Welcome to
Mary Stretton's Home Page
and
Delicious Memories
When you hear the word "delicious" you tend to
think of food, but the word can also mean something delightful,
enjoyable--something that affords pleasure. And that's what I
hope my book will bring to you: a few hours of pleasurable reading.
"Delicious Memories" is a memoir which contains
no violence, no sex, no gloomy, angst-ridden confessions--just
a warm, often funny book that will take you away, in the earlier
chapters about my mother's childhood, to long-ago Bohemia. Later
you will find yourself in Wisconsin during the Great Depression
of the thirties, and after that in Czechoslovakia during a dark
Communist era, before its "velvet revolution" and separation
into two countries. Photographs are included, too; some dating
from the early l900's. And there's a bonus in the appendix: great
recipes of delectible Bohemian food, favorites of my childhood
years, which I still enjoy today from my own kitchen in Fort
Collins, Colorado.
At a young age I loved to listen to my mother's stories about
her life in the Old Country, in Bohemia, which at that time was
part of Austria-Hungary, owing allegiance to Emperor Franz Josef.
Mama always spoke to me in Czech when I was a baby, wanting me
to learn the language. Later, listening to her speak in her native
tongue, I was fascinated by her tales of happiness and hardship
in her homeland. When she immigrated to the United States at
the age of nineteen, coming alone to live with Wisconsin relatives,
there was hardship again in her life as a live-in maid. And later
came happiness with marriage and her family.
Mama often said, "You know, Mary, I should write a book!"
And I would say, "You know, Mama, I wish you would!"
Mama never got around to writing her book, so I've written one,
dedicated to her. "Delicious Memories" may not be the
sort of book she would have written, for as a memoir, it reveals
my feelings about growing up with a loving, but often clueless,
immigrant mother. But I think Mama would have enjoyed it. And
I'm sure you will, too.
For more information about "Delicious Memories"
you can access the following:
Please take a look at my highly-recommended
favorite books-->
You won't want to miss one of the most beautiful sites on
the Internet (in this proud mother's opinion): Eyebalm, my artist daughter Ann's site, which
features gorgeous jewel-like colors and it's also "delicious."
Enjoy!
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