One of the things I love about living in the Ozarks, besides the breathtaking beauty of the wild-woods, is the time-honored history of the Pioneers of these hills ( also known as the Hillbillies). A history as rich as home-churned butter. Back in the day, the pioneer/hillbilly homemaker did not have the luxury of procrastination. She couldn’t say “You know, I just don’t feel like doing chores right now, I think I’ll go shoppin’.” Well, first of all, shopping didn’t exist (now, that is downright sad!) except for perhaps, a general store several miles away, in which a wagon had to be hitched to take you to town, and secondly, there were mouths to feed, a garden to grow, quilts to sew, harvesting and canning to do, laundry to wash and hang, a cow to milk twice a day, eggs to gather, and water to fetch…… whether she felt like it or not.
Taking care of hearth and home was more than an occupation, it was a matter of survival. Preparing for a harsh winter started in the spring. What you did, or did not do, to prepare for it determined how your family would fare when the icy winds began to blow. And any good mother worth her stock, would roll up her sleeves, flour her rolling pin and get busy!
I am so fascinated by the way life was lived back then. Just to cook a chicken, was an ordeal. A gal, clothed in cotton Calico and an apron, had to catch the chicken, wring it’s neck, (ew!) dip it in a bath of boiling water, pluck it, singe it, cut it up and fry it on a wood burning stove( You go girl! ). That was just one part of the supper. Then there were the potatoes to dig up, wash, cut, mash. Green beans were picked, washed, trimmed and boiled with a ham hock thrown in. Biscuits baked. Butter made. Jams and jellies preserved-and-ready in a row. Pies were baked by the half dozen weekly, for family of course and folks who would come a-visitin’. That was just to get a meal prepared. There were also babies to rock, rugs to beat, scrubbing to do.
There was so much to take care of that women would often relegate a significant task to concentrate on daily. There was a Washday, Ironing Day, Sewing Day, Churning Day, Cleaning Day, Baking day and a Day of Rest on the Sabbath, which I am sure they breathed a sigh of relief and shouted “Praise the Lord!”.
Sunday go-to-meetin’
I really don’t know if I would have been able to do what those robust women had to do, but I would like to think I could have made the best of it. There are two things that would have been hard for me though:
1. No cosmetics. (although, I think I could have whipped up a batch of 1 part berry juice and two parts bees wax for lip gloss! You know I am teasing right? I sorta am.)
2. No indoor plumbing. ( I don’t do outhouses. I’ll hold it, thank you.)
Even though I would like to imagine living in those times, I know God knew what He was doing when He created me to live on this earth during the 20th and 21st centuries. He knew I would love girlie things, a clean indoor bathroom and blogging! This way I can have my Pie and eat it too….I can grow a garden, even make my own butter if I want to (I’ll show you how in a future post), tie on a cute apron and bake a homemade pie from scratch, Can and Preserve jams and jellies like the women of yesteryear, take pictures of the process and post it on my blog! And I get to do these things all-dolled-up with a sassy hairdo and enjoy indoor plumbing too! Is God good or what?!
I decided I am a (citified) farmgirl at heart (you can be one too, check out MaryJanes Farm). The other day I was chatting with a friend in my kitchen and I said “listen to this…” I pressed my foot on a particular board on our wood floors near my stove and made it squeak several times. I continued, “hear that squeak? I love that! I love that my new-but-made-to-look-old wood floors squeak like an old house!
She said “oh yes! That reminds me of the farmhouse I used to live in, growing up on a farm.”
I replied “hey, no fair, I want to grow up on a farm!!!”
I am sure she thought…ummm, I think it’s a little late for that..but instead she said “no you don’t, you just think you do.”
She was thinking of all the winter mornings she had to crawl out of her warm snug bed to go outside in the icy rain to feed the horses or milk the cows. Running a home and farm is strenuous work and I so admire folks who do it!! I applaud the American Farmer. Bravo, you adorable, strong farmgirls you!
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I do declare though, one of these days I want to raise a few chickens! And each one of my laying hens will have a fabulous name……Mildred-Rose….Bertha-Jane….Hattie- Mae…Big-Mama. My rooster’s name will be Jim-Ed.
The pioneer spirit is still strong here in the heartland of America, and it is celebrated everyday at one of my favorite places to go…..Silver Dollar City. Located here in the Branson area, you can step back in time and breathe in the goodness and fortitude of a people who persevered and labored, by the sweat of their brow, as they worked the land to carve a good and honest life along the American Frontier. Take a tour with me of how it used to be….
In celebration of living in the Ozarks I would like to share with you my
better-than-an-outhouse, Hillbilly bathroom!
I found this old tub at an antique mall in Ozark
and had our Trim Carpenter
create a washstand to fit it in.
Added a vintage washboard,
an old-timey looking water pump
and fresh from the well, running water.
When we first moved in, I didn’t have curtains for this bathroom which looks out to the front porch, so I made-do with a couple of dish towels and clothes pins. After I finished decorating it, I decided, you can’t get more hillbilly than that!
If you sprinkle when you tinkle…
…be a sweetie and wipe the seatie.
You might be a redneck diva
if your hairdo has ever been ruined
by a ceiling fan!
One of my favorite shows! Love that Barn!
Ozark Sunrise on my back deck.
Back in the olden days life was often harsh, as it is sometimes today. We all go through seasons of difficulty and sadness, but one thing is for sure, this same Jesus that the Pioneers prayed to and received provision, strength, and hope, is the same wonderful Lord we can go to today.
“Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is (always) the same, yesterday, today, (yes) and forever (to the ages).” Hebrews 13:8
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills–from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121
Thank you for stopping by for some
Hillbilly Pie!
God Bless you!
Hugs!
Your Southern Sista, Ruthann
P.S. I am always so amazed at the gals from all over the world that leave wonderful encouraging comments! Thank you all so much! And to my blog-girls who stop by often to send me a smile…I love y’all! I am just so thankful people actually want to read my blog! Please know that your kind words keep me excited and inspired! Also know that when you leave a comment, I pray for you, individually, one at a time, by your sweet name. God knows your needs, heartbreaks, as well as your desires. I pray He would bless you in wonderful ways and give you hope for your future. So keep those comments coming, I love them!
Also, I am so proud of you gals for grabbing that lipstick in the back of your drawer (gathering dust) and adding a little sparkle to your sweet faces! Good girls! Now doesn’t that make you feel better?
For those of you who showed concern about the Tornadoes in my area last week, thank you. A funnel cloud was spotted only three miles away from my home, but thankfully it did not touch down. Thank the Lord!
A sweet gal named Linda (hi Linda!) asked me to do a post about grooming, well seeing how much I love lipstick… so much I want to marry it….I thought it would be fun! Here is Linda’s request:
Anonymous said…
Thank you for your beautiful blog! A question… about grooming. You always looks so gorgeous. Do you always dress-up at home even if you know no-one will visit and you’re not going out? What is the bare minimum of make-up, haircare, jewelry, shoes,perfume, quality/style of clothing you’d use on a ‘home-day’? What extras do you use if having visitors or going shopping? Love a post on this! :) Kindest regards, Linda.
Thank you Linda for the oh-so-delightful compliments! I am certainly not an expert on beauty, but from one gal to all you adorable gals in blog-land, I am happy to share my thoughts.
I always…as in everyday….shower, wash my hair, style it, and put makeup on and get powdered and perfumed. I like to start the day fresh as a daisy. Anyone who knows me, knows that is just how I am. Unless I am in bed with the flu or a really bad cold, you can bet this Mother Hen is going to be all dolled up down to her lipstick! I do not feel completely dressed and ready to start the day until I do.
Even if I am staying home, I put my makeup on. It’s a pick-me-up, it tells my brain I am ready to face the world. If I don’t, I feel washed out and sloppy, sleepy and slouchy (is that a word?) and to be honest…without makeup, I look downright pale and plain, sort of like a potato. Well, eee-gads! I don’t want to walk around looking like a potato for goodness sake! How embarrassing! I need that sassy splash of color on my cheeks and lips and light up my eyes with eye shadow, liner and mascara. Hey, I don’t want anyone calling me Mrs. Potato Head!
“If you feel sloppy on the outside, before long it’s going to get on the inside. Take time to look your best.” ~ Joel Osteen
If I look better, I feel better. If I feel good, I am going to be so much more productive throughout the day. Experts say that if you are running a home business you need to get up and get dressed as if you were going out to the workplace. Even the Flylady says you need to get dressed down to your shoes! The stats show that a person is far more successful when they dress for success, even at home. When you feel good about yourself it puts a sparkle in your eyes! And, girlfriend, I like anything that sparkles!
As far as my clothing….I wear my blue-jeans a lot, with a cute top, I like the tops that are longer and go past the hips. When the weather is warm I wear cropped pants. I am hoping to find a couple of breezy prairie skirts for this summer. The clothes I buy must be fall into three categories:
1. Comfortable (I don’t care how gorgeous it is, if it’s not comfortable, forgetaboutit!)
2. Cute (stylish, figure flattering, and age appropriate)
3. Ladylike (feminine and modest)
As for my shoes, in the winter I wear Ugg boots, clogs, cowboy boots, or slip-on’s. Summertime I wear mules (slip-on open-toed shoes) or sandals. I don’t wear running shoes unless I am working out. Sketchers has some cute sport shoes in black that I will wear if I’m going to be doing a lot of walking. But mostly I wear slip-on’s.
When I have housework or cooking to do, I always put on an apron which gives me that same kind of perky dolled-up feeling. Suddenly, I am June Cleaver and I feel motivated to get my home tidy, scrubbed clean and smelling sweet. It sends a message to my family, that I take my job as homemaker seriously and joyfully! I want to be at my best as I strive to bless my home and family.
I remember going over to a friends house when I was around 13, and the mom looked like she just rolled out of bed at three in the afternoon (maybe she did), the house was dark, stale and messy. Joy-bells did not ring in her home. It was a sad, lonely, place. I think about the memories of home and mother, that my friend will have to live with for the rest of her life. It breaks my heart. I want my kids to remember love in their home, surrounded by laughter, fun, good food and glowing simple beauty, in a clean, well-lived-in home. I want them to remember that I took pride in my job as Mother Hen taking care of her chicks, and the way I presented myself, in a pleasant way, to them and the world.
“How we put ourselves together can be very revealing as to what kind of person we are.” ~ Susan Branch, Artist/Author
My mom (Esther ) was the same way ( she is on the right, in the front row wearing the darling white linen dress with the voluptuous rose on her shoulder. Don’t you just love how these ladies look? So very ladylike, feminine and proper! This gaggle of gals were from her Deed-A-Day Church group. They got together to do good-deed projects for those in need and for church events). She never went out of the house unless she looked “presentable”.
Even at home she always looked beautiful and smelled sweet. In fact, as she tidied up each room, a hint of Estee Lauder-Youth Dew fragrance would ribbon it’s way throughout the house. An aroma that said “mom’s home”.
So, like mother like daughter. I don’t leave the house looking disheveled or plain like a potato (I don’t have anything against potatoes mind you, I love to eat them, I just don’t want to look like one). If the barn need paintin’….paint it! My barn gets painted everyday!
You know the old saying “you only have one chance to make a good first impression”, I know that people treat us in a much more positive manner when we show that we care enough to dress clean and nice, comb our hair, and put a smile on our face. It’s a sign of self-respect. (And a little lipstick never hurts! But that’s just me!) Plus, a wisp of rosy blush, mascara and lip-gloss really does make a gal look younger, I like that.
As a teenager, I sometimes slept with those hard pink rollers in my hair…ouch! Those were the days before hair blowers and electric curlers or curling irons. (Am I revealing my age?!!) Anyhoo, after hearing me whine about it, my mom would say “Well, sometimes it hurts to be pretty”. She was right.
Side note: Queen Esther of the Bible had 12 months of Beauty Treatments in order to look beautiful for the King. It was her beauty and courage that ultimately saved her people from destruction. (I wonder what shade of lipstick she wore?)
As far as jewelry goes…one of my favorite things to put on is a single strand of creamy pearls! I love them! They are always classic, and adds such simple beauty to whatever you are wearing! It polishes up a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, or a cute top and a skirt.
I also love charm necklaces and bracelets, and anything that sparkles! I save the bling-bling for when I go out.
When we take the time to groom ourselves it sends a message to our children, they learn what they see modeled before them. The lesson taught is, we take care of our bodies and we put thought into how we present ourselves to others. We bathe, brush our teeth and comb our hair and dress in clean clothes. That’s just what we do. And for the little women, we show them feminine touches….tie a ribbon in your hair….dab on some perfume to smell sweet. For both sons and daughters it will only bring them success in life if we teach them to put on a smile and let their actions and words be kind and thoughtful to match their smart and dapper appearance.
There is a time and place when we can relax and let down our hair of course….for me it’s after dinner, once the kitchen is cleaned, I take a shower and put my comfy jammies on, (no make-up, can you believe it?!).
Ever since my kids were little, after I put my p.j.’s on, I would smooth on a yummy scented cream on my neck and hands so I would smell good when I tucked my kids into bed. One time, I put on Camille Beckman Vanilla scented cream and as I bent down to pray for my daughter Ashley and kiss her goodnight, she said “mom you smell just like sugar cookies!”. Oh Honey! Well, I loved that of course! Funny thing is, a few weeks later I was at a trade show at the Gift Show in LA and actually met Camille Beckman. I told her about what my little pumpkin-sweetheart said. She seemed overjoyed and touched! That next Christmas Season I noticed she had a new version of her vanilla scented cream just for the Holidays…..she named it “Sugar Cookie”. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but I like to think her heart was warmed by my story and ran with the idea! Who knows?!
And of course I want to look good for my husband! I know he appreciates the fact that I care about how I look. He sends me a text message everyday saying so! How grand is that? He does tease me sometimes when I am putting my make-up on…he calls it my “hobby”. Hey, I love to decorate anything and everything, including my face!
I have always set up a little vanity area whatever home I am living in. In my home now, my pampering spot is in my walk-in closet. I have a little table with my lighted make-up mirror, flowers and my collection of delicious cosmetics lined up on a square vintage dish. A small china creamer holds my mascara, lip pencils, and eye-shadow brushes. I like to sit down to put my makeup on, and using a brightly lit mirror makes a huge difference in being able to see clearly. Even when my kids were all little (I have 4 kids) I always made time to doll-up! I would bring the kids in with me and give them something to do. Yes, there were lots of interruptions, but I learned how to get it done quickly. And then I was ready to take on the day!
“Adornment is never anything except a reflection of the heart”
~Coco Chanel
Of course, true beauty starts on the inside. A gal can be blessed with exquisite natural beauty, which she enhances with top of the line cosmetics, and the latest fashion, and a sassy hairdo, but if she opens her mouth and bitter or vulgar words spill out, revealing the condition of her heart, her glow quickly fades, her dazzle fizzles, her beauty is lost.
A woman’s beauty lasts only as long as her disposition stays sweet.
“Be beautiful inside, in your hearts,
with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is so precious to God.” 1 Peter 3:4
Take this to heart, all of you cutie-pies…..
Dress yourself like the treasure you are.
Thanks for stopping by for some
“Put-On-Your-Lipstick-and-Pearls” Pie!
Now, let’s grab that lipstick gals,
and help beautify America!
Hugs!
Ruthann
P.S Happy Mother’s Day to all of you wonderful mama’s!
Here’s a mess of taters if I ever did see one!
Hey wait a minute….what’s Elvis doing here? Actually He performs here in town, He has two kids that go to my daughter’s school, so we see him a lot. Once I was at Wallmart and bumped into him in the toothpaste isle. He uses Crest with extra-whitening, in case you were wondering.
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