Sentimental Sunday....

Henry and Irene [Banet] DREHER

1958

Fearless Females - March 18

Thanks to the Accidental Genealogist for the Blogging Prompts for Fearless Females for March!
March 18 — Shining star: Did you have a female ancestor who had a special talent? Artist, singer, actress, athlete, seamstress, or other? Describe.

My maternal grandmother, Irene Caroline Banet Dreher [1906-1989], was exceptionally talented with a needle! She could create just about any dress, blouse or shirt without ever benefiting from use of a sewing pattern! If she could see it, she could make it!

She made the most beautiful quilts! All without ever using a sewing machine! I’ve seen her cut quilts out on her kitchen table. Then actually quilt them by hand by merely holding the material on her lap! Not many years before she died, my mother finally bought her a lap held quilting frame. “Granny” stitched every single stitch by hand. Most of her stitches, even in the quilts she made in her old age, were nearly invisible to the eye!

And she could crochet like no woman I’ve ever seen or known! She could make anything by crocheting it! And she could envisage it in her head! I have seen her make beautiful garments for fall and winter, simply by sitting down and crocheting. Never using a pattern, tape measure, or drawing it out. She could see it in her mind’s eye and make it!

She once told me that she had counted stitches so many times in her mind that she counted everything she did! When she was washing dishes she would count them in her mind [ie: one plate; one plate, one fork; one plate, one fork, one cup; one plate, one fork, two cups; etc]

While she never received any public accolades for her talent, she was still known far and wide for them. And she is remembered for them today.

Fearless Female - 3-15-10

Thanks to the Accidental Genealogist for the Blogging Prompts for Fearless Females for March!


March 15 — Write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors.



So, with that, here is my tribute:

Irene Caroline Banet Dreher: diminutive; tough; crafty; crocheter; “The Boss”

Almost Wordless Wednesday - December 16, 2009

Irene Banet Dreher

1906-1989

My Mother grew up during a hard time in our Nation's history. The tail-end of the Great Depression. While her family lived in the "country", it was not considered a poverty stricken area. However, most homes still did not have running water, although most did have electricity.

The above picture was taken of my Grandmother, about 1955. It was the dead of winter, and she was going to the well to get a bucket of water for the house. Dressed for warmth, she wearing long underwear, a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, her shoes under heavy rubber galoshes, gloves, and her winter coat.

Man... I am so thankful we have indoor plumbing today!

Advent Calendar - December 15- The Holiday Happenings!

Often times December to mid-January birthdays and anniversaries get over shadowed by the Christmas/ Hannukkah/ New Year Holidays. So we’re going to shine a spotlight on those family members and ancestors this time around. Select one or more December to mid-January birthdays and/ or anniversaries on your family tree. Write a short tribute to or memory of those birthday guys and gals and write a toast to the anniversary couples.



Having already written on this same subject [see our post for December 9, 2009 for the 86th COG here], betcha didn’t think I could come up with different folks, didya?

The above picture is of my granddaughter, Savannah Hope. She was born on January 4th, just a few years ago, to our son, Chris and his girlfriend, Cathy.

What can I say about sweet little Savannah?

Savannah was the first grandchild born to us after my husband and I were married. [He already had 2 before we met and married.] But this was the first after we were together. And we were at the hospital together after her birth. She had a very rough start in life. But she certainly turned around, and is a little whirlwind now! She is my very first grandchild, so she is extra special to me!

I haven’t seen my little sweetie in so long, not by choice…but that’s another story. So, I hold the memory of being with her in my heart. And cherish her all the more!

As for anniversaries, there is another one for December 12th! Yep! [I wrote previously about my parents anniversary on December 12th.] This one is for my mother’s parents, Henry Condar Dreher, Jr. and Irene Caroline Banet.



Henry [1902-1977] and Irene [1906-1989] were married on December 12th, 1923 in Indiana. They went on to have 5 children: Ethel, Arthur, Laura Marion, Billy, and Lois [my mother].

I have such fond memories of Grandma and Grandpa Dreher! So it isn’t hard to write a little toast for their anniversary!

Here’s to the couple who married when cold
December winds began to blow
From their youth to the age when old
Their love blossomed, they watched it grow

It blessed a family, now generations long
It grew beyond all measure
Something stronger than phrase or song
A love the family could treasure.



Happy Birthday Savannah! Grammie and Gramps love you!

Happy Anniversary Nana and Grandpa!