I went home to the Eastern Shore of Virginia this past weekend to visit my Dad and family for Father's Day. I was also home to deliver some household items and clothes to my cousin Kelly who's house recently burned down. Kelly is my cousin on my Dad's side of the family. Kelly's great grandmother and my great grandmother were sisters. Kelly's great grandmother died in child birth and her 3 children were divided up and raised by her 3 sisters. My great grandmother, Nanoo, being one of the sisters raised little Josie. Nanoo's sister, Lee, raised little Nancy. Nancy is Kelly's grandmother. Long story short... My great grandmother, Nanoo, and Aunt Lee, AND Kelly's grandmother Nancy were all neighbors when Kelly and I were growing up. Kelly and I used to have so much fun baking mud cakes in oyster shells, rolling down the big hill that went up to her grandmothers house, eating amazing Sunday suppers with the whole family, and just playing games.
So on this past Sunday when we took the donations for Kelly to her grandmother Nancy's house it felt like going back in time. I hadn't been there in 15 years! My Nanoo died when I was in high school and I just hadn't been over there much after that. Walking in to Nancy's house up on the hill after so long was special. We just popped in and Nancy and Fred A. (Kelly's grandfather) were sitting at the little table in the bay window nook eating a southern meal complete with Lemon Meringue Pie and a jar of homemade strawberry preserves. I saw the preserves on the table and asked Nancy if they were homemade. She said of course and went to the cupboard and gave me the last jar. I didn't want to take her last jar but she wanted me to have them which made me so happy. It's weird how just a jar of jam can send you back to your childhood. When I opened the preserves the next night back at home, I nearly cried they were so delicious. All those women who took such good care of me when I was a little girl, showing me how they baked pies, and singing me hymns, and just letting me ask so many questions about every little thing they did, they're almost all gone now. I miss them dearly.
Those strawberry preserves from Aunt Nancy remind me of my Nanoo, Gaggie, Aunt Lee, Aunt Tabby, and just being a a kid.
Good Memories.
