Geneaive and Granny
One time Geneaive stepped on a nail and it went plumb through her foot. Her mother Gazzie made a poultice and tied it on the injury. Next she built a little fire and had Geneaive hold her foot over it.
Another time Geneaive climbed in a chair to get a piece of bread after school and fell out. She landed with a broken arm. Gazzie fixed it as best as she could and then took her to the doctor. The doctor said “Why’d you bring her to me you already set it right.”
Granny told me many stories of her mother Gazzie’s doctoring abilities. In those days you had to learn medicinal remedies because you couldn’t run to the doctor every time something happened or someone got sick.
Gazzie was the oldest daughter in a large family and then had a large family herself. Sickness and accidents were common occurrences.
I asked Granny what the poultice for Geneaive’s foot was, but she couldn’t remember. I wish I had been interested in old time ways when I was a girl and could have asked Gazzie about the things she knew and even how she learned them.
Last night’s video: 30 Years in the Same House (Old Photos) & Update on Granny’s House.
Tipper
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It’s wonderful folks knew what to do back in those days and some of the remedies are still being used today. With a house full of children like in my dad’s family, you just couldn’t run to the doctor.
I was a very fortunate little girl and just didn’t realize it because I was NOT a fan of going to the doctor. The only part I ever liked was being the 1st kid to find the hidden pictures in the highlife children’s magazine lol Our home remedy was warm Vics on our chest with a piece of warm flannel material pinned to your jammies. It felt like a hug!
“Coulda, woulda, shoulda” — so many regrets about not asking our older relatives the things we now wish we knew. So many things I would have asked about my great-grandmother, who was reputed to have been “the best woman this side of the Allegheny,” or my grandfather’s older brother who died of a brain aneurysm at age 23 while he was teaching. For now we just trust that one day we will have those answers.
Good morning
Happy Fall to all!!! Cooler weather will be here tomorrow.
Daddy said kerosene was used to clean cuts and kill the bacteria. I’m he and his brothers and sisters were all doctored with it at some point.
The old remedies are quite interesting.
My father was born in 1931. He said one time he stepped on a nail and his grandmother put a strip of bacon on it and tied a rag around it.
My grandfather knew about herbs ,roots and ways to use them cures. Like you, I wish I had asked questions when he was alive, but I did pick up a few things and there is a lot of great information in the foxfire book series as well as books written by Doug Elliot. He actually lives in the same area as me. When I feel a cold coming on, I roast garlic and eat it . It has sure seemed to stop colds before they got started. I am unable to take commercial cough syrup. They put an ingredient in these days that causes me to have severe diarrhea……that is a bad problem if you are coughing! Now we aren’t really drinkers, but I keep a good bottle of bourbon just for cough syrup. I mix a small amount with honey and lemon juice. I tablespoon before bed usually lets me rest. During the day, I mix honey with a little apple cider vinegar which also helps. This time of year, you should do a video just on home cures. Y’all have a good day. I thank God that we woke to a rainy day. So dry here.
Sweet post. ♥️ Hope you and your family are well.
wonderful grandma
Precious Memories, praise God for old photos, and old memories, thank you for sharing this today, God bless you, I had an appointment to see the doctor yesterday, and the community helping place transportation system let me down, they gave the driver of the wrong information, at 15 minutes to 12:00 I called asked where my driver was, the man said I’m sorry I gave the driver the wrong information, my appointment cannot be rescheduled, Dr Julia’s father is sick, she’s out of work the rest of the weekend on vacation next week, please pray for me, thank you and God bless you, there are two more doctors up there, but they would not give you the time of day,
I’m so sorry Norman. I will keep praying.
I’m so sorry to hear this Norman. I wish you the very best in getting back in with Dr Julia as soon as is possible. I can’t imagine having to depend on unreliable transportation. I pray for a better solution for that.
Norman, you have really had a rough time trying to get some help. I will keep praying.
I am sorry Norman! I will pray you get to see some doctor soon who will help you!
We I was growing up, we seldom went to a doctor unless it was very serious. One of the common things to do for cuts and sticking a nail in your foot was to tie a kerosene soaked rag around it. Even now I try to doctor on myself as long as I can before going to one. I would go now because of the trouble I am having with my ankle if I had someone to help me but I keep putting it off. I am beginning to think there might be something more than arthritis and gout going on. My son recently started a new job and has had to start over with building up vacation days and can’t help me. I have friends that would help me but I know they have their own problems and I absolutely hate to bother them. Kerosene rag, a friend stepped on some nails in a plank when cleaning up after Helene, when asked what did you do, he answered I put a kerosene rag around my foot.
Randy, do you by chance have a mass transit operation in your town or county? Here where I live there’s one and it covers our county plus one southwest of us. It’s been a godsend to the folks around here. Also, coming from a person who is over-the-top independent, it’s ok to ask a friend for help when it’s needed. During the last 3 years with this cancer, I’ve had to ask for help a total of 7 times. 4 different people and they were more than happy to step up. I would never be a nuisance but would and have gladly helped my friends when they were in need. Put your pride aside and you’ll be happily surprised. PS if you could buy a simple lunch on way to or from it’s a nice little thank you and great time to relax and visit. Now that the weather is cooling off, roll down the windows and eat in the car to save getting out one more time! I hope your son is enjoying his new job. It’s always hard starting over somewhere else and especially giving up the time you had accrued.