favourite things

I have this brush that my grandma gave me...I had to ask for it, of course, as an old manky brush isn't something that would be thought about when it comes time to inheritances...

I have memories from when I was a child that seem like yesterday- corn on the cob eaten in the fields after combining and the smell of oil on papa's skin. My family come from a long line of farmers- wheat, cows, the obligatory chickens and then peas, rapeseed and buffalo.

My mama would cook for a dozen then take the hot food out to the field for the men to eat on their break from seeding, combining or doing whatever it is that farmers do till late in the evening. I still love the blue jug with spots on it that held the best iced tea and lemonade in the world (which I think is still in her cupboard). I can still taste the field dust. There is always dust on the prairie. It gets into your ears, your skin, your mouth and your eyes and there's nothing to do but blink and spit and know that you can have a bath when you get home.

I remember my mama brushing her long hair out at night, hair that during the day was in a french roll and never during daylight did we see it loose. I remember her rolling it up in curlers and pincurls for bed...and bobbypins in her mouth. I remember having knots in my hair after playing outside all day- with thin fine hair knots are no laughing matter! Out would come mama's magical brush and the knots wouldn't seem so bad and my hair always felt smooth as silk afterwards. Oh, I loved that brush.

The farming continues now with one of my uncles but the days of mama's long hair are long gone- she cut it years ago and has no need for pincurls or french rolls, bobby pins or curlers anymore. So I asked for the brush. She had kept it- even though she had no use for it- and it now resides in my bedroom.

I don't think it's the same brush she used on my hair as a child- but it's still got that old magic. Knots are freed, hair is smooth and all is right in my world of fine thin hair for another day.