Labor Days Past

I love summer but I am never sad to see it end. Fall in our house has always been the time of new beginnings, much more so than even New Years. We have always celebrated the end of summer with a family picnic. When my children were small, we would go to my husband’s family’s house to see summer off with a bang. Back then, I wasn’t much of a cook but the senior ladies of the family would bring out dish after dish of tasty food. One particular holiday picnic, when my daughter was around two years old, sticks out in my mind. She was sitting next to her beloved great Aunt, when I noticed that something was terribly wrong. My young daughter had a panicked look on her face and was turning red. Apparently, she had been eating chicken off of her Aunt’s plate when she swallowed a chicken bone. Luckily, I was able to dislodge the bone and all was well. It just goes to show that, even when surrounded by loving relatives, you can’t take your eyes off of your child.

Now I am one of the senior ladies of the family and I am the host of the family picnic. I love it when we all get together to celebrate and enjoy the last official day of summer. Through the years, I have learned a thing or two about cooking and my family dives into my fried chicken. Some lessons always stick with you, however, and the chicken that comes out of my kitchen is boneless. Hope that you and yours enjoy the end of one season and the beginning of a new one.