used to cook us pancakes when we went camping. She served them by flinging them to us like Frisbees. lol Most of the time they made it on the plate... Thanks for the review and for your input. You're awesome.

On 02/28/2017 05:54 AM, Emi GS said:

Looks like my kind of meal. Lovely images floating around the poem. And it brought back the memories of past, enjoy the meals with my cousins and telling silly and crazy stories and laughing our you-know-what out. Thank you for sharing such a lovely and cute poem.

 

~Emi.

Thanks, Emi. I'm glad the poem made you think of good memories. Thanks for the review!