Tradition, The Mutton Roast

How many years before a Tradition becomes a Tradition?

Saturday Morning September 14, 2013.

It's early morning.  Slowly roasting under a blanket of metal sheeting, a Mutton roasting for 10 hours. 

See the steam rising?

23 years ago, the first Mutton Roast at our Country Farm house.
The Mutton was roasted in a hand dug pit, first wrapped in chicken wire with herbs and spices and then tightly covered with wooden planks and a layer of dirt, and left to roast for 10 hours. 

Did I tell you that it was a black tie affair?  

We had just introduced our niece Susan to our Friends' son, Johnny.
There was chemistry right from the start. 

Now, three handsome boys later.

And we celebrated our 23rd Annual Mutton Roast last Saturday, 
for many years now hosted by Johnny's Mother and Father.

The wood is already stacked up for next year's Mutton Roast.

To be roasted in a pit which Johnny's Father built. 

It's 7 o'clock in the morning.  The Mutton was uncovered and brought up to be cut into serving pieces.  

 Champagne is on ice, another tradition. 

 Mr G is still the head honcho.  He is the farm boy who knows how to cut a perfect butterfly steak.  

Celebrating Life.

While remembering a fallen friend. 

 We enjoyed each others company and the abundance of nature.


Have a wonderful week my dear 
Blogging Friends. 

Gina

A friend stopped by

Right in the middle of a long computer glitsch session

Karen brought Tulips from her garden, Biscotti cookies she baked yesterday, Choke Cherry Preserves  (hers are the most delicious) and Parsnip seeds for my garden.

Wishing you a good friend, just when you need one.

Have a great weekend, my dear  blogging friends

Gina

We have Friends

Very talented Friends

Recently we attended an Art Exhibit featuring well known Artist Susan Gallacher

As often happens, when you have been married for 47 years, we independently picked the very same painting as our favorite 

Now it so happens that Susan is a very good friend.  On weekends, Susan lives in her charming, turn-of-the-century country house

And, Susan was in need of a kitchen mural for her newly remodelled kitchen

Exchanges like that happen in our little town

This is my reproduction of an original painted by a Dutch artist in the 18th century

It is believed that it might have been used as a shop sign by a Dutch Flower Seller

Susan thinks that it is perfect for her kitchen and we love our new painting

Good Will abounds in our little town

For an entire winter Gene helped our local Sheep Rancher feed more than 800 head of sheep.  That represents lifting many heavy bales of hay. 

Beef Pot Roasts keep appearing at our front door.

In winter, after a snow storm, I don't see much of Gene

He's visiting all over town with his beloved Ford Jubilee Tractor, digging and moving mountains of snow

A thank you is all he needs to make him happy

Have you made a memorable exchange?

Gina