green heart shaped valentine

Since Pap died almost seven years ago Granny has kept his grave decorated with various crocheted creations.

We call Granny the queen of crochet because of the many crocheted items she’s made for our family over the years.

Granny loves to crochet sweaters, blankets, and clothing. She also likes to make seasonal things like Easter baskets and Christmas stockings.

And since Pap passed away she’s added wreaths for his grave to her seasonal lineup.

Paul has a metal stand he leaves on Pap’s grave and then throughout the year he changes out the creations Granny makes.

For spring of the year there’ll be Easter colors, for July 4th red, white, and blue, a fall theme will follow summer, and a Christmas theme will end the year.

Just after Christmas Granny starts working on a Valentine arrangement for Pap. It varies from year to year but always has red crocheted roses.

She often recycles parts of previous creations into new ones.

The green ribbon around the heart came from an old arrangement. Granny said “I just can’t get over how good that ribbon turned out.”

It is the perfect backdrop for the red roses and red heart she crocheted.

I rarely go to Pap’s grave and sometimes I feel guilty about it. But I always remind myself he’s in my heart and I know he didn’t visit his father and mother’s graves very often either. I suppose he felt like they were in his heart too.

I do know without a doubt Pap would get a big grin on his face if he could see all the trouble Granny goes through to make sure his grave is decorated just right. Pap always said there was two things Granny was plumb crazy about: green beans and crochet 🙂 I would add one more thing to the list: Granny has always been plumb crazy about Pap!

Last night’s video: 96 Year Old Appalachian Woman Answers Your Questions.

A few days ago a couple of readers asked if they could send Rachel Virginia Hicks a birthday card for her 97th birthday coming up on March 26. If you’d like to send her a card email me for her address at blindpigandtheacorn@gmail.com.

Subscribe for FREE and get a daily dose of Appalachia in your inbox

Similar Posts

29 Comments

  1. So sweet & sadly, rare to see everlasting love like Granny’s & Paps’. It’s obvious when she speaks of your Dad, that she adores him.

  2. Hi
    Sorry but I have been off line for awhile and missed everyone terribly.
    Granny makes beautiful crochet pieces. My grandpa and aunt crocheted blankets for the family through the years. After 30 years I have mine and use them when the power is out in the winter
    Granny does beautiful work. God bless her
    Kathy Patterson

  3. That’s lovely. As a knitter, I know that when making something special for someone, I think about that person while I’m knitting, and memories and smiles, and sweet thoughts go into the stitches. Granny’s crocheted creations for Pap are made of love.

  4. And two share become one……no doubt your
    Momma is missin part of herself, so I’m sure it feels good to honor the part that had left such a huge void…..so very, very pretty too!

  5. Love really does conquer all! I love this post and the love of family that you all share with each other. I sure miss my immediate family. Only 2 of us left out of a family of 6. Thank goodness for my husband and our family together. Thanks for sharing.

  6. I’m am blessed to get to have a piece of her treasure and treasure it is to me. I will never let ho of the piece she game me. I love granny to death. Thank you granny from the bottom of my heart.

  7. Granny is a remarkable woman. She is talented and so sweet. I would love to sit down and visit with her. Thank you for sharing your family with me. Take care and God bless ❣️

  8. Granny is truly the crochet Queen! I’ve seen her handy work on other videos you and the girls have shared on YouTube. The Valentine wreath in the picture above is so sweet and shows her continued love for Pap. Happy Valentine’s Day Granny!

  9. What a special story! I am amazed at all the things Granny can crochet. Everything I have seen is just beautiful and whether she follows a pattern or creates something so special, there is a lot of love that goes into it!! And there is no doubt Pap is smiling…

  10. What a beautiful crocheted rose heart granny has made! I love this story Tipper! Talking about crocheting, I’ve been looking for patterns of the little sweaters you wear, the ones with the cap sleeves, I love all the different ones you wear, so beautiful!
    Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

  11. That is so sweet! I really love that it is made by her. I always enjoy seeing what kind of crochet she is doing.
    My Mother crocheted many afghans. As a matter of fact I am sitting here with one in my lap. Yesterday I was in my craft and quilting closet looking for brown yarn to make a repair on one of them. I really treasure them and I think they are just about the warmest things you can curl up under.

  12. Till Death Do Us Part is a nice thing to say but Granny sure meant it and more. She is keeping her promise from what is still in her heart as love is something that never dies. Reminds me of that song, Grandpa, Tell us about the good old days – don’t know the title but I know you will know what it is.

  13. If I had a granny like your dear mother, I’d be so tickled and happy- surely your cup runneth over with love and good things! I miss my mommy and Bobby so much if I get to studying on them too much, my eyes well up, a big knot comes up in the center of my chest, I find it difficult to breathe, and the tears start to fall like a waterfall. I don’t go to their grave because really they aren’t there. To see that cold marker, all my kin marked above dirt- it’s just too much for me! When I die, I’m to be cremated without mention, no obituary, etc and after being cremated, I’m pretty sure toss me out of a coffee can stop East River Mountain here or maybe in the yard here. I know it’s against the law, but I’m not telling tales. I think Granny has made the prettiest heart wreath I ever laid my old eyes on! Pap surely knows of it from heaven. You are lucky to have all that love around you every day of your blessed life!!! I wish so it was me. But since it’s not, I love extra and pray extra for all I miss or never had. Love beats every other thing in this world and it’s one resource in seemingly short supply. I’d say love flows like water in your lucky family!!! I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day personally and think we have a lot of useless so called silly holidays. But that’s just my opinion… lol

  14. Granny is definitely dedicated to what she loves. Her dedication to Pap’s memory is so sweet, and I know he would be so appreciative of her time and effort. Glad she has such a wonderful family to keep an eye on her. I remember when my dad first passed, I went there regularly and changed out the decorations. I also took my mom, walker and lawn chair, as often as possible. After she joined him, it was just too difficult emotionally to visit. We all must deal with our losses in whatever way works best. They still remain in our hearts, and are remembered in our words and thoughts always. I always enjoy posts about Granny, as she is a very unique lady.

  15. Granny is precious. Me and my son keep fresh artificial flowers on the graves of our family members-wife, daughter (sister) parents and grandparents). We also keep the graves of the ones that were buried at our church cemetery clean and neat. We do this because of our love and respect for these people, We sorta feel like we owe it to them because of their love they had for us. Everyone has different feelings about visiting graves, I try to go to the graves of the ones I mentioned at least once a week. It is easy for me because it only involves going to two cemeteries. I have a friend that does not visit his daddy’s grave but sits on a big rock in his cow pasture, he said he and his daddy would often sit and rest there when working with their cows and he feels closer to his daddy there than at his grave.

  16. What a great love story. My husband and I met on the main street of our town when my old boyfriend asked him to walk me home. We’ve been walking together ever since, married for almost 57 years. One of our sons was born on Valentines
    Day. Blessings to you and your family from the southern Adirondacks.

  17. I sure enjoy all the things you share about Miss Granny. She touches my heart! I love to crochet too, in fact, I just bought enough yarn to make a granny square vest. I love her decoration for the grave. So beautiful and thoughtful.

    When my daddy died I went really often to his grave. I knew he wasn’t there, but it was so peaceful. When Momma died a little over a year ago I just can’t hardly go. It brings such sadness to my heart with them both gone.

    Thank you for sharing Granny with us!! She is a gem!

  18. I love this, I am so thankful for my parents. I thank God they are still with us. They set an example of a loving husband & wife should be. My grandparents did the same. Mom always put flowers on their graves.

  19. I love your Mom’s craftsmanship! This blog post made my heart swell with so much love for your Mom. I love how she makes these gifts for your Dad’s grave. It is ok you don’t spend time at your Dad’s grave, Tipper. In your heart you know beyond a doubt that he is not there anyways. He is in Heaven. And I believe he would not want you whiling away your precious time sitting at his empty grave. You carry him in your mind and heart all day long. You walk where he walked, where the memories of his life are. That is the best tribute to him! He wanted all of you to carry on after he went home to the Lord. To carry on the music he wrote, which you do. Paul is doing an excellent job reaching the world with the melodies of your Dad’s passion – his love and service to God. He also wanted you to carry on with your blog. He would be ecstatic over your success with it and now your you tube channel. And the gardening gene he passed on to you – he would be thrilled with how your garden grows!! Everything you do, Tipper, your Dad is wrapped into it. He is very much the fabric of your days. Your Mom making these seasonal gifts for others to enjoy seeing, are a testimony of her forever love for him, too. Your Dad would be so proud of all of you. The Bible tells us in the story of Lazarus and the rich man, Luke 16: 19-31, that after his passing into eternity, Lazarus did not see the things happening on this earth anymore. He was too busy enjoying the promises we have of our eternal life with God. That is exactly what your dad is doing now. He served God on this earth, leaving a legacy for his family to carry on in his absence from earth. And now he is reaping the hope of his faith!! How exciting is that?! I love your Mom, Tipper!!! And I love you too! You two are doing excellent keeping your Dad’s memory alive!!

    Donna. : )

  20. Beautiful Valentine’s heart to remember Pap!!!! So sweet!
    Yes, our loved ones are remembered daily in our hearts and minds but the tributes on their resting places always remind others of the love they shared with many.

  21. Granny is the Queen of crochet, for sure! She crochets all the time and sure makes some lovely things like the handmade ornament in the picture!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *