Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Visitors

I have always loved company. It doesn't matter who they are, when they come, or what the circumstances. We had a saying at our house growing up that if we didn't have a bed we would "drive a nail in the wall to hang company on", meaning that we would make room for them to stay awhile. I can remember many times us three boys giving up our bed and sleeping on a quilt thrown on the floor to make room for guests. But it was always fun! Part of the fun was the good eats - cause Mama always cooked her best for visitors. Part of the joy was that sometimes the visitors had kids my age. Some were kinfolks - but not all. It didn't matter, we just enjoyed visiting with the folks.

And especially do I love company when it's someone I haven't seen in a long while - like this visit Sunday night and yesterday by my 1st cousin, Terry Junius Jones and his lovely wife Trish, who now reside in Alabama. In town, I was awakened from my afternoon nap by their knock on the kitchen door (all strange visitors come to the front door). After a good visit at the house in town on Sunday night - we laid out our plans for Monday by calling my Mom and starting the day at her apartment for breakfast of mullet roe with grits! Junius' career has been commercial fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico. He brought these fresh frozen fish roe up to Mom because he knows how much she enjoys them. And we made her day by visiting with her and allowing her to cook for us. She still loves visitors too.

Then we headed out to the cabin where I cooked deer steaks, baked potatoes, and had cake, cinnamon rolls and muscadines for dessert!


Of course I made a fresh pot of coffee which I poured into a thermos bottle to keep it warm.


Canned biscuits to go with our deer steak - unfortunately I left them in the oven just a minute too long but the visitors bragged on them anyway.


These venison steaks cooked up to perfection! They went down well with the baked Idaho potatoes.


These delicious cinnamon rolls were just part of dessert. A berry cake, made by daughter Ruthie - and muscadines - and scuppernongs topped it off.



Delightful Trish was offering to help clean up the dishes but I insisted that it was my job today.


Took them outside to the fire pit where we had a camp-fire going. We needed the fire as the weather was a cool 41 degrees this morning - and only up to 55 for a high.


Sitting here and re-hashing stories from our past times with Grandpa and Grandma Jones consumed a good portion of our day. We also took the vacuum cleaner apart and put it back together so I could vacuum the floor inside. The gas heater was not working properly so Junius helped me take it out of the fireplace box and into the truck to take to town for repairs. And finally, just as I was finished with the dishes - can you believe it? - the water-pump stopped working. Our last item of work was to remove it and place it in the truck to take to town for replacement. Yes, we had our inconveniences - But we had a GREAT time with our visitors!!!

3 comments:

jack69 said...

Having visited with you at the cabin and ate your cooking, I know the folks had a feast. I can look at the pictures and wish I was there with you and to meet the cousins.
Not too sure about the fish roe, but you mentioned the place in FL to get some and we will try it this winter.
Love you Fred. Kiss Frances and Mom for us. give everyone our love. We still brag on how you guys started our trip off with a big Bang!

Favorite One said...

Did you notice that BIG smile on Trish's face? That was probably cause you did the dishes! Or, maybe it was the food and the fun that always seems to happen at the cabin.

So glad they came and shared the time with you. I would've liked to have those stories about my great grandpa recorded. :0)

Now that you've made me hungry - I think I'll go eat some lunch!

Looking forward to the next trip to the cabin.

~mel said...

Oh it sounds like a wonderful time! I must admit, I had to look up muscadines and scuppernongs. My hunch was right about the muscadines; but you got me on the scuppernongs. Never heard of those before. Loved the pictures! Thanks for sharing!!