October 29, 2019 – Pansies and pansy flower girl spoon

         I love fall in the South for one specific reason – Pansies.  As the prices go up, so doesn’t my enthusiasm – which should be just the opposite.  [Maybe because I’ve been reading Rand Paul’s recent bestseller: The case against socialism, which has reaffirmed what I learned in economics and history.]

         I am only a couple of chapters into it, but it discusses price controls in detail, among other things.

         But, I digress from the topic at hand: Pansies.

         This year I bought an entire flat of the same color – medium blue. I haven’t planted them out yet, as I seem to be busier than I was when I was working full time with stress-filled extended hours.  Who knew retirement was going to be so exhausting.

         But, the pansies will get planted in the next few days and then I will look after them until late spring when it breaks my heart that I usually have to yank them out while still in flower to make way for summer annuals. 

         We only had Johnny Jump ups – those type of diminutive perennial pansies that come back every year when I was a child.  I am only guessing, but I imagine hot-house grown pansies were too expensive for my parents to buy with three growing children.  So, I never really got an up-close and personal experience until later in life through gardening magazines and garden centers when I began gardening.

         Down here in the South is has always been a game to me to have “fresh” flowers from the garden on the table for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas.  Well pansies fit that bill for me as I also have a pansy ring vase I use for that particular purpose.

BUT:  Why do I have this unusual affinity for pansies? 

         As a young girl, my mother showed me one particular silver spoon that was given to her by her mother – that would be my grandmother, Madeline.  As a young girl, Madeline was a flower girl for a ritzy, upper class wedding and as a gift for being a flower girl – she was given a silver teaspoon, which has a pansy flower at the handle and half way down the stem.

         Today, after a bit of research on the internet I discovered it was manufactured by Manchester, MFG. Co, Providence, Rhode Island, which was in business from 1904 to 1914 then later Manchester Silver Company eventually sold in 1985 to J. C. Boardman Co. This spoon falls in the time frame for Manchester, MFG. Co.  I believe it is a demitasse spoon or a 5’oclock spoon.

         It is engraved, “August 4, 1909”.  Since my grandmother was born in 1902, she would have been seven years old flower girl.

         Picking out the flat of pansies the other day I thought about this family heirloom and decided I need to bring it out from safe keeping and actually use it – why not – who will want it in the future in my family.

         Now I understand  why my mother started her spoon collection and why on her 25^th anniversary she gave out favors of Jordan Almonds in a tulle circle tied around a demitasse spoon engraved with “Babs and Al ’46 to ’71.”  I remember her guests were “stunned” by such elegance when she handed out the favors.  Mom must have gotten the idea from Madeline’s “pansy” spoon.

         Last couple of days, I’ve been debating just using it as my sugar spoon in my sugar bowl.  That way I will be able to finger it and admire it day in and day out for years to come.

         I still wonder who got married that day – back on August 4, 1909.  I guess I will never find out – but what an elegant and expensive gift for a little seven-year old flower girl – no wonder Madeline cherished it as well as my Mom.

         And, like grandmother, mother, and now daughter – what can I have up my sleeve to continue in the tradition?  Yes, fingering that pansy spoon daily will give me food for thought for some future connection with demitasse spoons.