Dinah

In keeping with my trend to not post about knitting on my knitting blog.... what is that all about anyway? I would like to introduce you to my very favorite, precious, possession, Dinah.

Dinah belonged to my Grandmother's sister Rhoda. Rhoda was the youngest of my Grandmother's sisters. She was the pride and joy of a large farm family. My Grandmother was a brave woman. She decided to attend nursing school in the days when women did not aspire to do anything but the very important job of raising a family. Grandma was tiny but fiercely independent. While she was at nursing school she was called home to take care of two of her sisters Maggie and Rhoda who had the flu. Not just any flu but the terrible flu that took so many lives. Rhoda and Maggie died within days of each other, if I recall the story correctly. Even intensive nursing by my Grandmother could not save them. Rhoda was 16, and I don't believe my Grandmother ever got over her death.

Rhoda was given this doll by her family. You have to understand that they were not very wealthy and certainly did not have extra money to throw away on a doll. My Grandmother made all of her clothing and her lovely purl necklace. She even has lovely undergarments as any fine, upstanding, young lady should.

I am not sure if you can tell by this picture that Dinah has her feet on backward. It is blurry but I think you can still see the big toes are in the wrong place. I think that Grandma's family probably got her for a bargain as she did not have clothes and her feet were on wrong. That just makes her all the more special.

Grandma kept Dinah wrapped in a blanket and a plastic sheet in her closet when I was growing up. Every time I stayed with her she would unwrap Dinah and tell me about her sister Rhoda. When I was very little Dinah scared me to death! As I got older she became more and more special to me.

When I inherited Dinah a few years after my Grandmother's death I was speechless. She is an amazing beauty. I had a glass case made for her. She is standing on the antique music stand in my bedroom. The music stand is also from my Grandmother's family. My room is always dim so that Dinah never fades or disintegrates from the sun.

I hope you like her as much as I do. Thanks Grandma.