The 3rd Saturday of July

My Grandma's family are known for two things. Their musical ability and their cooking. Every year we have a reunion at a park nearby. It is always hot and sticky, typical for that time of year. The third Saturday of July is when we all meet up with our covered dishes and feast. Chicken and dumplin's, fried chicken, casseroles of all sorts, brisket, new potatoes, corn, salads, green beans, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, and usually a bucket of KFC! LOL! I think they travel too far to bring the homemade stuff. All of this takes up 2 picnic tables. Then come the desserts. Fudge pies, brownies, chocolate cake, banana pudding, multiple kinds of cakes, fruit and jello medleys, and frozen fruit cups are stowed away in a cooler for an after recreation treat. Thank God for the high metabolism that comes with the family traits!!!!

After we pig out a the games begin. Horeshoes, frisbee, and football. Generally it is the the guys that are playing....and me. That is something all the older family members like to tease me about. I bring the good food and then go rough house with the boys. They always say "Now this gal can throw a ball. And she can cook too!!!" LOL! My Grandma when she was still here would always watch me from the shade and giggle and shake her head when I would proudly throw the ball and get the reaction when the men caught it. My brother would have me throw patterns for him so he could show off his catching abilities...since he was the one that actually played football on a team. That also gets brought up. "Your Grandma would sit over there and watch you two and giggle and talk about the two of you. She was so proud of you." I can tell you verbatim the stories I get told every year by each and every member. They share their memories to keep her alive and apparently I was the topic of most the conversation with her. LOL! My brother was my Grandpa's topic. Neither one are with us now but I know my brother and I can still see them sitting there in the shade.

I decided last year that I was going to compile a cookbook full of the families recipe's, specifically the ones that are brought to the picnic. I called each of the members, with the help of Momma, and asked them to bring them. Well bring them they did. It has been my task to decipher the hand writing and put them into catergories. I am almost finished. I plan on printing them off and binding it somehow. I do need to figure out how many to print. I have a little time left but not that much. With all the summer activities that are planned I need to get on it and finish it up. Wish me luck!