Ten things I love in my kitchen...

A week or so ago, over at thekitchn.com , they had a post about ten things that inspire love in a kitchen. My little late-night chore last night got me thinking about this. So in no particular order, here's my ten.

flatware:

Way back in the dark ages, my mom asked me what I wanted for my 18th birthday, and ultra-practical me asked for flatware to put in my hope chest. Mom loved practicality, so we went and picked these out right then. It's kinda cool to look at this picture and know that every meal I've ever made for my family has been eaten with these utensils.

pots & pans:

Our wedding gift from mom. What a luxury to have really great pans right from the start. Of course the set includes lots more pieces, but the saucepans have been used practically every single day of the past third of a century! And look...they still look beautiful!

cookie jar:

This cookie jar belonged to my Aunt Norma. Not really an aunt, but a neighbor. When I was little, and out of school sick with an ear ache, I always stayed at her house. And she always had cookies in this cookie jar. Her sister-in-law lived on the block too...Aunt Mae...she wasn't as grandmotherly as Aunt Norma...in fact, I never felt like she liked me a whole lot. But one day right after Norma died, Aunt Mae walked in our front door carrying this cookie jar. She said, "This is for Kathy. I wanted to make sure she got it." I was about 12 at the time, and this made a big impression on me. She didn't bring remembrances for my mom or sisters, just me. So I love this cookie jar a lot...it makes me feel loved remembering these two 'aunts' and their different ways of treating me tenderly.

ice:

Hello. My name is Kathleen, and I am an ice-aholic.

note on my refrigerator:

Pretty self-explanatory. I especially love the little rock chip he taped to the note. :)

pressed-glass salad bowl (left):

I think this was my great-grandmother's. One day I was at my mom's and telling her that I had broken my favorite salad bowl recently. She opened a cabinet, and told me to take this one home. I thought it was a little intimidating for everyday use, but she was so relaxed about handing it over to me, that I've been happily using it for all of our salads for a long time now. It's the perfect shape...much better than the one it replaced.

artwork:

I couldn't keep it to only ten without grouping these two together. The great-big framed flour sack on the left was given to me by a friend who was moving out of town and trying to downsize. It makes me think of her. Sometime after it came to my house to live, a teeny little moth somehow snuck into the bottom left corner...and I just leave it there.

The little girl on the right belonged to my Great-Aunt Ruth. It hung in her kitchen forever, is about 5" x 7", and is captioned, "I wish I was a boy." Aunt Ruth was from a farm family with lots of brothers and only one sister. She said the boys always seemed to be outside playing while she was stuck inside doing boring household chores. I find it very endearing.

mugs:

Another wedding gift...don't remember who these were from. They have a perfect rim that is so comfortable to drink from, an easily graspable handle, and are perfect for beverages or soup!

cupboard:

When my parents bought their house, this was the kitchen cupboard. Years later, when they remodeled, it was moved outside to the laundry room. When I finally had a house with room for it, I began my begging campaign. I love its history, its beauty, and its storage space!

window:

I love having a window to look out of while I'm at the sink. And though it's not visible in this photo, I love the view. It brings me peace.