Where I'm From ~ Poem

I am from bike rides in the hot summer heat,
from Mister Bee Potato Chips and RC Cola.
I am from the old house close to the Ohio River,
where my dad grew up,
my brother and I played,
where the smell of an ancient spice bush filled the yard, planted by my grandmother's hands.

I am from the honeysuckle along wooded trails,
the sweet lilacs and my dad's prized rhododendron.
I am from family summer camp nights and my grandmother's green thumb,
from grand-dad's WWII stories and my mother's unconditional love,
the Scotch-Irish McClungs and the Welsh Phillips before me.
I am from evenings of fresh popcorn, pullout couches, and endless marathons of Star Wars.
From the boogeyman that lived under my bed and the ghost that stood in my doorway.

I'm from the 500 million year old hills of West Virginia,
the same mountains my ancestors farmed,
the lumpy mashed potatoes and the homemade pies.
From the best friend I found in a college science lab
and the same best friend that I married 11 years ago,
the beautiful babies we made times two,
and the tragic death of a brother who was taken too soon.

I am from 35 years of happiness,
Parents who took me to fly a kite and to enjoy all 31 Flavors,
Sunday morning breakfast,
Girl Scout Camp,
The Material Girl and Thriller
Insatiable Love and motherhood,
Little League Baseball and Princess Parties,
Animal Rescues and folktale music,
Honeybees and the love of science,
Triathlons and physical endurance,
victory gardens and rosemary,
the American dream,
and West Virginia pride.

Apple Tree Wassailing, The Experience

As I stated in an earlier post about Apple Wassailing, the tradition (as recorded by history) began in the 1500's in Southern England. Apple Wassailing traditionally takes place on January 17th (the old 12th Night of Christmas), in which family and friends chant and sing to their apple trees to help ensure a healthy crop for next year. To be honest, traditions like these were to help bring people together and celebrate. What else are you going to do in the middle of a freezing January night?

Here are some pictures on the way to my mother in law's house. Amy and I had to sit in the back of Andrea's Jeep. We laughed all the way.

Once we got to my mother in law's house around 6:30PM, we gathered in her log room and chatted a bit over hot apple cider,we made on her farm last Labor Day weekend. Susie (my MIL) used the organic mulling spices I gave her as a Christmas present, in the cider. It was delicious!

After chatting for a few moments, it was time to pick the Wassailing King and Queen. We read Robert Herrick's Poem, which describes how the king and queen are picked. We all chose an applesauce muffin from the his/her platter. And then carefully picked through the muffin looking for the green pea that would designate the queen and the bean that would designate the king.

Amy was the first one to find the queen's pea and then shortly afterwards the king was picked - my nephew Jared found his bean.

And then we chatted and laughed some more.

The King and Queen's duties were to pass out chants to those picked to read and the song sheets. Odie was picked to pour a little bit of apple cider in each person's cup.

First, we started out with the chants.

As the chants were read, a few people at a time would toss their apple cider on the tree. Kids went first!

After a few chants were read, we all gathered to sing a wassailing song. It was cold so, we only sang 3 verses at a time.

We visited 3 more houses - my brother in law's, a friend named Sherry (whose house was full of furniture from the early 1900's, she had bought in Italy-it was beautiful), and one of my best friend's Andrea. At each house, we went inside and laughed and talked some more. There was no shortage of jovality.

Andrea's house was the last stop. She had beef stew brewing in the crockpot all day, so when we walked in we all dove right for it. Andrea looks like a ray of sunshine.

After we Wassailed Andrea's very large apple tree, we went back inside and popped open a few hard ciders and wine. And enjoyed folktale singing by my mother in law...

...and Celtic and Folktale singing by Amy and Andrea, backed with Odie's guitar and banjo.

And of course, next year's Apple Tree Wassailing is already in the works!