In the Meantime

Zina, Virginia and Cam

In the meantime, while I research the Coffman side a little more, I'd like to pay honor to my memory of Zina's siblings.

Momma's siblings were special.  They were all so close being that their Daddy died when they were youngsters and their success in making it through the tough times was tied to the love and respect they shared for eachother.

Cam was the oldest and became a Civil Engineer...taking after his own Father's career as a Coal Mine Inspector and Real Estate Appraisor that included inspecting the land in the Appalachian Mountain area.  Uncle Cam (to me) married a young lady by the name of Sylvia and had three children who I saw once or twice a year.  Cam worked for the State of West Virginia as a Civil Engineer so he moved to a small area not too far from the Capitol Building located in Charleston called Dunbar, WV.  Momma and I would stop by sometimes on our way to see Grandma Ada which was a half way point in our 2 and 1/2 hour trip to Beckley, WV from Ashland, KY. '
I will share photos of Uncle Cam's kids later in the blog entry devoted to "Cousins".
  



Cam, Ada, Virginia and Zina 1960ish

 

 

 

 

Uncle Cam in later years

 

 

 

 Uncle Cam and wife, Sylvia


 

 

 

 Virginia as a toddler...look at her Asian eyes

 

 

 

Aunt Gin-Gee was one of the quietest kindest young ladies I've ever known.  She smiled alot and and was quite feminine.  Her frame was very thin and petite and I remember her being cold alot so she always wore a sweater.

 

 

 

 

Aunt Gin Gee never married although she was engaged earlier in life.  I'm not quite sure what happened in that relationship but I remember it being a subject we never discussed.  She had a locket from her love and a few other items I now have.  Love can be timeless and never forgotten when it's special and ends too quickly.

 

Aunt Gin Gee stayed closed to her Mother and lived with Ada until Gin Gee died at the young age of 48.  I remember the story of Grandma finding Gin Gee climbing on the kitchen table and being very confused.  Test results came back that showed "water on the brain", not sure what it actually means and need to research...I will have to make it a point to call my oldest cousin on the Coffman side...Charlie will know.

 Aunt Gin Gee's car...she drove us all around and remember, Ada never had her driver's license so Gin Gee was a big help to her Mother. 

Me and my Sweet Aunt Gin Gee

I remember going to the hardware store to purchase a miniature Barbie with the "green stamps" Gin Gee collected for me.  She asked me if I was ready to go for a drive and we all loaded up and drove downtown to the little store where my little Barbie lay waiting.  When we came back home to Grandma's, I remember taking napkins and pretending they were sheets for Barbie's bed.  It's a good memory to have because I rarely got to choose the very toy I liked or dreamed about.  Those choices were made for me by my Mother, based on what we could affort at the moment.  Times were a little slim for us back in KY so it was a nice time everytime we came to visit our home away from home in Beckley.

At Ada's front door once again...coming or going.

 



A Home on North Oakwood

Momma spent most of her life growing up in the home on North Oakwood Avenue in Beckley, WV.  She was raised in a time and place where innocence was golden and getting caught smokin' cornsilk was a big deal.  I remember a story about Momma and her girlfriends actually sitting in the cornfield that grew atop of the land attached to my Grandmother's land and rolling cornsilks like cigerettes, lighting and smoking them and coughing for hours. 

Thus, Zina Mae did not smoke a thing afterwards.  She didn't drink a drop nor did she wear makeup unless it was red lipstick in the younger days or clear-colored chapstick in the silver years. 

Another funny story I remember her telling me is about the time she and her girlfriends went back up to the garden on the top of the hill and ate some very hot peppers.  She said they couldn't run down the hill fast enough to find something to soothe their burning mouths.  Luckily, Grandma had some fresh cornbread and butter on the table so this was the natural choice to remedy their situation.  Then they cooled their mouths by drinking cold glasses of milk! 

 

Momma was quite a sweetheart and looked much like her Daddy's side of the family.  Especially when it came to her eyes and hair color.  I always felt a little sad for her knowing that she was only 5 when her Daddy passed away.  I'm sure this must have been traumatic for her and her siblings.  But she was the baby of the family and a little girl at that.  Losing her Father at such an early age had an impact in ways that came out later in life.  Momma always spoke highly of her Daddy and I remember Aunt Gin Gee and Momma calling him "Daddy" when speaking about him although they were all grown up at the time of their tableside talks.

 

My Momma's Daddy and My Grandfather

Rufus Campbell Coffman

 

A Sidenote:  The name of Coffman....it just dawned on me that this very name may add a thread of Jewish Heritage to the mix of Italian, French, German, Irish/English previously mentioned.  I'd like to think it's true....Kauffman, Coffman or any other spelling of this name may hold the clue to the origin.  I'd like to think that somewhere in my ancestory, I have Jewish blood, the blood of God's Chosen.  I've always felt particularly cared for and so perhaps this is part of the reason why or perhaps it's because God loves me and He knows me by name.  I'm His Daughter.



The Lily of the Valley

Her favorite flower was Lily of the Valley.  She often wore the scent.  I can still see the cloud of powder from her powder puff as she dusted herself.

It ended in the Chapel where the Hospice Angels, friends and family paid their respects. The life of a woman who almost died having her youngest came to an end in September 2000.

My Mother's life was not quite long enough in my eyes, however, how can I complain?  I had her for 37 years.  I just thought I'd have her for awhile longer. We shared a lot together and it's safe to say, I was her "little Annie" and the apple of her eye.  Maybe she felt so close to me because she almost died having me.  She always wanted me to be just like her.  I was her 3rd C-Section and at the time of my birth, we were Catholic.  When Dr. Neyer came out of the operating room to tell my Dad things weren't going well...the decision would have already been made in the eyes of the Catholic faith.  But God had great purpose for the both of us and I'm thankful He allowed both of us to live.

So lets get started with the rest of the story...perhaps the beginning would be the best place to write about...in Beckley, WV where Zina Mae Coffman was conceived and born on an iron bed that now has a permanent place beside Ada's floorlamp in our guest bedroom.

Little Zina Mae born in the Month of May



Everyday Recipes from the Kitchen of Ada

Ada's Cookbook and one of her "Blue" Bowls

 

 

 

Let the Chicken Stew!... Grandmother Ada used to stew her chicken until tender in a pot on top of her little gas stove.  She would add her onions, celery, salt, pepper and garlic powder to her chicken parts and bring to a boil, stir then simmer for awhile.  The smell was delicious and the chicken would be sooo juicy.  She really enjoyed her dark meat and wasn't on the white meat bandwagon.  This is where I get my love for chicken legs!

 

Slow-baked Roast and Gravy was another favorite.  With cast iron skillet at hand, Ada would season the roast with salt and pepper then brown the roast in a little oil in the skillet, then place her cleaned cut carrots, celery, onion, and garlic powder in with the roast and drippings, stir in a little water to make more gravy in the end and bake for a couple of hours at 325 degrees.  You could cut this meat with a fork and the gravy was so tasty I could never stop dipping my roll in it in an attempt to clean my plate. 

 

Green Beans with Steamed Pototoes were always on the stove top.  Ada never went more than a day without her green beans seasoned with bacon strips, onion, salt and pepper.  She never grew tired of this green veggie.  She would sometimes add cleaned sliced new potatoes to cook over top the steam from the green beans while they were simmering...this would sometimes be a meal in itself... I remember the smell of the flavored steam saturating her kitchen her kitchen and it makes my mouth water!

 

Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing was the only dressing Grandmother Ada would drizzle on top of her lettuce salad.  I remember as a child, standing in front of her stove, watching the apple cider vinegar, sugar and occasionally a few bacon drippings simmer in the sauce pan until the sugar would dissolve.  She would top her salad made with lettuce, onion, tomatoes and green pepper and toss altogether.  The sweetened apple cider would compliment all the garden veggies in the salad so well because it satisfyed all the taste buds!

 

Blackberry Cobbler was made with fresh blackberries from Ada's backyard when they were in season. 1C flour, 1/8t salt, 1/4C milk,1/3C sugar (usually a little more for added sweetness), 1T butter, 1C blackberries (or a tad bit more), 1t baking power were the ingredients.  In a mixing bowl, make sure to sift the flour and then add baking powder and salt or use the all-purpose flour we can find today and skip adding the baking powder and salt.  Cut in butter, and add milk to blend.  Grease a baking dish, preheat your oven 450 degrees.  Place berries in greased baking dish and sprinkle with sugar. Place dough mixture on top of berries and bake in hot oven for 30 minutes. *Can boil 1/4 c sugar in 1/4 c water for 4 minutes then add a little vanilla to make simple syrup.  When cobbler has baked 20 minutes add syrup then bake the additional 30 minutes.  Can serve with vanilla icecream or pour a little milk over top like me and Grandma used to do.  You will be in cobbler heaven!

 

 

Homemade Applesauce... "An apple a day keeps the Doctor away" . This is probably one reason Grandma Ada lived to be 96 years old!  She had a couple of tablespoons of applesauce everyday!  I remember her opening the door leading to her basement where she stacked her jars of canned applesauce she made each year from the apples growing on the trees in her backyard.  She was faithful to do this each year and considered herself blessed to have the fresh fruit.  In her later years, she would just by the applesauce already made in the cans at the grocery store.  Ada would top her one slice of buttered toast each morning with applesauce instead of using jam or preserves and she would eat again on warm toast with butter at night.  Her recipe was pretty simple and although she would make very large quantities, I will condense this homespun recipe down to a smaller quantity that can be doubled or tripled if you so desire.  Ada's Applesauce:  4C pared Apples, Sugar, can add Nutmeg or Cinnamon.  Slice apples, cover with water.  Cover and simmer until soft.  Add spice to taste, simmer until sugar is dissolved.  When you have the disired thickness of "sauce", pour into cleaned canning jars or a small sealed container if you are cooking a little bit that will be eaten within a couple of weeks.  If using canning jars, place waxed lids in boiling water to warm wax rim then place on canning jar, add ring and twist to seal.  Place filled and sealed canning jars in boiling water until top of jar is covered.  Let jars sit in this hot water bath for a bit, then use tongs to remove jars from water, placing jars on counter for cooling purposes.  You will hear jar lids begin to pop as if to say, "It's time to tighten the lid"...this will preserve your homemade applesauce for later use.

 

 

Simmered Sweet Rhubarb is a recipe I remember Grandma Ada making occassionlly.  In a saucepan, she would place cleaned cut pieces in water, add sugar and sometimes strawberries, bring to boil and reduce to simmer covered until rhubard softened.  We would eat this mixture on our toast usually in the Summertime.

 

In Grandma's kitchen, there was always a plate of sliced onions and tomatoes on the table along with a dish of softened butter.  Her vintage refridgerator always had her favorite breakfast mainstays on the shelves like sliced bacon, sausage and eggs to go along with her daily dose of orange juice.  You could always find a 7up or Sprite or two on hand in case she or family had an upset stomach.  There was always a loaf of the original multigrain Roman Meal bread on the counter because her favorite Dr. Dolfe Daniels told her this was the healthiest bread choice for her and it just so happens, it sits on my kitchen counter too! So thanks Dr. Daniels, your advice lives on.

 

One of my favorite teacups that used to sit in Grandma Ada's kitchen on the indented wall shelf beside her kitchen/dining table area.  It belongs in a set of three which are in the colors of yellow, mauve, and the jade color you see here.

 

 

 

Reminising about all of this good food from the past makes me hungry!  I'm going to my kitchen and fixing myself a little toast with butter and applesauce to hold me over 'til dinner.  May God bless you and the meals you prepare for the ones you love!



 

 

 

 

 





The Watcher
by Margret Widdimer

She always leaned to watch for us
Anxious if we were late
In Winter by the window
In Summer by the gate

And though we mocked her tenderly
Who had such foolish care
The long way home would seem more safe
Because she waited there

Her thoughts were all so full of us
She never could forget
And so I think that where she is
She must be watching yet

Waiting til we come home to her
Anxious if we are late
Watching from Heaven's window
Watching from Heaven's gate

 

An Appalachian Lady

Ada 96 years Young!

 Great Memories of Grandmother Ada at her home

 

When Grandmother Ada came to visit me in KY (with my friend Ann Hodges) 

 Standing at Grandma's front door almost ready to leave for KY (me at age 15)

 

Visiting Grandma and family for Mothers Day...I always made sure she had a basket of flowers 

Grandma with her sisters Buelah and Blanch in WV

My Sister, Jeanine (6 months pregnant) with Grandma and me during an October visit

 

Me and my boys with Grandma during a Winter visit. I can remember entering her home from this front door...she used to have many plants in this entry that I would tend to as a child.  I remember the smell of her home and the sunshine that would enter the windows seen here and fall on the oriental rug bordered with the warm color of purple.  The hint of furniture seen here was a wood-framed couch much like the futon couches seen today.  I busted my head wide-open on this couch as a 3 yr old while riding piggy-back on my Sister's back.  I wish I had this couch and the  rug.  I do have a table that set in this area she used as a plant stand and a night stand table.  I have the English pea green Cat Lamp that I would look at while falling to sleep as a child.  I have Grandmother's etched wine glasses and her tea cups that are simply precious to me as well as her China as mentioned before.  I have her famous "blue" bowls she displayed in her kitchen and her aprons.  I have many pieces of her costume jewelry she purchased while working at the department store she so loved.  I have one of her cotton gowns, a couple of pair of Winter white gloves and a hat or two, a container of knicknacks, a vintage print of a lady dressed in a gown clinging to a rock with a standing cross mounted in the rock, a few containers with table linens and I have her cedar chest filled with old photos and a few childhood toys my kids used to play with while visiting her home.  Another item I cherish having is her sewing machine that she used while stitching so many creations together.  I have her sewing basket that set alongside that machine along with her scissors and thimbles, spools of thread and a variety of buttons.

 

 

 I feel very blessed to have these personal things that still smell like my Grandmother Ada.  But out of all these beautiful things, I cherish the seeds of kindness and love she planted in me.  I cherish our quiet time together, our tea time and our bedtime routine we followed when I visited with her. When it was close to bedtime, I would set on her bed and watch her open the jar of expensive night cream formulated by Elizabeth Arden.  I remember the smell of this cream and the smell of the powder she would apply all over her body.  Then, depending on the Season she would put on her cotton or flannel granny gown and wrap her hair in a hankerchief for the night.  We would then go to the kitchen for a little snack before slumber...warm buttered toast with applesauce.  Once finished with our night time snack we would retire to her bed where I would drift off to sleep after asking her many questions about life...and we would always say our prayers together.  After our prayers, she would always tell me all of the reasons why she loved our Lord and how to stay close to Him always.  My Grandmother loved Jesus Christ with all of her heart and her quiet confidence and inner strength came from her faith that proved to sustain her through all of her 96 years on this Earth.  She would sometimes sing hymns to me while we faced eachother propped up on our sides waiting to drift off to sleep.  I remember her singing "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" and my childhood favorite "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".  She sang with a twang that identified her with her Irish/English Appalachian roots...every so softly like a songbird singing me to sleep. 

 

My mind's eye takes me back to a sweet time warmed with a closeness of a childhood that was lead by the love of quiet soul, Ada Christine Jennings Coffman Bailey.  I send my "Thank You's" to Heaven where you wait patiently from Heaven's window and from Heaven's gate.

The Colonel and Elzina

Ada's parents The Colonel and Elzina Jennings

 

These are the things I remember about Grandmother Ada's parents...they were from Virginia and moved to Raleigh County where The Colonel was the Postmaster and delivered mail on horseback.  I believe it's safe to say that Elzina was a stay-at-home mom burping out babies galore...a family of 12 siblings!  Can you imagine delivering mail on horseback in the mountains in the wintertime!  There are some tough genes in our family, no doubt.  We've got some staying power, some substance and thank goodness my kids look like the Cumbo's!  Although my Grandmother was a beauty and her brother Arthur the Photographer was a pretty boy.  Uncle Cam looks a lot like my Grandmother and her brother.  As you have probably already concluded... Mother Zina was named after her Grandmother Elzina...Elzina sounds German to me, however, Jennings is an English or Irish name. Someday, I'd like to research the history of the Jennings a little further.  And someday, I will.

So...there ya go...we are an ancestory blend of Italian(Cumbo),French(Clarke),German(Coffman), and Irish/English(Jennings). 

Ponder the Beauty of Ada Christine

"Isn't she lovely", I say,  not questioning her beauty but moreover in a tone of admiration. Yes, she is my Grandmother and in most cases, we love our Grandmothers for who they are and for what they add to our lives.

(right)Ada with little Zina on her lap then Ada's Sister Blanch(left, sitting) and Sister Buelah(standing behind her) Gin-Gee is standing behind Blanch

I can honestly say that I am my Grandmother's daughter in many ways.  I've been told I look like both of my parents, Tony and Zina, however, my disposition is much like my Grandmother Ada's.

As a child, I remember riding along the West Virginia Turnpike in anticipation of our visit to her cozy little home on N. Oakwood Avenue in Beckley.  Her yard had apple and walnut trees and a whole extra yard filled with old fashioned phlox that would bloom in pink, white and purple.  I always hoped she had made her homemade blackberry cobbler made from the berries growing in her yard because it was truly my favorite.  Sometimes she would even ask me to go pick the berries!

 



Yes, Grandma Ada passed her "top half" on to me as well

 

 

 



Ada was quiet, creative, could sing a little, could cook a little, could garden a lot, could can her apples and crack her black walnuts every Summer.  She loved her home and family, she was a caregiver, she was quite the looker in her day, she liked cream in her coffee and toast with butter and homemade applesauce as a snack.  Grandmother Ada used real butter and allowed me to climb up on her table and put my finger in the softened butter stick that lay on the china butter dish anytime I wanted.  She also invited me to join her in having a little cup of coffee with cream (and sugar) from time to time.  She always served her coffee in beautiful china that I have today and taught me how to hold my pinky out while holding my coffee cup to let people know I was being ladylike.  And the best moment was at the end of our coffee time when she would look in the bottom of her cup to see if there were any coffee grinds left.  If there were a few, she would begin to tell the tale of how she could read the coffee grinds...always entertaining my mind with all the good things that were to come.

One memory that comes to mind about Grandmother Ada's kitchen is that she always had pretty curtains in the windows and always tied an apron on before preparing the meal.  I feel fortunate to have a special box of aprons and linens that belonged to her.  I really enjoy looking at them from time to time.  It brings back so many great memories of setting around her table having conversations with my Momma and Aunti and family.  I can smell the flavored steam of her green beans seasoned with bacon and onions cooking on the little gas stove in her little special cove of a kitchen.

 

I called her Grandmother for as long as I can remember then one day when my kids were little, I began calling her Grandma.  Maybe it's because it was a shorter word for my boys to say or maybe it's because I really didn't want anyone else calling her by the endearing name I held close to my heart.