My Grandma, Stefanie Ann Frka, was a wonderful woman and a fantastic grandma.
My brother and I referred to her when we were small, as Jackie's Grandma...
Jackie was my grandparent's dog when we were young...
hence the name Jackie's Grandma.
My other grandmother had a dog named Sam...so of course she was Sam's Grandma...
Funny how names are created.
We currently live in my late grandparent's home.
Which brings back so many memories of the times I spent with she and my grandfather Ante (Tony).
My grandma was an incredible baker and cook.
I learned so much from her.
So many of my memories are of us in her kitchen and dining room.
She made some fabulous things.
When my brother and I would spend the night as kids,
she would make homemade hot fudge...such treat.
I recall having pudding with a hard shell of chocolate across the top.
Some of her favorites were tapioca, pecan rolls, pound cake, puffed pastry,
and her famous chiffon cakes.
Her maple chiffon with toasted slivered almonds was amazing.
I have yet to try making it...
It's recipe is very intimidating.
I watched her make it a ton of times too.
She would make that three layered delightful masterpiece
for birthdays and special occasions.
When I bake with my girls, I always think of her.
I am so sad she was never able to meet and know them...or my husband.
We use to laugh about my grandpa getting all edgy and irritable at 3pm each day if my grandma wasn't making some noise in the kitchen indicating she was preparing dinner.
I fortunately spent a lot of time with her,
especially when I was in high school and college.
I was old enough to appreciate her.
Sometimes she and I would get the giggles and not be able to stop...
I would take her to do errands when she was slowing up...
She would sing little silly songs when I was at her front door
and she knew I was coming to visit.
She would call me babitza...even when I was an adult.
When we would discuss my dating situations...
She would always tell me...
"a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush".
She was an amazing artist and painter.
She painted pictures and ceramics.
She and my grandfather volunteered a lot of their time and talent at
The Little Sisters of the Poor
retirement facility.
They loved that.
My first two years teaching,
she and my grandfather made needle point Christmas Tree ornaments
and Easter baskets for all the students in my kindergarten classes...
it was an Episcopal school,
so that was kosher.
What a special treat for my students.
My grandparents were so proud of their work,
and of me.
My grandparent's back bedroom
(which is now our master bedroom)
was their workshop...
We have many holiday trinkets that were created by their hands.
My grandmother was also an amazing seamstress.
She made my first holy communion dress herself.
My grandmother also loved to make fresh crapes for breakfast...
(in Croatian we call it polichinke(sp))
when I was old enough to drive,
and I lived within five minutes from her house...
I could call her any Saturday morning and ask for breakfast.
She never refused.
I would often arrive in my pj's,
and be showered with love and delicious food.
My grandmother always use to say...
"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach".
Part of the way she showed her loved
was through cooking.
The holidays were always a special time...
and no one left hungry.
Ever.
My grandparents Thanksgiving Feast...was quite memorable...
and my grandma made the best pumpkin, apple and peach pie.
She also would make homemade gnocchi a few times a year.
When we were young, she would let my brother and I roll a few potato dumplings each...
ours hands would be dirty from playing outside,
so our gnocchi would be grey from our dirty hands...
my grandma would discretely slide those in the trash when we weren't looking.
I can make her red pasta sauce.
When I do,
my house smells exactly the way hers did so many years ago.
When she made this sauce,
she would always have fresh french bread waiting for us.
When we arrived,
she would encourage us to dip some bread in the sauce...
heaven.
There are so many wonderful memories of her,
my grandfather,
this house,
and our times together.
My grandmother passed away in June of 1996.
I miss her.
This picture is one of the last photos taken of her.
(Me, my grandmother and Julianna (my step-sister Alison's daughter)).
I know she is here in spirit.
Especially in this house.
I know she smiles each time I cook and bake.
I'm certain she would be proud of
the beautiful home my husband has created,
and beam with pride about us living here.
Because of her,
we were able to make this house our own.
I'm sure she would smother her great granddaughters with anything they wanted.
I'll keep her memory alive by continuing to cook and bake.
I'll continue to tell Lindsay and Kendal about their Great Grandma Ann,
and the amazing person she was.
My grandparent's home then...
Our home now...
