Grandma's Rocking Chair

This rocker and sewing chest were handed down to me by my mother before she passed away. They used to belong to my mom's mom, Alta Haley.

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The rocking chair is tiny, maybe about 3/4 the size of a regular rocker. It was a perfect fit for Grandma Haley, who was a tiny little lady, just 4'11" tall.

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I remember the rocker in her living room, with a small cushion tied to the seat, and the sewing chest on the floor right beside it.

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She once told me the sewing chest was made by hand, a gift to her from her father-in-law, Sam Haley.

Some of her mending materials, crochet hooks and hoops and such, are still in the chest.

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The rocking chair and sewing chest are about 80 years old now. As you can imagine, they require a lot of care to keep from falling apart.

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Only very little people are allowed to sit in the rocker these days.

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The photo above was taken at my parents' wedding reception. From left to right: my mom's uncle Buster Beierschmitt (Grandma Haley's brother), her father Loyd Haley (age 47), my mother Jane Butler (age 15), and her mother Alta Haley (age 47).

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In the very short video clip below, my grand-niece Analyce has the dubious honor of sitting in Grandma's rocking chair, with unexpected results. She was embarrassed at first, but after seeing the clip she decided it was funny enough to watch over and over. She's been anxiously awaiting this post.

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So here you go, sweet Analyce. This post is for you!