Father's Day dinner at Deb's gave us a chance to try out the Ocean edition of Labyrinth with
Angie, Rosie, Jake and Gram G.
Who won? Not me....Angie had first win. Just cause it is her B-day present?
I think the varying blue colors made me a little sea sick. Maybe?
EPIC DUMPLING DINNER!!
The local family has been waiting since Christmas for dumplings and sour gravy. With Jake being home from college for the summer it was time for the anticipated event. Their only complaint is that there is never enough left overs.
It starts with several trips to the grocery for me to shop sales to get the best buy. Then its laying out the bread to dry for a few days
The day of the dinner Angie and Zach came early to help break up 6 loaves of bread, peel 10 pounds of potatoes and shape baseball sized dumplings
The dumpling gang...
Jake, Debbie, Angie, Keys, Carole, Frank, Zach,with Micaela missing because of work.
Gram G was in charge of baking several pounds of pork with caraway and garlic, cooking the sauerkraut, and fashioning the sour gravy. The sour gravy is the focus of the entire meal, so much care is taken to have it just right!
Sour gravy is made from flour browned in melted lard, thinned into a thick liquid with beef broth, seasoned with cider vinegar and allspice. A recipe from the "old country"of Wisconsin and "old,old country" of Germany. I learned it from my mother-in-law who boiled venison ribs for the broth.
EPIC!
66 DUMPLINGS OF 3 VARIATIONS
2 CROCKPOTS OF SOUR GRAVY
1 ROASTER OF PORK WITH THIN GRAVY
1 PAN OF SAUERKRAUT
8 PEOPLE TO EAT AND TAKE HOME LEFTOVERS!
3 DAYS FOR GRAM G TO REST
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Our community had an Hawaiian pot luck dinner
I brought my own date
Proper Hawaiian macaroni salad...
macaroni, ham, shredded carrots, mayo
American add ins...
black olives, cheese squares, peas
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Community 4th of July pot luck
No date this time
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4th of July I had these little firecrackers and their parents over for dinner and late B-days.
Saul, Kahana, Nainoa, Pomai
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My friend, Nancy, and I finally got together for a lunch out after a 3 year wait! Covid put an end (for awhile) to socializing.
We enjoyed a 3 hour visit while devouring Middle Eastern cuisine.
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California College graduate, Jude
Minneapolis College graduate, Devin
Virginia High School graduate, Tyler
Next generation Vancouver Kindergarten graduate, Rosie
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To the Future and Now!
Grandson, Ryan, working on experimental solar powered car...sitting under solar panels
University of Wisconsin, Madison, came in first of three rookie teams! Drove it about 25-30 mph
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A touch of summer beauty!
REFLECTIONS
There are times I feel lonely with living by myself. I get bored and annoyed with only my own company. I am grateful for the blessings of lots of family and friends. They give my mind other people and things to think about and plan for. I enjoy the planning part of an upcoming event or trip, the actual activity, the picture taking, the photo processing, the fun memories and the satisfaction. I'm thankful, too, for visitors to my house cause it makes me clean it!
This has been a good 3 GeoGram weeks in the life of Gram G.
"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10
