Nana

I'm remembering "Nana" today, and looking at an old framed image of her. Nana was my grandmother (my father's mother). She lived next door with Granddaddy Nichols during their retirement years in Danvers, when I was a child.

Her real name was Nellie, but my sister and I always called her "Nana." 

Years later I learned that her full maiden name was Nellie Eusebia Johnson. She had been born in December 1874, and became Mrs. William S. Nichols on January 8, 1902. This image of her is dated 1926; thus she must have been 51 or 52, while her sons were teenagers (ages 14 and 19). They all lived then in Montpelier, Vermont, and she was probably active then in the church community that her husband served as minister. I really don't know much about her life in those years. That's all 'way before my time.

In my childhood in the 1940's and early 1950's, Nana was in Danvers, and as far as I knew, she and Granddaddy had probably ALWAYS lived in Danvers! We often heard stories of his past, growing up nearby at Pine Knoll (the old Nichols homestead), but I don't recall stories of Nana's earlier life.

What I do remember are times with Nana in her kitchen, when she was making donuts or cookies. I recall "helping out" by eating any cookies that were charred or broken. She willingly gave me those spoiled ones, which I enjoyed. I also remember her collections of sea shells. She really loved sea shells! Big ones were used as door stops around the house. Small ones and delicate ones were on display in glass-topped cases in the sunroom off the dining room.  

I remember watching Nana work at hooking a rug. She had a big wooden frame set up in the dining room, and she stood (or sat on a stool?) in front of it with tools in her hands, working strips of wool or other fabric in and out of the little holes in the burlap that was stretched taut on the frame. She was filling in patterns that had been drawn on that burlap. Did she design those patterns herself?  I assume so, but don't really know.

I do have one example of something Nana hooked: a small round seat cover with a gull flying on it. I examined it today and took these photos, including a close look at its back side:

Note how the colors are stronger on the back side, which hasn't faded as much as the front. All in all, this seat cover has lasted well in the 70 or so years since Nana made it. She died in July 1953 at age 78, when I was just 10. 

Here's a closer photo of Nana's 1926 portrait, with fewer reflections: 

Below is a photo from my era, showing Nana with us at a family dinner at Pine Knoll. The date is probably 1952.  My sister Jean is beside Nana; I am at right, beside Granddaddy. 

See also the photos in my blog post about our grandparents' Golden Wedding anniversary, January 8, 1952:

https://rememberingdanvers.blogspot.com/2014/01/january-8.html