“SICILIAN CHILDREN BEWARE: La cucchiaio insalata legno grande – the big wooden salad spoon”

la vecchia donna gigante – the big old woman

January 8, 2014

Carl D'Agostino

Categories: Cartoons by Carl D'Agostino, Humor/Poems by Carl D'Agostino Tags: growing up Italian, Sicilian children, Sicilian mothers

39 responses to ““SICILIAN CHILDREN BEWARE: La cucchiaio insalata legno grande – the big wooden salad spoon””

The Sicilian Housewife
May 17th, 2014 at 09:26

Mwah haha! The Sicilian Nonnas here in the motherland could add a few more to this list:
I am wacking you with the wooden spoon because you patted a stray dog
Because your fingernails are dirty
Because you went down the slide that was dirty and got muck on your trousers
Because you didn’t finish off your 14 pound plate of pasta
Because you walked around the house without your slippers on so you’ll get sick and I’ll have to take you to hospital now

The new generation of Mammas are a total pushover, though (like me). No idea of discipline at all. These scary Nonnas with wooden spoons are a dying breed these days!!!

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- Carl D'Agostino
  May 17th, 2014 at 10:11
  
  So glad you dropped by and enjoyed.
  
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bkpyett
February 17th, 2014 at 23:35

My aunt broke the wooden spoon on my brother. Brings a few memories back!
Am following you following Sparkonit’s recommendation, thank you!
Barbara in Australia

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- Carl D'Agostino
  February 18th, 2014 at 06:21
  
  Welcome. Two weeks after I started the blog an editor for a clock mag in Brisbane published my clock cartoon.
  
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Snoring Dog Studio
January 9th, 2014 at 08:19

Just the sight of that big spoon would make me behave.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 9th, 2014 at 09:04
  
  Hiding the spoon was the ultimate rush and death defying.
  
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clinock
January 9th, 2014 at 01:27

It’s a hit…

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 9th, 2014 at 07:30
  
  That’s what the mob calls it too.
  
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RoSy
January 8th, 2014 at 20:57

Musta’ been a mom thing.
Sounds familiar – only in a different language.
I still don’t get #6.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 9th, 2014 at 00:10
  
  That makes sense to the old woman but naturally for the poor kid it makes him cry more. The paradoxes that flummox the rest of us make perfect sense to the women. Like “Get out of the rain or you will get sick. Now you must go into the hot shower to wash off the rain so you won’t get sicker.” huh?
  
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Patricia
January 8th, 2014 at 20:21

I have the wooden spoon that was used by my mother. A form of discipline in our house…our Irish house.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 9th, 2014 at 00:05
  
  An heirloom for sure.
  
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  - Patricia
    January 9th, 2014 at 22:12
    
    It is to me. Such fond memories 🙂
    
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I HAVE A VOICE
January 8th, 2014 at 19:59

Gosh, I was blessed !

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earthriderjudyberman
January 8th, 2014 at 19:21

An effective “convincer” that can double as a forklift (or, in this case, a spoon lift).
When Mama spoke, you listened.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 9th, 2014 at 00:05
  
  The “convincer” i.e. the “persuader”.
  
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totsymae1011
January 8th, 2014 at 17:49

Being a southern chick, I’d say they need to put some meat on their bones and come outta them elements.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 18:42
  
  There is nowhere beyond the reach of Spoonwoman.
  
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The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap
January 8th, 2014 at 11:37

Ah yes, the spoon. But, forget the spoon for a minute, I want that kitchen. Nice!!

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 12:23
  
  That wood burning oven and the ceiling-so much old world charm.
  
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jbstoons
January 8th, 2014 at 10:40

She means business. Lol

Sent from my iPhone

>

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 12:22
  
  Yeah, unfortunately butt business.
  
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pattisj
January 8th, 2014 at 09:47

Fun post, Carl. I don’t think it’s only the Sicilian women one needs to worry about. The Scot-Irish wield a pretty mean spoon, too. I inherited the large one used by our family to stir the cauldron of apple butter.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 12:24
  
  Apple butter-must remember to put that on the shopping list and almond butter too.
  
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charlywalker
January 8th, 2014 at 08:36

I remember a Spoon that accompanied the Fork that hung on my grandmothers wall in the kitchen…

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 08:46
  
  Yes, another memory.
  
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Let's CUT the Crap!
January 8th, 2014 at 07:40

Different times; different measures. I remember the wooden spoon and the hair brush.
😛

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 08:47
  
  Ah, the hair brush. Yep that was effectively employed as well.
  
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  - Let's CUT the Crap!
    January 9th, 2014 at 08:50
    
    😛
    
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Maxi
January 8th, 2014 at 06:50

We thought nothing of “the big wooden spoon” back in the day … those mamas would be arrested for child abuse today. How sad!
blessings ~ maxi

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 08:49
  
  Actually the bark was bigger than the bite and the drama was over played by both giver and receiver.
  
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cat
January 8th, 2014 at 06:33

Wooden spoon sounds familiar, so does that carpet cleaner clopper thing … smiles …

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 08:46
  
  They could make a good clobber thing out of just about anything.
  
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gpcox
January 8th, 2014 at 05:54

When I first saw the “Big Spoon” I thought you were watching “Everybody Loves Raymond” too much and had Marie Berone’s Big Spoon on your mind.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 06:15
  
  Oh, how I loved that show and watch the reruns all the time. It is one of the few sitcoms that made me laugh out loud. Marie played the part better than anyone else imaginable.
  
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  - gpcox
    January 8th, 2014 at 07:09
    
    These days she says – after all these years of acting, now they type cast me, I can’t get a role that ISN”T like Marie.
    Maybe she played it too well.
    
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  - Carl D'Agostino
    January 8th, 2014 at 12:26
    
    She’d be a trip as Lady Macbeth. Wonder Woman would be a scream.
    
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Ankur Mithal
January 8th, 2014 at 05:06

Reminds me of a teacher I had in Grade 5 who used to wield a very similar weapon – the torn off bark of a local tree that looked like the hood of a cobra. Errant Grade 5 children had to stand with their back to her and hands on the desk, leaning forward slightly. She would take a backswing a la Jack Nicklaus (it was seventies) in all his glory, and come crashing down on you know where. That piece had become polished and shining through years of use. But she was a good teacher.

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- Carl D'Agostino
  January 8th, 2014 at 05:17
  
  WOW-“Cobra Woman” would scare Spiderman out of his bejeebers.
  
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