Favorite Summer Traditions

 

I was asked what my favorite summer traditions are. I don't really have any. But it did get me to thinking My mind drifted back to childhood memories of traveling to my Aunt Gussie and Uncle Roy's in Tifton, GA. They planted a large garden, maybe an acre or two. Everything looks bigger when you're in the 4th grade. Nonetheless, we would help, somewhat and reluctantly, with the harvesting. I use that word loosely. We, my sisters and I, would pick a few butterbeans and complain the whole time.

We drove home, loaded down, (did we take two vehicles?), with beans, squash, tomatoes, watermelon, peanuts, cucumbers, corn...it was endless. Truly though, it was much appreciated. The work did not stop there. Canning and preserving started when we arrived home. It continued until every ear or corn was shucked and frozen, every tomato canned, and every cucumber pickled. Wow. So. There you have it. Memories.