Do you have a cherished tradition? I have a few, actually very few, but the ones I do have are oh-so-special!
At Christmas there’s Auntie Helen’s Cardamom Coffee Bread and a Christmas Eve gathering of family and friends, usually with a unique menu that includes that scrumptious coffee bread. For Thanksgiving, Donna and I get together the day before and make the grandest Pumpkin Pie and a few other pies too. For supper we make homemade Pizza and Salad, and perhaps for dessert a piece of her fabulous fudge. It seems that whenever she and I are together, we cook or bake – just our thing, and we have a way of enjoying ourselves, chatting and singing while we “work” – as we consider it, having fun.
Today, I am at Donna’s house, which is unfortunately a nine hour drive from ours. They remained in Arizona when we made our move to the mountains of New Mexico, but we find any excuse we can to get together. Last time, it was a Julio Iglesias concert near our place, and this time we are in Arizona because Ron has been accepted into a national study for Parkinson’s, and they even pay our transportation here – what a blessing in more ways than the one!
So what do you suppose we are doing? You’ve got it – we are doing our traditional cooking. She is making a potato salad to go with supper, and because my market had fresh rhubarb, I brought some to make a couple of strawberry-rhubarb pies. So tonight will be a grand feast; the product of a wonderful day of chatting and our time-honored tradition.
I sit here with computer before me, wondering if you have traditions that are precious to you. If you do, won’t you make a comment, sharing yours with all of us? Thanks!
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Tuesday, July 19, 2011
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There are some things that "trigger" connectedness for me-. In sorting through the last boxes in our storage tent (not very fun) (but still an adventure), I found a candle, intact, in it's little jar with lid. Years back my grandmother gave me that, telling me I could burn the candle and remember/think of them. I never used it, but I remember.... The jar has pansies painted on it.
ReplyDeleteWhen new at a church not far from here, I went to a church work bee. We planted pansies in the little planter under the sign in front of the church. I chatted with an interesting lady there. A few years later I got a pretty card from her, and at the end it said, "Let's plant pansy oak". I was rather mortified, (ever the dramatic) thinking: My dear friend has lost it! Not so-it actually said, "Let's plant pansies, O.K.?" Whew ! What a relief ! So, while living there by the mighty McKenzie river, I made myself a queen size quilt, and called it, "Pansy Oak". That dear friend, Mary, is still alive, living in Portland. What a special mentor she has been to me. So, now I have pansy stories-. (I go by the name, "Blessed Hope".)
We deliberately set some traditions when we got married since the pastor who did an engagement class said to develop traditions. We're so glad we did. Each week on Friday night we make shortcake or a cobbler. We eat with candles and flowers on the table.
ReplyDeleteWe chose to have a specific menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They are things our kids fondly look forward to.
With kids at home we read together each night from a book that interested all of us then read a Bible story book and prayed together. This tradition I got from my mother.
We hike up a steep trail to a mountain near us each August to look at the flowers in bloom.
And we love to sing around the piano together.
Often walking together is a good "connecting" time when we come back together as a family.
These traditions have held us together in rough times as well as better ones. They were worth developing.
I appreciate the comment by anonymous. I don't think I learned these things when I was young-. I did, however, while trying to sort through my belongings, find a pillowcase with pansies embroidered on it-done by my very special friend, Viola, who was a lot of fun while she was alive (and died in the Blessed Hope)....
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