Today's Decoration Day at Davis Cemetery. I think "Decoration Day" is a southern tradition. I read somewhere that decorating graves started during the Civil War when families near battlegrounds went out in late spring-early summer on a warm sunny Sunday and scattered flowers over hallowed ground.
The Second Sunday in June in my family also means Homecoming and family reunions. Each year all my kinfolks on my mothers side of the family used come to my mom's house to eat lunch. I have to say they were troopers through the years because my mom's house has only one small window air conditioner and it usually started struggling at 9 a.m. because of all the food being prepared in the kitchen. Potato salad, green beans, cole slaw, butter beans, mashed potatoes, fried chicken, fried squash, fried okra, and fried green tomatoes. The cakes and pies were usually baked beforehand. When folks started to arrive after church, the house was like a sauna. Had it not been for the quality of the food, most of the younger folks would have said "I just can't take the heat!!!" But those fresh baked apple pies with fresh homemade vanilla ice cream....well most folks would walk through hell with a gallon of gas to get to a bowl of that...I know I would. I truly believe that Jilda would not have married me after having survived the first Second Sunday in June had it not been for those pies. Jilda asked my mom for the recipe for those pies and for years she would not give it to her. "You won't eat them if I tell you," mamma said. Finally a few years ago she aquiesced and said well you start out with three cups of sugar, (some more stuff) and a scoop of lard. Jilda doesn't make them often but when she does, they are really good.
Since mamma's health has deteriorated, she stays with my sister and her house is much cooler and there's much more room but things are just not the same.
Anyhow, I hope you all have a remarkable day.
My next blog will be from the beach. I just hope I have internet connectivity. If not, I'll post two entries on Tuesday.
Things sure did taste good when they were made with lard. And the best eggs are cooked in bacon grease! Accompanied by bread soaked in the bacon grease. That was our breakfast when we were trout fishing in the Adirondacks a few decades ago.
ReplyDeleteYou keep tickling my memory. Keep up the good work.
Bob