More Farm Machinery

 Neighbor Bill's Barn and Disk

It seems like forever since I've posted anything, but I guess it's only been a few days. A lot has been happening. None of it has to do with sorting and packing, unfortunately. Right now we're waiting on the ICF block for building the the main structure of the addition. 

I thought I'd post these photos taken earlier this month (with the exception of the disk, which was taken in June.) Taken in late afternoon, I loved the way the light shone on the old red barn and John Deere disk, just across the street from our house.

 Perfect Timing

This was the last time the alfalfa was taken off the field north of the house. They get a crop in August and then let the field sit during the month of September, so that the alfalfa can prepare for the long winter ahead.

From Pioneer.com:

'As fall approaches, remember that it is strongly recommended that alfalfa fields in the upper Midwest and Northeast not be harvested from September 1 to October 15. Alfalfa needs six weeks of uninterrupted growth to be fully preparing itself for winter. This winterizing period is important to help maintain the stand's health and productivity the following year...The main advantage of this winterizing period is that it enables the plant to go into winter with adequate levels of root food reserves. These reserves help the plants to effectively survive the winter and maintain high root energy levels that are required for vigorous regrowth in the spring. 

Harvesting alfalfa fields during the September/early October time period can result in alfalfa plants going through the winter and early spring period with depleted root energy reserves. When alfalfa is cut, plants will instinctively start to regrowth. Energy reserves stored in the plants root system are used to initiate this regrowth. Plants will continue to 'pull' stored food reserves from their root system until there is about 6-8 inches of vegetative top growth. At this stage of growth, the plant will then start to move food reserves back into the root system to build them back up.'

More interesting than video games!

Notice how there are so many pallet projects out there in blogland?  I found the perfect one for me.

Enjoying looking at the wildflowers growing up around and through it.
How could anyone improve upon that.

***

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This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Dragon Wing Begonia, Annual Flowers for Wisconsin

 Red Dragon Wing Begonia

The Red Dragon Wing Begonia became my favorite annual a few summers ago when I happened upon it for the first time at a local nursery. They were a little more expensive than some of the other annuals, but were so gorgeous and showy, that I decided to give them a try. They thrive in shade/ part sun, so they were perfect for the spot where I needed some color. They did beautifully the first summer. Of course they don't winter over up here in NW Wisconsin, so...

The next summer I purchased Dragon Wing Begonias again, and although I put them in a shade/part sun area, they spent a few weeks dying. I think their short miserable life was due to the fact that I had planted them under a maple tree where there were lots of little tiny maple roots that managed to crowd and strangle them. Not a good year for my Dragon Wing Begonias.

This year, I tried again. This time I planted them in a couple spots: one was away from the maple tree, but still in a shady/part sun area along with my aloe vera. I also put four of them in a big container. Apparently they are perfect for container gardening, as long as I remember to water them daily.

Dragon Wing Begonia (r.)

Christmas Cactus (l.)

The flower clusters are so pretty and the foliage is heavy and dark. I'll be looking for Dragon Wing Begonias next spring too.

According to the USDA Hardiness Zone Finder We're in zone 3-4, which is why we rely so much upon annuals in our neck of the woods. Do you have a favorite annual?

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Where's Glinda?

 Waiting for Glinda

I watched 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' with the kids a few days ago, and the next day, when I saw the morning sun shining through this ball in the front yard, it reminded me of the scene where Glinda appears. Is it Glinda? Now that I'm writing this, something about that seems wrong. Anyway, I loved the glow of the leaves on the maple tree and also the way the sunlight made the ball look like it was glowing. I thought it was beautiful and magical (unlike Glinda, who is not beautiful, has an annoying voice, and could have spared Dorothy a lot of trouble by just zapping her back to Kansas in the first place.)

Maybe if we wait a little longer...

The grandpuppy

Still waiting...

Oh. And by the way, I thought The Wizard of Oz was a scary movie when I was a kid. Those monkeys! That wicked witch of the West! Very scary. I don't think my grandkids were scared. Did they take some of the scary bits out, or are kids just tougher these days??  or does it have to do with the fact that special effects are way more believable these days?

Were you scared?

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This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Downsizing

You may know that we're building an addition onto the house and my husband and I are moving into it. We will have considerably less space than we're accustomed to, although it is a very welcome change (and is still a lot of space!) At my ripe old age, I find myself less into the big house, lots of cleaning (occasionally) (seldom) thing any longer. I'm looking forward to adequate living space, not 4 extra bedrooms that always sit empty.

BUT, before we can move, we have to downsize. I'm thinking of waiting until the addition is finished and then taking what we want out of it and lighting a fire to the rest  taking the remaining stuff to Goodwill or another local thrift store.

Unfortunately, it's not just an accumulation of the 24 years we've lived here, but of the years before that too. Today I found a couple really helpful tips:

1. You can't organize clutter

2. Get a label maker

The Little Bobcat That Could

One day when a friend was here, I was trying to decide what to do with some empty Stax potato chip containers. (I know. I know.) My problem is that my parents lived during The Great Depression (and maybe that I've been a Vacation Bible School craft lady!) Anyway, some of that 'we may need it sometime' is in the genetic code (although it missed my mom and my sister, oddly enough). But both my husband and I seem to have the ability to look at an item and think, 'Hey, this could come in handy some day. It would make a great...' 

 Building a Temporary Ramp for the Cement Truck

I told my friend that I can't think of a category that the Stax potato chip container fits into, so I don't know where to put it. She said that my problem is that I immediately think in categories, rather than simply asking, 'Do I NEED THIS???'  Hmm. Never thought of that.

SO, I'm going to start downsizing.

Pray for me.

P.S. I threw away all the Stax potato chip containers and the Planters Lightly Salted, Dry Roasted Peanut jars. And I'm sure I'll need them next week. It always happens like that.

I'm off to clean out another closet. :-(

Got a helpful tip for me?

Like Moths to a Flame

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This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipes - Two You'll LOVE

Basil Pesto & Pepperjack Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Did you miss Monday's recipe for Homemade White Bread?  If so, I'd advise that you go back and make those four easy loaves, then come back here to get recipes that will turn them into delicious grilled cheese sandwiches! I promise you won't be sorry.

Basil Pesto & Pepperjack Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe:

2 slices homemade white bread

4 slices of pepperjack cheese

2 large slices of ripe tomato

Enough basil pesto to make a thick layer on the bread

Butter

Lay the two slices opposite one another. Spread one with the basil pesto, then layer on the tomato and pepperjack cheese. Top with the second slice of homemade white bread.

*In an electric skillet, melt a pat of butter. Turn skillet to 300 degrees. Lay sandwich in skillet and cover with lid. Check now and then to see if bottom of bread is light brown. When it is, lift it with a pancake turner and melt a bit more butter in the same spot where the sandwich had lain in the skillet. Place sandwich, other side down, onto the melted butter. Place lid on pan again and wait a bit before checking to see that both sides are golden and cheese is oozing out.

Bacon & Jalapeno Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Bacon & Jalapeno Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe:

(This one came from my daughter-in-law.)

Using two slices of homemade bread, spread cream cheese on one, then layer with thin rings of fresh jalapeno pepper and a layer of medium or sharp Cheddar cheese. Place two strips of bacon on top and cover with second slice of bread.

Instructions for frying in electric skillet: Follow first recipe instructions from *.

I'm not sure which I liked better. Neither is gluten free and all my joints will be stiff and achy in another hour or so, but it was sure good going down!

It might be a good idea to have half of one and half of the other. Both are delicious!

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This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Homemade White Bread Recipe - Four Loaves

 fresh from the oven!!

Homemade White Bread Recipe:
Makes 4 loaves

1 Quart whole milk

6 T. butter

6 T. sugar

4 t. salt

4 pkg. dry yeast (8 t.)

10 1/2 - 11 c. all-purpose flour

Melt butter in a large pan on the stove.

Add milk and stir, heating until warm. Stir in sugar and salt until dissolved. Sprinkle yeast on top of tepid mixture. Wait a minute and then stir to dissolve.

Move to Kitchen-Aid mixer (bowl), and using dough hook to mix, gradually add 10 1/2 - 11 c. all-purpose flour.

Mix on low speed for 4-5 minutes. Dough should hold together and come away from the sides of the mixing bowl. It should be very elastic-y.

Remove dough to the counter and knead for just a bit.

Place dough ball into large bowl (both dough ball and bowl are greased) and cover with a cloth.

Set in a warm place and let rise until double.

Punch down dough to get rid of air bubbles. Divide into four pieces and shape each into a loaf.

Place in 4x8 bread pans that have been sprayed with a non-stick spray or Crisco shortening (not butter.)

Let loaves rise again until about 1/2 inch above rim of pan.

Place in preheated 400 degree oven.

Bake for 24 minutes.

Remove immediately and turn out onto racks to cool

Yield: four 4x8 loaves of the most delicious bread and a crowd that's gathered around you in the kitchen

Butter the top crusts. 

Hand out freshly-baked, thick slices of buttered bread to make instant friends.

You can thank me later. :-)

P. S.  Come back tomorrow and I'll have a couple amazing grilled cheese sandwich recipes to use with your yummy white bread.

***

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This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Building an Addition

Things have changed slightly at our house since August 1. Our son, daughter-in-law, and their family have moved in with us. Kevin and I are building onto our house and will be moving into the new addition. Our oldest son's family will be living in the main house.

Right now they're waiting for their house in the suburbs of Minneapolis to sell and are trying to stay out of it while the realtors have showings and (hopefully) get it sold. Yes, our son is a systems analyst and so is able to work from anywhere that has internet - which is really a wonderful thing.

 Getting Started...

Right now in his free time, my husband and sons along with the rest of his small crew are working on remodeling part of the basement for an office and laundry room, a kitchen, a spare bedroom and bathroom. Then we're putting on the addition with a living room and master bedroom - after the excavation for that has been done.

 The trees on the right are coming out to open the view. Our son has already opened up that view quite a bit more.

(Don't worry, they're weeds: Box Elder trees. They mostly grow up at a diagonal and then fall over.)

We're going with ICF block for the addition. We'll keep our southeast view, our son's family will have the south view from the deck along with the NE and SE view from the [soon-to-be-built] front porch.

  The New Parking Lot

I'm hoping the days somehow have extra hours and that they're full of cool weather and sunshine! There's so much to be done, and at the end of it we'll be moving all our stuff out of the house. At that time we'll also be downsizing considerably (except for the books) and some of our favorite items (cookstove, hutch, piano, etc.) I can't tell you how much stuff we have accumulated in 24 years and must sort through once that addition is built.

We'll even have a gas station!

And of course, as anyone who has ever been involved in construction knows, everything done is dependent upon everyone else's schedule, i.e. all the various contractors involved and all the possible delays that inevitably occur. E.g. 'Where are our rafters??' 'Oh, didn't we tell you - the rafters are backordered until March.'  or 'No, we have no record of your order.' (No, that's not an actual conversation, but it is the type of thing that can, and often does, happen during any construction project.)

BUT...

At the end of it all, we will have family nearby. And that's a wonderful thing!

Who wouldn't love this!

*** 

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Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Turtles on a Log in a Pond

There's a little pond nearby that I like to visit to see if the turtles are lined up, sunning themselves on the log. Unfortunately, when I approached, although being as quiet as I possibly could, they must have heard me. The many turtles that had been on the log quickly, one or two at a time, slipped into the water, out of sight. Even so, I thought I'd post the photos because I liked the color of the wild flowers and even the algae on the pond.

Swamp Milkweed

A brave one

I hope this turtle doesn't sue me.

Same pond, but photo taken last year at this time.

I must have been quieter last year, or maybe it was the direction of the wind that caused them to not hear me last year.

***

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This post may be linked to one or more of the following: Mop it Up Monday  and Get in My Tummy and  Cure for the Common Monday and  Clever Chicks Blog Hop and  Barn Charm and  The Marketplace  and  Mix it up Monday and Make it Pretty Monday and    Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Efforts and Assets and   You're Gonna Love it Tuesday and Creative Showcase and Memories by the Mile and Crafty Texas Girls and  Tweak it Tuesday and  Coastal Charm Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday  and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Mom on TimeOut  and Adorned from Above and Wildcrafting Wednesday and   Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and All Things With Purpose and Home & Garden Thursday and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Artsy Corner Thursday  and The Girl Creative, Thursday and  Creative Things Thursday and Be Inspired and Time Travel Thursday and Thrifty Things Friday  and  Friday Fences and  Thursday's Inspiration and  The Self-sufficient Home Acre and  I'm Lovin' it Thursday and Creative Things Thursday and   Mandatory Mooch   and Foodie Friends Friday and Freedom Fridays and From the Farm and   Anything Blue Friday and Junkin' Joe and  Serenity Saturday and Get Schooled Saturday  and Inspiration Friday(ThursNite) and Vintage Inspiration Friday and Photo Friday and Share Your Creativity and   A Favorite Thing Saturday and Sunny Simple Sunday and Sunlit Sunday and  Market Yourself Monday and  Saturday Nite Special

Family Reunions Past and Present

Some of my husband's ancestors

My August 10 post was all about our recent family reunion. 'Our family' consisted of Kevin and me, our children, their spouses, and the grandchildren. We had a great time, and it was wonderful to have everyone together - a rare treat.

But one of the comments made, caused me to decide to write this post today. 

'Isn't it wonderful to have family reunions. I miss ours but as the older generation of my mother's have almost all died, we no longer have them.'

That's what often happens, isn't it.

When I read that comment, it took me back to the days when my parents would take us to their extended family reunions, where we would meet the great uncles and great aunts, first cousins once removed, and second cousins. There were a ton of them! My dad was one of eight kids, and I think all of them went to this family reunion to meet with the relatives we seldom saw. We all met at Solon Springs, about 1 1/2 hours from our home, ate food, listened to the grown-ups visit, but what I remember most about those reunions was how many people were involved and how shy I felt around those 'strangers' who seemed to delight in this special day.

My husband's parents (upper left), newly married in 1945

A smaller family reunion than those I attended as a kid

SO, the questions I have for you are:

Did you attend family reunions when you were a kid? Was your extended family large? How often did you get together? Have you carried on the tradition of the family reunion? If so, what do you do when you get together?

I see, according to other family photos, that's it's about time to have another family reunion with my husband's side of the family. AND, we're past due to have a family reunion with my siblings and their kids and grandkids.

The family reunion is a wonderful tradition, and now that our parents are gone, I guess the torch has been passed to us.

***

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