Wednesday, February 3, 2010

My Oma and me



This is a picture of my favorite grandmother, Oma Susanna. I was named after her and had the fortune of living in the same house with her and Opa until their deaths. She was a beautiful woman, a talented cook, baker, and a beautiful knitter. She taught me much including how to knit, but the most important talent I still use to this day was how to hold a paring knife in my hand and cut thin slices of vegetables by letting the knife 'hit' my thumb and not cut through my skin. I can do it quickly and use it instead of a cutting board. It seems silly, but I learned this from her and it still is a very useful trick to this day.

This picture was taken shortly after my grandmother's 65th birthday. She was attending the wedding of a granddaughter. It is 1954. When I realized her age in this picture recently, I was taken by surprise. Today is my 65th birthday. I have aged, but not quite like she did.

She did not have a hard life. She had a beautiful home, modern conveniences for the day, running water, electricity, even a phone by this time and a television. Another generation will pass, and someday my granddaughter, Rachel, will find a picture of me at age 65 and think the same thoughts.

12 comments:

  1. Angie Finnegan4:43 AM

    Great picture. You look so much younger than her but I do see alot of her in your face. Hope you have a wonderful birthday.

    We love you,

    Angie

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  2. Susan, Happy Happy Birthday!

    Your grandmother would be so proud that you passed on her cooking skills, recipes and her story. She does look like a lady of that time, I think in 1954 & that era, ladies did look older than their age. But there was a sophistication and regal majesty about their look, as well.

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  3. Anonymous9:53 AM

    Your Oma definitely looks like a lady of the 1950s. George is right. She has the sophisticated appearance of a royal lady. I know, though, if she was typical of the Amana ladies she was humble and loving. rw

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  4. Anonymous9:53 AM

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY. You do resemble your Oma. But you have aged much more youthfully. Apparently you have many of her talents as well. Amazing about the genes. Have a wonderful birthday and stay warm in FL while we shiver up here.
    All my love-- laurie

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  5. Happy birthday Susan. I hope you have many, many more. I hope the Trout is taking you out to dinner.

    Your grandmother is lovely and she did age well, didn't she? I believe they ate more healthy in those days and didn't have all of the exposure to junk food that we do today.

    I'm named after my great-grandmother Susan Ann, but they changed the name a tiny bit because my mother didn't like the two name thing (can you imagine and she's from the south) and I ended up being Suzanne. I don't go by that name anymore and wouldn't recognized it as my name.

    Again, best wishes on your birthday.
    Sam

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  6. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
    What a wonderful description of your lovely grandmother; beautiful memories! Isn't it scary how all of a sudden with are the grandmothers.
    Rita

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  7. Happy Birthday Susan! So hard not to call you Mrs. S... :) Have a great day.
    Kara

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  8. Happy Birthday to you! I hope you had a wonderful day.

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  9. Happy Birthday - was your Oma Dutch? or is that a common name for granny in many languages? I will become Oma for the first time in the next few days as my son (Dutch-Irish) and his Dutch partner are due their first baby tomorrow but she will prob. go over time. Such a nice post!
    Thanks for sharing
    Catheirne

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  10. Catherine, thank you so much for commenting. My grandmother was German. Oma and Opa are German for grandma and grandpa. Congrats on being an Oma for the first time.

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  11. Happy (belated) Birthday Susan! Our daughter and our best friend share the same birthday, so I know you are of good stock. ;)

    I love the tribute to your Oma! Bless her.

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  12. Oh Happy Birthday!! I hope you enjoyed your special day. Such a sweet picture of your Oma.

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