Times Past by auntietk
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
This clock belonged to my Great-Grandmother. (My mother's mother's mother, for those of you keeping track at home!) I remember it sat on a table against the wall in her kitchen when I was a kid.
She always had horehound candy in a covered cut-glass dish. She cooked on a wood-fired stove, but had a very modern refrigerator with a foot pedal so you could open the door even if your hands were full. The shelves in the fridge were half circles, and swung out.
The light switches in her house were push-buttons, and you really had to push 'em hard! They made a very satisfying "click" when the switch engaged. One button for "on" (which had a white circle on the front) and one for "off" (which was black).
She had an oil stove for heat, an old radio that sat on the floor, a treadle sewing machine, and a Bakelite telephone. She spoke both German and English, cooked potato pancakes, and made embroidered pillow cases. She liked to drink hot water. She always had a vegetable garden.
She didn't die until I was 20 years old, and I remember her well.
Times Past.
The clock now sits in my brother's house in the bookcase next to the fireplace.
..........
Edit note to those of you wondering about horehound candy: There's a nice bit of information here (When you link over, you'll have to scroll down to find it.)

Comments (49)
Excellent shot of this beautiful old clock. Fantastic colors!
A wonderful clock with delicate carving on the surrounding wood. A nice composition to the photo with the added greenery just to the bottom corner. What a nice way to remember your Great Grandmother, a lovely story!
It looks like a beautiful clock, especially in the nice warm light you chose. Does it still keep time, or is its duty now just to evoke fond memories?
From a thumby I was sure this capture made at your brother's place. Love this old clock and a detailed carving on a panel is so interesting.
Wonderful picture on this beautiful clock, I like the details and texture ! :)
Oh, what a great story you tell here. So much of it sounds like my grandmother, down to the telephone!! She had a grandfather clock that left a mark on the wall when she moved from her big house; it'd been there so long, all the rest of the wall was faded, except where the clock hung. You've brought back some memories, here, my friend!! And it's a stunning foto as well!!
i am intrigued by the background to this clock tara as i never knew either of my great grans but i was fortunate enough to have my gran(my mums mum)in my life till i was 38 .as for the clock well is`nt it a beautiful timepiece very rich in colour and detail .a lovely piece for holding memories :o) mick
Beautiful...
Very beautiful clock! and hot water? wow... never thought of trying that lol! well maybe it's healthy and good for the throat perhaps. what a lovely photo you took of this great clock! and very interesting details of your sweet moms house! thanks for sharing Tara!
Beautiful capture on this clock.
Excellent shot. Fantastic POV, colors and details
A lovely way to reminiss on the good old days! I love the carved detail in the wood! Just one question though Tara, what is horehound candy??
A beuatiful pic of a fascinating object! and very interesting history. I drink hot water too!
Love this story... happy memories are the ones to cherish. Lovely shot and what a georgeous old clock, it must be at the very least 100 years old :) Well Done Tara :) Jo x
Very charming. Very nice image!
What a wonderful intro Tara...ahhh memories S....and just as wonderful pic of this treasure !
OHH what a fine old clock. SO charming it is. :) I love your story about your Great-Grandmother. I can recognize some of the things like at my grandmothers house. The wood fire stove, and the switches, the treadle sewing machine. (Even my mom had such one). But my grand mother made Orched pillow cases with "SLEEP WELL" orched in the pattern. Very neet. And ofcause the vegetable garden too. Thanks for the sweet memories, Tara :)))
Wonderful..........from the gorgeous clock, to the magnificent carving and rich colours, to every evocative word you wrote. (I echo Carl's question about horehound candy)
great colour
A beautiful, and memorable image! Great shot, and the story is the best part!
I don't have any memories of my grand mams and only short ones of one grand pa, but I did know them through old photo's. So it was very nice to hear of your memories Tara, very fond ones as well it seems, and what a wonderful piece to remind you of those times, in this gorgeous clock. Such a warm feeling as well eminating from this image, the colour of the wood and that lovely lighting we well know from your brothers house. An excellent capture and a wonderful narrative, I will have to look up this horehound candy now. Beautiful. Bravo!!!!!
Beautiful warm image and you have wonderful memories dear Tara. Superb work. Diane.
A very nice clock, A masterpice. I like the light and the colors Thanks for the story too ! Have a nice day Virginie
I was just talking to my son Oscar about grandparents and how lucky he is to have known my parents for so long....I think it's getting close to losing my parents....My dad isn't doing to good....I know it's part of life, but life sucks....But the clock is nice to have, it brings happy memories of your grandma and you took a good picture of it Tara.....Hugs
Time to see a beautiful clock and photo!
Shoot me now...I must be as old as dirt. Quite a lot of your memories were also part of my life - not my grandparents but out in the country we also cooked on a woodburner, heated with it too. My refrigerator was more coil than box and the freezer part was only a foot wide and 8 inches tall. I got my water from a hand pump out back and we had no phone but the lady down the way had a party line I could borrow. Electricity was on a number system. The one fuse could only hand up to a certain number - example: a small appliance as a #2, the refrigerator was a #5, A light switch was a #3, we had no TV but the radio was a #1. You could plug in any combination at one time as long as the total number was no higher than a 7. I lived in the dark alot. LOL I didn't have a sewing machine but I make clothes by hand and knitted, embroidered and crocheted through the winter. I made my own bread, butter, mayo and pretty much grew out food except meat and we either hunted in the back yard for small game or we bartered for larger meats like deer, cow, and pig. We did wash on a washboard, dried on the line, raised chickens in the spring and picked the ticks off each other before bed time. Believe it or not, I still cherish those memories but I don't think I'd want to do it again... I'm used to the Big City now. Love this old clock. Warm wood finish and I'm sure a highly valued piece of furniture.
i like the story as much as the pic.... they go together! thanks
Hi Tara the memories are coming as I read your words clocks sewing machines and good food thanks for the fun sure was a treat awesome work sweet smile to you warm hug with love, Linda
I love the picture of the clock but loved your memories more. I got to see my grandparents every four years when we made a trip to Missouri to see them. I loved hearing their big clock go tick-tock and hearing that sound today still always makes me think of them. I remember their kerosene lamps on the wall that we lit for light, and I hated their outhouse! When I was a kid I thought horehound candy was the worst stuff I ever tasted, and to this day I still won't try it to see if it really is as bad as I remember. Do you remember Chicken Bone candy? I loved that. Thanks for the memories!
beauiful picture and i love the history the hore hound candy very intresting comes from a weed now can you tell me how it tasted and did you like it. i think the fridge with the pedal and the shelfs is a great idea i would love one of those i think alot of women would thanks for sharing your past i find it very intresting xx