About 40 years ago my sister Nonie bought a beat up rocking chair at an antique store for about $15. She had a good eye for a teenager! She knew with a little elbow grease and a lot of determination she could turn this solid oak rocker into a thing of beauty.
We had shared the cost of the rocker and the deal was which ever one of us had the first baby would become the proud owner of this beauty. Well, many years later, I had the first baby and my sister just could not bring herself to part with this rocker. I guess she figured she would need the rocker to rock her nieces once I beat her to the punch and had a baby before she had a chance. Actually, she never did have a chance, because she lost her life two years before she turned thirty. I'm really glad she hung on to the rocker and was able to rock my first two baby girls in her own home.
My sister was no dummy. She knew I wasn't letting her off the hook for that rocker without some intense baby sister whining about it, so she found this white wicker rocker at a garage sale and refurbished it to welcome home her first niece and to appease me. She was way ahead of her time with that red and white pillow ticking. I think she felt as joyous as I did about welcoming her niece into the world.
Years later, my sister's rocker became famous when the local paper was doing a piece about the comfort of rockers and her grown up niece was working for the paper and suggested she knew just the rocker for their centerpiece. She would have been so proud!
My girls also enjoyed being rocked by their Omie (German for grandmother) as seen above. The rocking chair has been reupholstered many times since my sister found this gem and there is a third niece she never had the pleasure of meeting who bears my sister's name as her middle name. Lindsay Leonie.
Here's her rocking chair years later after many changes in fabrics and many more babies (my own three grandsons to name a few) who have been comforted to sleep by the sweet creek of this rocker.
We had shared the cost of the rocker and the deal was which ever one of us had the first baby would become the proud owner of this beauty. Well, many years later, I had the first baby and my sister just could not bring herself to part with this rocker. I guess she figured she would need the rocker to rock her nieces once I beat her to the punch and had a baby before she had a chance. Actually, she never did have a chance, because she lost her life two years before she turned thirty. I'm really glad she hung on to the rocker and was able to rock my first two baby girls in her own home.
My sister was no dummy. She knew I wasn't letting her off the hook for that rocker without some intense baby sister whining about it, so she found this white wicker rocker at a garage sale and refurbished it to welcome home her first niece and to appease me. She was way ahead of her time with that red and white pillow ticking. I think she felt as joyous as I did about welcoming her niece into the world.
Years later, my sister's rocker became famous when the local paper was doing a piece about the comfort of rockers and her grown up niece was working for the paper and suggested she knew just the rocker for their centerpiece. She would have been so proud!
My girls also enjoyed being rocked by their Omie (German for grandmother) as seen above. The rocking chair has been reupholstered many times since my sister found this gem and there is a third niece she never had the pleasure of meeting who bears my sister's name as her middle name. Lindsay Leonie.
Here's her rocking chair years later after many changes in fabrics and many more babies (my own three grandsons to name a few) who have been comforted to sleep by the sweet creek of this rocker.
8 comments:
such a great little piece ~ my mother has a similar story of a family rocker that has been re-upholstered many times. We all wish we had it in our home.
OH, what a special post and a gorgeous chair! Loved reading this. I have an old rocker that my mother used to rock my sister and me. It's quite old, and I cherish it.
XO,
Sheila :-)
Those first 2 pictures of Nonie captured expressions that I remember so clearly.
Love the story of the rocker. Oh what precious memories.
Oh Kathy, this was such a touching story about your sister and how you ended up allowing her, without even knowing the future, to keep that rocker. I am sure you have such fond memories of her and your youth together, and what a fabulous rocker! It looks like very solid and fine wood, and I am sure this piece will stay in your family for such a long time, not only for its beauty, but for the history behind it. Bless you today and have a wonderful Thanksgiving...thank you so much for visiting me! Anita
That is a great rocking chair and a fabulous story to go with it!
Hi Kathy! Oh, I love the sweet story about the rocker. Love the cute little olden pictures of you and your sister. The rocker looks so pretty now! What a treasure.
Be a sweetie,
Sheoia ;)
Hi Kathy! Oh, I love the sweet story about the rocker. Love the cute little olden pictures of you and your sister. The rocker looks so pretty now! What a treasure.
Be a sweetie,
Sheoia ;)
I love to find old things and make them new. Maybe I will get so Lucky as to find a rocker too.
Christina
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