There are three things which stand out in my mind every time I think of my grandmother:
1) Music with Heart
2) Cooking with Soul
3) Humor with Joy
There is not a single memory I have with my grandmother which does not contain music,
whether that's song, instrumental, group jams, or her happy humming as she worked. Most of my happiest childhood memories are sitting in my grandparent's living room and hearing the whole family play and sing together. If souls ever visit earth, I believe her's would become a neverending melody and manifest with every hymn.
Grandma's kitchen was a melody of herbs and spices, sugar and flour, sauces and sides, and don't forget her famous buttermilk biscuits and potato gravy!
As a girl helping out in her kitchen, she'd often give me the same two bits of advice, "Never forget to add the Love, Sugar" and, "Don't let leftovers scare you. They can always be turned into something new and tasty." - It was also Grandma who taught me the art of never letting a guest go hungry, how you can always stretch a recipe to feed one more, and to always be welcome and open to anyone who dropped in, even unexpectedly - extra especially if you don't like them. :)
My grandmother also taught me how to laugh when you make a mistake without putting yourself down. The fine balance of humor and wit, jokes, and staying humble, of taking life seriously yet not too serious, are all lessons which have served me well my entire life.
I hope to age half as gracefully with even a fraction of the friends and loved ones I know my grandmother has to carry on her legacy. You're very much missed Grandma, but I hope you know you'll never be forgotten; I continue to credit you for many of the hearthfire lessons I now teach my own children.