Cabin Traditions

Traditions don't start out with the intention of becoming traditions, but after nearly 50 years, this cabin has accumulated a few. Over the years there have been many babies and little kids at the cabin—my kids, my brother's kids, my sister's kids and lots of visiting friend kids. Each has had the opportunity to take a bath in the kitchen sink—and have their photo taken doing it. Here are photos of Andy in the sink in the cabin album. That's Emily in the top pictures, but no photo of her in the sink. I'm sure one was taken. I will have to look for it.

Sofia was the first of a new generation in our family, so her visit required the traditional sink bath and photo.

Picking huckleberries is another tradition. When enough berries could be found, Mom always made a huckleberry pie. Emily, who inherited the pie gene from my Mom (it skips a generation, you know!) was prepared to make pies, so several of us set out to pick berries.

It is a steep climb to where the best berries are, but niece, Steffi, blazed the way, SIL Brenda carried the buckets, Emily toted Sofia, strapped to her front, and I brought up the rear.

The huckleberry crop was dismal, but we found a few. Steffi, here, is deep in the berry bushes and came out with more than any of the rest of us.

We stopped at the clearing where my parents' ashes are buried at the base of these three trees. We sat on a log and had a moment with our thoughts, fed Sofia and stripped off her shirt as we had all gotten quite hot and sweaty.

We did not have nearly enough berries for even one pie, so Emily made apple pies, Brenda made ice cream and I made sauce for the ice cream with the huckleberries. Traditions can be easily adapted when necessary.

Emily and Andy and Sofia and niece, Jamie, left this afternoon. It sure seems quiet and a little sad since they left. Sofia has been a good travelor—mostly.