The Grafted Vine

B.V.F.D. Fish Fry

2008-05-19T10:25:00.001-07:00

The third Sunday in May is the annual fish fry to support the Bleiblerville Volunteer Fire Department. For those of you that are not native ... Bleiblerville is pronounced ... BLY - BER - VILLE. We were new to this community event and underestimated the size of it. We saw people from all the surrounding towns and communities ... Brenham, Bellville, Industry, New Ulm, Chappell Hill and some from farther away like La Grange and Fayetteville. How did we know you might ask ... because they were wearing their community's volunteer firefighter uniform or support t-shirt. We even saw a couple from Fredricksburg, which is about three hours away.

Cullen enjoyed all the crowd noise and music playing. He actually slept through most of it. Here he is laughing at his new frog rattle toy that hangs from his car seat.

Melvin shows off the local fashion ... a cap declaring his support of the Bleiblerville Volunteer Fire Department. Taneshia opted for a fire engine red t-shirt to sleep in. TD decided he did not want either one.

TD and Taneshia are waiting for the live auction to begin. There were also tables full for the silent auction and a two raffles ... one for children and one for adults. In the live auction there were quilts, crocheted bed coverings, wooden rocking horses, metal work stands and racks, baskets of home grown vegetables, jars of cookies, and many more donated items. The neatest thing ... a pitchfork ... people bid for the right to have it for one year. Their way of "pitching" in to support the volunteer fire department.

The meal included fried catfish and cod, hushpuppies, potato salad and cole slaw. The local ladies had baked cakes, brownies, cookies, and pies for a free will donation. The chocolate cake we had was to die for! There was a beer booth with fire hat koozies for sale, a soda trailer that also made snow cones, and booths of children's activities. The man selling tickets told Papa John that they had food for 5,000!

It was amazing to watch all the men working the fish fryers, the women serving the plates, and local teens working the booths and tables. A whole community coming together to raise money to equip their fire department. A fire department of community men volunteering their time to save a neighbor's property in the event of a fire. Papa John called it "heartwarming." I say it was small town America at its best.

In the Market for a Farmer's Market

2008-05-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

While visiting my sister Jeannine in Beaverton, Oregon two summers ago the children and I attended the Beaverton Farmer's Market. It was stunning to see all the glorious flowers and plants. We walked rows with berries, melons, tree fruits and vegetables. We had a delicious breakfast of homemade pastries and strong coffee ... hot cocoa for the children. There was a park nearby and the children enjoyed playing on the playground while live music played nearby.

My sister had booths she visited regularly to get flowers for her home or plants for her porch. She knew the best location for breakfast pastries and what booth to watch for a new crop of the best peaches. She couldn't believe I would pay for baskets of berries (a bargain for me compared to the Texas grocery stores) because she knew where to pick them for less. We shopped for local honey and found a wonderful booth with specialty goat cheese (a family favorite). It was one of our favorite memories of visiting Oregon.

So I have been searching for farmer's markets near the Brenham/Bellville area for something similar. Brenham holds a farmer's market in a small building downtown. There is often less than ten tables set up with items for sale. One booth sells great cakes and pies and one delicious tamales but there is not a lot of produce. So we go there from time to time and the children enjoy getting breakfast burritos or grilled sausage. Most of the time we don't find anything different from what Papa John (my dad) grows in his garden. I was longing for organic, heirloom vegetables, unique herbs and foodie items like cheese, local raw honey (great for allergy relief), whole grain breads and raw goats milk.

While searching on the internet I came across an advertisement for a Saturday market in Round Top, Texas. Round Top is the smallest incorporated town in Texas with a fun square, funky shops and a few restaurants. So this last Saturday Robert, Papa John, the children and myself loaded up in the suburban to go to the Farmer's Market. We took the back roads and enjoyed the rolling hills and beautiful scenery. We arrived in Round Top to find ... one lone tent with two tables and one woman. Since breakfast from the farmer's market was out of the question we headed to Klump's for breakfast ... which was very good by the way.

We headed back to the "tent." Papa John and I got out of the car to see what the woman was selling. She had potatoes, squash, and onions. She also had canned vegetables, jams and pepper sauce. Plus she was selling fresh eggs from her free range chickens. Papa John purchased one dozen for himself and one for me. The dozen included white eggs, light to dark brown eggs and beautiful pale green eggs. While making our purchase another woman asked the owner of the "market" why she wasn't across the square at the "farmer's market" location.

She replied that since she was the only one setting up each week for the farmer's market the area residents decided to cancel the market and stop advertising it. (It's still on the internet though ... hence our trip). She said that since she did not attend the last meeting ... the one about canceling the market .... she was no longer considered a member of the farmer's market and was not allowed to set up at the farmer's market location.

Does that make sense to you?

Something Funny

2008-05-13T19:06:00.001-07:00

Daddy and I are sharing a joke.....

Don't you wish you knew about it?

Cullen

The Rose Emporium

2008-05-12T08:53:00.001-07:00

Our family is blessed to live near the perfect location for picnics and pictures ... the Antique Rose Emporium in Independence, Texas. Robert and I started there with our engagement pictures and we have watched our children grow through the pictures our family has taken there.

We headed out there this last Friday since Robert and the children didn't have school (Maifest parade and holiday). It was a beautiful day and we had a wonderful time as a family.

All Together

I am truly grateful to have three teenagers that humored their mom. They gave up their school holiday to picnic with their parents. They wore t-shirts to match their little brother's outfit. They scouted out their personal locations to have a picture with their little brother. They stayed cheerful through their mother's camera clicking for over an hour in the heat. They also enjoyed a picnic of junk foods mom doesn't normally provide!!!

TD and Cullen

Taneshia and Cullen

Melvin and Cullen

Cullen on his "Nana" Blanket

Cullen enjoyed resting during the picnic on his "Nana" blanket. Each of Mom's grandchildren have a special blanket crocheted just for them. It is a source of love and comfort for each of them. Thanks Nana!

Cullen's Last Pose

Cullen was exhausted by the time we got to this shot. He posed for a couple more and then we hurried off to the suburban. He needed air conditioning (amen!), his pacifier and car seat. He was asleep before we got the suburban loaded.