THE OLD WOOD STOVE IN THE KITCHEN poem by GERTRUDE SKINNER

[Duncan Williams]

(The Great Old Lady Of Tamworth Bush Poetry) Gertrude Skinner was the wife of a bushman and stockman who spent thirty five years on properties in North-West New South Wales and South-West Queensland around the Mungindi area. (one story was in the floods of the 1950's when she drove a horse and sulky through the flooded waters, while her husband Clarry attended to the sheep)
She retired to Tamworth in 1969 and started writing bush poetry at the age of 72, she was a much loved performer at the Longyard poetry festivals and produced books and cassettes of her bush verse.


THE OLD WOOD STOVE IN THE KITCHEN

I love that stove in the kitchen,
In those happy days of yore,
When the fire was burning brightly,
And my baby's roamed the floor.

I did not know the pressure,
That i feel in life today,
Though i was a good deal poorer,
I was happy then that way.

For i lived out in the back blocks,
With my husband on the land,
He worked for a north-west grazier,
And i was his helping hand.

I remember all the biscuits,
And the bread i use to bake,
When the kettle boiled so briskley,
For the smoko i would make.

We were warm on winter nights,
With its glowing coals of red,
As we sipped our mugs of milo,
just before we went to bed.

I was never out of firewood,
For my man cut up a stack,
And kept the inside wood box full,
From the door right at its back.

I love that stove in the kitchen,
In those happy days of yore,
It was the centre of my life,
I did not ask for anything more.




Gertrude Skinner (the great old lady of Tamworth bush poetry)

[Vic Jefferies]

Thanks for posting this Duncan a great poem.
Nothing tastes better than bacon and eggs cooked on a fuel (wood) stove for breakfast!
Vic Jefferies

[Terry]

G/day Duncan,
I'm probably showing my age, but I also have fond memories of the old wood stove with us all huddling around it on a frosty morning.
And there was always the smell of luscious things cooking, homemade bickies, cakes etc, and the kettle was always simmering away on the edge stove. Modern kitchens don't have that homely feeling anymore, thanks for the memories.

Terry

[mummsie]

Great poem, my old mum only ever had a fuel stove, I even remember when she used to heat the old iron it, nothing tastes better than a sunday roast cooked this way, my mouths drooling thinking about it.
sue

[Heather]

Sounds like the kitchen in Sue's cabin!

Heather

[mummsie]

I thought the same thing Heather when I read it.
Sue

[Bob Pacey]

Does anyone remember the old chip heaters we used for hot water. I have six sisters and my job was to chop the firewood. many a fight developed when the water was not hot enough and they wanted a bath to go out on the town.

Bob

[mummsie]

I remember them Bob, the sound they made when they were boiling, you had to be careful if you were in the bath when they boiled, as they'd surge and if your back was to it and you didn't see it coming, rathy nasty.
Sue

[Terry]

Seems like we're all of a similar vintage - wood stoves chip heaters, what about kero fridges, copper wash tubs and the old mangle, the list goes on and on.

Terry

[mummsie]

ahh,dont remind me of coppers, it was my job to light it on mums wash days[ it was also used for our hot bath water] I was on my hands and knees blowing like crazy to get a good flame and the next thing I wore fire and all, the old ginger tom had been warming himself at the back of the fire box.
Sue