Snaps

 Probably better known as green beans 

When I think of snaps - I go back to my father’s mother- being on her front porch- she had this really large brown bag of snaps- most likely they were from her garden 

There was a big white enamel bowl that had a thin red rim- and another bag or bowl sat on the porch floor at our feet 

We would snap off the ends- toss them in the garbage bag- then snap the rest of the long beans into two pieces maybe three

Seems it was always hot and you could hear the crickets chirping and the bumblebees and  dragonflies buzzing around 

My grandmother wore an apron she had likely made and I had one she made especially for my sister and me

I’m not sure I remember doing this soothing chore with my own mother but I know she did the snaps the same way

My grandmother would put fat meat and bacon grease in hers and white potatoes- seemed like they were cooked for hours

I don’t do much snapping these days but I think I will at least once this summer 

I tend to use canned ones- adding beef bouillon and lots of butter-

But the sounds of those days  stay with me and the pictures it holds in my mind’s eye are like an impressionistic painting