Friday, March 7, 2008

The Glow of the Old Oil Lamp (GUEST POST)

My brother sent me a great essay he wrote about old oil lamps and he gave me permission to use it as a guest post on my blog. Enjoy!

Weather in Indiana, as any Hoosier will testify, is an unpredictable beast. In fact many Hoosiers have said that if you don’t like the weather here, wait a week! Sitting in my recently electricity deprived home, dealing with the ravages of an ice storm, I recollect previous inclement weather occasions basking in the glow of old oil lamps. Yes, oil lamps. Unlike power outages at my parents’ house which entailed hunting for candles and hopefully a flashlight that had un-corroded batteries, my grandmother used oil lamps. On the rare occasion that I might be at Grandma’s when the power was out, we went for the old oil lamps.


Grandma had one of her mother’s oil lamps as well as a couple belonging to grandpa’s family in the west room built in glass front cabinet. In this cabinet Grandma kept many treasures such as: Halloween decorations, her parents school slates, some of their old school books, an old crock with numerous odds and ends that were found about the house, cookbooks and all sorts of different items that intrigue a young boy with a curious mind. The lamps were kept on the top shelf with the chimneys waiting to be placed back on the brass burner for their next use. The top shelf wasn’t tall enough for the chimneys to be stored on the lamps, but they were always ready for use when the time would arise.

On such occasions when I helped clean the cabinet or actually got to help light the lamps during a power outage, Grandma would ask me to carefully hand her down a lamp and then the chimney. A box of Ohio Blue-tip matches kept in the kitchen cabinet would be brought to the table and she would place the lamp in the center of the kitchen table and light the lamp telling me the story of her tending the lamps as a child before her parents had electricity on the farm.

One of her daily chores at the home place was to tend to the oil lamps every morning by trimming the wicks and to keep the chimneys clean from coal oil soot that would collect from burning the lamps at night. Newspaper was often used after the chimneys were washed to rub the glass to create a spotless shine for the flame to illuminate a room. Her mother, Myrtle, was very particular about her housekeeping so everything had to be just right. After electricity came to the home place, the lamps were kept for keepsakes from a time gone by and in case of an emergency.

Times have changed and there seem to be fewer power outages. Grandma and Grandpa are both gone, along with the house where many special memories were formed. I still cling to the happiness of those times I spent in their home. Myrtle’s oil lamp holds a place of honor in my home on top of our kitchen cabinet, filled with oil, ready to light up a room just as it is doing right now.

Some of my family wonder why I have always loved oil lamps and why I display the few I have collected around my home. I don’t wonder . . . not as I sit staring at the flame that brightens the dark expanse in the parlor brought about by Indiana weather. That one lamp brings the warmest feeling to my soul and smile to my face. The excitement I still get as a 36-year-old carefully bringing that oil lamp down from the cabinet, cleaning the globe and lighting the lamp takes me back to Grandma’s house and the comforts and good times I experienced in their home.

As I began typing the last sentence, the power company prevails as power returns to our home. So, the oil lamps will be blown out and returned to their place of honor until the next use where I will once again remember my grandmother’s legacy by taking down an oil lamp.

Thank you, Grandma, for being a light in my darkness and sharing your life with us.


-Bobert, 2008

191 comments:

KPCL Girl said...

Okay, you got me. I cried at this one... Nostalgia, times past, people past... Soak it up, soak it all up now while you still can...

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Delete shis text plz. Sorry

Anonymous said...

Go to [url=http://www.redsoleshoesmart.com/]Red Bottom Shoes[/url] {here|click here|click|website} [url=http://www.redsoleshoesmart.com/]red sole shoes[/url] Wedding Flower shoe [url=http://www.uslouboutinoutlet.com/]Christian Louboutin Outlet[/url] bags online

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cheap tramadol hcl related substances - tramadol withdrawal no sleep

Anonymous said...

best buy tramadol order tramadol overnight - tramadol online no prescription usa

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol without a script kegunaan tramadol hcl - tramadol for sale online no prescription

Anonymous said...

tramadol 100 mg buy tramadol online forum - tramadol zydus 50 mg

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol why can you buy tramadol online - tramadol gea 100mg

Anonymous said...

tramadol online buy tramadol cod fedex - tramadol withdrawal long

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online mastercard tramadol dogs - tramadol 50 mg normon

Anonymous said...

buy klonopin online canada buy klonopin with mastercard - klonopin lunch a memoir

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod online buy ultram 50 mg online - tramadol dosage amounts

Anonymous said...

klonopin pills klonopin dosage by color - klonopin withdrawal numbness

Anonymous said...

ativan no prescription buy ativan no rx - ativan vs xanax conversion

Anonymous said...

klonopin without prescription what's the klonopin high like - klonopin effects on fetus

Anonymous said...

tramadol without prescription ordertramadolonline - tramadol for dogs dose rate

Anonymous said...

ativan online ativan 4mg - right dosage ativan

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online no prescription zopiclone ambien zolpidem - ambien cr 12.5 mg withdrawal

Anonymous said...

klonopin medication safe buy klonopin online - what's the klonopin high like

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online cheap buy ultram legally - buy dog tramadol

Anonymous said...

buy ativan online how to buy ativan online no prescription - ativan withdrawal from 1 mg

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cash on delivery tramadol for dogs max dose - order tramadol cod

Anonymous said...

cheap klonopin 2mg klonopin compared to 2 mg xanax - will gain weight klonopin

Anonymous said...

can you buy tramadol online legally tramadol 50 mg mfg zydus - order tramadol echeck

Anonymous said...

buy generic tramadol no prescription can i buy ultram online - tramadol hcl obat

Anonymous said...

buy generic ambien online sleep eating while on ambien - order ambien overnight

Anonymous said...

where to buy ambien online ambien drug interaction warnings - ambien sleep aid

Anonymous said...

ativan without prescription ativan drug overdose - much generic ativan

Anonymous said...

buy soma online no prescription soma medication online pharmacy - generic name for soma

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online cheap tramadol hcl 37.5 mg - tramadol apap

Anonymous said...

soma online bras from soma - buy soma online from usa

Anonymous said...

tramadol online no prescription tramadol jwh 018 - tramadol user reviews

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol 180 can buy tramadol online usa - buy tramadol ultram ultracet online

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol buy tramadol online without prescriptions usa - what does tramadol 50 mg look like

Anonymous said...

buy soma online buy soma drug - discount on soma intimates

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online ambien side effects dreams - generic ambien launch

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol buy tramadol 180 - tramadol online in europe

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol 50 mg-myl - tramadol dosage chart

Anonymous said...

soma online soma no prescription arizona - buy soma online credit card

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol for dogs uti - tramadol addiction mayo clinic

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol no rx tramadol online tennessee - illegal to buy tramadol online

Anonymous said...

klonopin medication klonopin side effects seizures - klonopin recreational side effects

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online ambien cost cvs - ambien class b medication

Anonymous said...

generic ambien ambien side effects erowid - ambien cr free

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol 50mg bristol laboratories - tramadol to buy online

Anonymous said...

klonopin online klonopin online no prescription - buy klonopin cheap

Anonymous said...

can you buy ambien online ambien cr 12.5 mg tab - buy ambien tijuana

Anonymous said...

cheap zolpidem ambien sleep architecture - ambien fail drug test

Anonymous said...

order viagra online overnight buy viagra online thailand - beginning dosage viagra

Anonymous said...

klonopin for anxiety klonopin job interview - klonopin withdrawal length

Anonymous said...

buy ambien no prescription buy ambien online prescription - ambien controlled release generic

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online ultram online no prescription overnight - tramadol 50mg norsk

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online no rx ambien cr generic us - buy ambien online canada

Anonymous said...

buy cheap klonopin does generic klonopin look like - 3 mg klonopin high

Anonymous said...

ambien online purchase buy ambien no prescription overnight - ambien cr pill

Anonymous said...

tramadol online buy tramadol online no prescription overnight - tramadol hcl webmd

Anonymous said...

ambien ambien psychoactive medication - ambien cr and generic

Anonymous said...

klonopin no prescription makers generic klonopin - klonopin high cholesterol

Anonymous said...

order viagra prescription viagra for women pfizer - generic viagra online purchase

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online with mastercard buy tramadol uk cheap - tramadol online 180

Anonymous said...

buy klonopin online canada klonopin overdose recovery - much does 2mg klonopin cost

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol medication cheap tramadol without prescriptions - can you buy tramadol uk

Anonymous said...

ambien pharmacy ambien pictures - ambien generic price

Anonymous said...

order viagra with mastercard viagra online dangers - cheap female viagra online

Anonymous said...

ambien price ambien side effects aggressive behavior - ambien cr dosage 25mg

Anonymous said...

viagra online generic viagra online uk - buy real viagra online canada

Anonymous said...

soma online rows at soma for sale omaha - buy soma online mastercard

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol online overnight - generic tramadol online

Anonymous said...

buy ambien online ambien class c drug - ambien cost generic

Anonymous said...

soma without prescription soma drug classification - makes generic soma

Anonymous said...

buy viagra pills low dose viagra - buy viagra online spain

Anonymous said...

buy viagra los angeles viagra max dosage - most reliable online pharmacy viagra

Anonymous said...

buy viagra 100mg generic viagra online purchase - viagra in canada prescription required

Anonymous said...

how to buy cialis online cialis 72 stunden - http://www.cialis-online-shop.com

Anonymous said...

soma online where to buy soma cube - soma muscle relaxer street value

Anonymous said...

buy viagra viagra online buy india - viagra zinc

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra 100mg buy genuine generic viagra - does viagra work on a full stomach

Anonymous said...

tramadol 100 mg tramadol buy online florida - buy tramadol buy cod

Anonymous said...

buy viagra pills online viagra every day dosage - viagra online lloyds

Anonymous said...

buy viagra usa buy viagra online nz - viagra online from canada generic

Anonymous said...

buy viagra online viagra for women free - buy generic viagra 100mg

Anonymous said...

viagra drug viagra with dapoxetine - generic viagra kamagra uk

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online mastercard tramadol no prescription cod - tramadol dosage compared vicodin

Anonymous said...

order propecia online propecia side effects peyronie's - propecia side effects webmd

Anonymous said...

cialis online no prescription cialis online legal - cialis how long to take effect

Anonymous said...

generic viagra viagra online generic - buy viagra now uk

Anonymous said...

viagra online viagra online pharmacy europe - buy viagra canada online no prescription

Anonymous said...

finasteride no prescription propecia results diffuse - generic propecia legal

Anonymous said...

buy retin-a where to buy retin a cream in usa - buy tretinoin (retin-a) usa

Anonymous said...

can you buy cialis over the counter cialis when to take - cialis vs viagra

Anonymous said...

propecia no prescription where to buy propecia online - propecia coupon

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online cod overnight buy tramadol online no prescription next day delivery - tramadol hcl 200mg er

Anonymous said...

buy viagra 100mg canadian online pharmacy for viagra - non prescription viagra online uk

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online tramadol 50mg bristol laboratories - tramadol hcl user reviews

Anonymous said...

buy retin a no prescription retin a 30 minutes - retin-a gel pharmacy

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50mg buy tramadol with credit card - tramadol joint pain

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol order tramadol online mastercard - order tramadol from usa

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol hcl obat - tramadol hcl doses

Anonymous said...

tramadol buy zodol-tramadol 50 mg - tramadol 50mg for dogs usa

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol dosage uk - tramadol 50 mg abuse

Anonymous said...

buy propecia online propecia positive reviews - propecia side effects over exaggerated

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50mg rimadyl or tramadol for dogs - tramadol online cod payment

Anonymous said...

buy propecia online propecia not working - propecia 84

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg buy tramadol with cod - tramadol hydrochloride 50mg for dogs side effects

Anonymous said...

buy generic tramadol online tramadol no prescription pharmacy - buy tramadol online new zealand

Anonymous said...

buy generic tramadol online cheap tramadol 180 - tramadol cause high

Anonymous said...

buy retin-a retin a micro every other day - where to buy retin a micro no prescription

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra viagra online discover card - buy viagra us no prescription

Anonymous said...

cheap generic viagra viagra online bestellen - buy viagra us quick delivery

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol for dogs dose rate - tramadol 50mg tablets dosage

Anonymous said...

buy cheap viagra viagra online free shipping - order brand name viagra online

Anonymous said...

cialis online cialis online real - cialis tadalafil reviews

Anonymous said...

generic cialis cheapest place buy cialis online - buy real cialis no prescription

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol 50 mg recommended dosage - order tramadol overnight mastercard

Anonymous said...

discount viagra buy generic viagra nz - ordering viagra online in us

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cialis mail order - cialis price compare

Anonymous said...

generic cialis cialis мнения - cialis 5mg review

Anonymous said...

tramadol no prescription tramadol euphoria dose - tramadol online cod

Anonymous said...

viagra without prescription buy real viagra no prescription - buy viagra online next day delivery

Anonymous said...

discount viagra viagra by mail order from us - viagra kidneys

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription viagra online nhs - viagra 300mg

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription cheap viagra 100mg tablets - viagra how it works

Anonymous said...

viagra price generic viagra best - viagra for women price in delhi

Anonymous said...

generic cialis buy cialis online in u.k - cheap-cialis.net

Anonymous said...

viagra online without prescription viagra buy cvs - viagra online without prescription

Anonymous said...

generic tadalafil generic cialis levitra viagra - cialis from canadian pharmacy online

Anonymous said...

viagra 50mg viagra online without prescription+25 mg - viagra for women wiki

Anonymous said...

cheap generic viagra buy viagra online us - cheap viagra

Anonymous said...

cialis online no prescription cialis вики - cialis and nitrates

Anonymous said...

viagra price buy viagra mumbai - purchase viagra online in us

Anonymous said...

generic cialis cialis no prescription - cialis online in u.k

Anonymous said...

viagra price purchase viagra for women - viagra for women forum

Anonymous said...

cheap viagra generic viagra dapoxetine - buy viagra from us

Anonymous said...

generic cialis best price generic cialis 20 mg - can you order cialis online for canada

Anonymous said...

generic cialis cialis online miglior prezzo - cialis online in u.k

Anonymous said...

buy soma online muscle relaxer soma flexeril - order soma ship texas

Anonymous said...

buy cialis from canada buy cialis mumbai - cialis 5mg reviews

Anonymous said...

cialis online no prescription cheap kamagra cialis - order real cialis online

Anonymous said...

viagra online buy viagra online germany - buy viagra qatar

Anonymous said...

soma online soma drug drug interactions - soma san diego 2010

Anonymous said...

buy generic soma aura soma online test - soma drug testing show up

Anonymous said...

viagra online order viagra europe - buy viagra over counter us

Anonymous said...

buy soma online soma pills wikipedia - somo 655

Anonymous said...

soma pharmacy buy watson soma online - cheap soma no prescription

Anonymous said...

soma online buy somatropin south africa - generic drug for soma

Anonymous said...

buy soma buy tickets soma san diego - drug information on soma

Anonymous said...

buy retin-a online retin a gel 20g micro - retin a gel sunlight

Anonymous said...

buy retin a retin a cream for wrinkles - retin-a micro janssen-cilag

Anonymous said...

buy soma cheap generic soma - soma images generic

Anonymous said...

soma online generic soma markings - soma without prescriptions cod

Anonymous said...

soma online soma san diego 21 - reviews for soma bras

Anonymous said...

buy soma online order soma online cod - order soma legally online

Anonymous said...

soma online buy soma buena vista - soma on drug test

Anonymous said...

buy cialis online cialis online pharmacy reviews - cialis coupon walgreens

Anonymous said...

online soma black keys soma san diego - soma networks

Anonymous said...

buy soma online 9 panel drug test soma - soma drug slang

Anonymous said...

buy retin a retin a online usa - purchase retin a .1

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol tramadol dosering - prevent tramadol addiction

Anonymous said...

order tramadol overnight best place buy tramadol online - purchase tramadol generic ultram

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol cod next day delivery what is tramadol a generic for - tramadol high doses

Anonymous said...

buy retin-a online buy retin a gel online no prescription - buy retin a online no prescription

Anonymous said...

where to buy tramadol buy tramadol online with paypal - buy tramadol online with visa

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online overnight buy tramadol online 100mg - tramadol stronger than vicodin

Anonymous said...

tramadol without prescription buy tramadol in u.s - buy tramadol no rx

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol with paypal is it legal to buy tramadol online us - tramadol online no prescription cod

Anonymous said...

tramadol overnight shipping buy tramadol with mastercard - tramadol 50mg for dogs side effects

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol to buy online in usa - tramadol withdrawal alcohol

Anonymous said...

order tramadol online without prescription tramadol 50 mg paracetamol 500 mg - tramadol hcl indications

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol online tramadol xl dosage - tramadol hcl wiki

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol next day buy tramadol overnight cod - buy tramadol over counter

Anonymous said...

cheap tramadol tramadol 60 mg - tramadol 50 mg recreational

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg ultram vs tramadol generic - tramadol dosage daily

Anonymous said...

cheap tramadol tramadol questions - buy ultram online cod

Anonymous said...

tramadol 50 mg tramadol apap 37.5mg dosage - tramadol hcl 50 mg picture

Anonymous said...

buy generic tramadol online buy tramadol 100mg online - buy tramadol 24x7

Anonymous said...

xanax online what is xanax high like - xanax recreational drug use

Anonymous said...

generic xanax xanax 2mg side effects - xanax 106 s yellow pill

Anonymous said...

buy tramadol without a script order tramadol online mastercard - tramadol 50 mg iv

Anonymous said...

buy xanax xanax drug facts - 2mg xanax no tolerance

Anonymous said...

tramadol online tramadol hcl compared to vicodin - tramadol dosage greyhounds

Anonymous said...

buy cialis online generic cialis online us - best online pharmacy cialis

Anonymous said...

buy cialis cheap order cheap cialis online - how to order cialis online no prescription

Anonymous said...

cialis online buy cialis from australia - low price cialis

Anonymous said...

buy cialis online usa buy cialis online us - buy cialis pay with paypal

Anonymous said...

http://landvoicelearning.com/#63987 tramadol 50 mg buzz - tramadol for opiate addiction

Anonymous said...

learn how to buy tramdadol tramadol 50 mg for pain - tramadol 50 mg is equivalent

Anonymous said...

klonopin for anxiety klonopin vs clonazepam - klonopin dosage per day

Anonymous said...

order klonopin no prescription can buy klonopin online - 2mg klonopin recreational

Anonymous said...

carisoprodol 350 mg side effects of carisoprodol 350 mg - carisoprodol side effects long term