The past few days I have been thinking about family traditions.
Each family has them, whether they are recognized or not.
Some are small things, like the way you celebrate a holiday.
Some are related to your religious faith or your ethnic background.
I asked my family what they thought our family traditions were
and really compared to some families we couldn't think of many.
Growing up my mother's family mostly lived on apple ranches in Northern California.
Many of our family gatherings took place at the main apple ranch of my uncles.
I mentioned several months ago that the last family ranch had been sold.
I felt it was important to have one more family gathering, especially for
the younger generation to celebrate family at the ranch.
The pictures above are from the family ranch as we celebrated
on Memorial weekend. It use to be all apples, but now there are grapes too.
The family home still stands there and many of the vintage tools and the old truck
still remain. But it isn't the same, no it isn't. The heart of the ranch is gone.
One of my aunts, who had a ranch down the road, was there.
But my uncle that ran the ranch is no longer there.
There isn't the hustle and bustle that once was felt.
I will always cherish my memories of family celebrations, laughter, and play
(oh there was work too); but mostly I will cherish the family traditions
we celebrated here and I am grateful.
Do you have special family traditions?
Family tradiations are wonderful indeed.
ReplyDeleteLove you
Jeanne
Yes, we have family traditions --- and some relate to what you have described. Every year our family took a vacation to our family ranch in Arizona. This week Uncle passed away. It will never be the same.
ReplyDeleteYou nailed it when you said it wasn't the same -- th eheart of the ranch wasn't there. I suspect at one point, that will be the way of our cottage, too. Even now, with the moms and dads gone, it's different. Good. But different.
ReplyDeleteI remember this place, and remember your beautiful post when it was sold! It's sad that the heart of it is gone,but the memories of your times there seem so special and so locked in your heart!
ReplyDeleteOur traditions are big, like going to Maine each summer, but the ones we love are the small ones. Peanut Butter and Jelly at the beach. Shirley Temples when we go out for dinner, Starbucks after church. Wow, they all involve food!
Lovely post!
It is always hard to visit places when the families we loved are no longer there. The trick is to hold those memories dear and then gently let go of what we see today. I'm so glad you got to have one last reunion.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great holiday weekend. Blessings...Mary
What a beautiful place the ranch is!! It is hard to say goodbye to a place that holds such fond memories. But you are lucky to have these great pictures!! And it really is the people who make the place special.
ReplyDeleteWe do have a lot of traditions and many seem to center around various holidays.. from wild and crazy egg hunts with the cousins at Easter, to singing with Frank Sinatra while cooking turkey at Thanksgiving and eating flag cake on the 4th, etc... All good things for our children to remember and perhaps carry on to the next generation. :-)
First visit there were no photos - glad I can see them now. What a delightful place. I can imagine the memories of family traditions were rampant there - I can't think of growing up in a lovelier place than the countryside with apple orchards...........or in my case the seaside. Actually I really had both, the country with dairy farms was just a few minutes walk in one direction, the beach and bay just a short drive, or a bit longer walk, in the other direction!!
ReplyDeleteOur family traditions didn't revolve around holidays, except for Easter and Christmas, guess they are less specific in England. Every Summer I did enjoy small 'traditions' such as going to stay with my cousin Sue at her seaside town for 2 weeks, just a 15 minute ride on the bus along the coast road - I loved that.
We are so fortunate to have good childhood memories - something I wish for every child.
Love, Mary
Most of my family's traditions involve holiday celebrations and birthdays. Life is so busy for everyone now and we really treasure those traditions when we have the chance to get together to celebrate. Thanks for sharing your photos, Marilyn.
ReplyDeleteI came back to see your photos...glad they are showing now. You seemed very melancholy, remembering past holidays & events. I know exactly how you feel!
ReplyDeleteI gave you a shout out on my blog for your tea cozy patterns. Come see!
http://rettspace.blogspot.com/2011/06/tea-cozy-for-me.html
From now on, we will think of *you* and your family when we visit the ranch... xo
ReplyDelete