Grandma's kitchen drawer

All through the years Grandma Emma had a special place in her kitchen where she kept all those needed little treasures. We called it her junk drawer, it wasn't junk, just didn't have a better name for it. It was a small drawer on the right side of the kitchen sink. On any given day you would find some basic items that were used often. Always a pair of scissors, usually a pair that she brought with her from Norway and took such very good care of. A needle, thread, string, thumbtacks, rubber bands, paper clips, some assorted yarn from knitting projects, tape, crochet hook, small bits of other recycled items that had been saved in case someone needed them. It was organized and never removed from the drawer and used without properly returning it to its home. Grandma Emma was really good at recycling so many items. Even though we didn't have that word yet. She was saving and careful, she had a saying that she lived by " Waste not, want not" and it still works till this day. I think of those words often, especially when I'm at the grocery store. Do we need it or just want it... will we use it or waste it. A careful way of life is in so many ways is a simpler way of life... Truly simple living through the years that I practice now.

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