G-CLAN GATHERS

Today we're off for a trolley to be with the G-clan.  Got up at 7, and have a poppy seed cake in the oven.  It will be frosted with prepared instant lemon pudding mixed with Cool Whip.  The cake is a Duncan Heinz Super Moist, that calls for 1 cup water, 1/2 cup oil, and 3 egg whites.  Then I sprinkled Lotsa poppy seeds in the batter.

One could say that it's a family tradition that I bring poppy seed cake.  Think about it.  Poppy seeds used in baking come from the same plant that produces morphine and codeine.  The poppy seeds in my spice container are imported from countries where they're legally grown.  Who else besides yours truly would bring an opiate cake to a family picnic!

My bro-in-law loves poppy seed cake, so that's why it's my favorite contribution to the food table.  There are various brands of poppy seed salad dressing.  That and the Vidalia onion dressing are probably my favorite homemade salads when we have guests over for supper.  Blue cheese is another of my faves, but few others care for it. 

My ancestry is the reason for using poppy seed.  Some Czech kolaches are filled with ground poppy seed.  As a little girl, I'd sit and grind poppy seed for my Gramma.  The photo to the left is a grinder much like the one I used to grind both coffee and poppy seed.  When the little drawer would be filled with ground seeds, I'd dump it into a bowl and Gramma would put more poppy seed in the top.  Man, what I'd give to have that grinder.  Don't have any idea what happened to it. 

Just took the opiate cake out of the oven.  Took only 25 minutes to bake.  After it cools, I'll stir up the pudding frosting and blob it on top.  Think I'll use two boxes of lemon pudding and make it extra delicious.  When I say we go to the G-clan, I mean they're MY family, too.  We have two of the most adorable nephews anyone could ask for.  They're grown men now, but, to me, that only means their pants are longer!

The weather is perfect for a trolley, with mid-70s forecast for the high.  We gather on their farm and party in their garage.  They have golf carts and other 4-wheelers to drive around the farm, so I always await my sis-in-law coming up to me and saying, 'let's go for a drive.'  She drives the golf cart to show me her cattle, calves, and sometimes we drive across to the neighbor's pond.  

Think they're grilling brats and burgers, and then each family brings a dish to pass.  There's never a shortage of food, that's for sure.  But, upon our arrival, my nephew will immediately go fix me a Bloody Mary dollied up with olives, celery, and a dill pickle.  I'm known to be a mushy auntie, so I have to put the brakes on the number of hugs and smooches they get.  

Gotta tell you, too, that one of the glass poppy seed shakers I emptied, will be perfect to save and make into a tiny flower vase.  Think I'll maybe glue it onto something so it can hang outside our unit door.  If/when I do this, I'll be sure to post a photo.  It's that business of giving a new life to something that might otherwise get tossed in the recycling bin.  It's the little things that give me tickles.

The G-clan gathering is a little over an hour's drive from here.  A good day to see how the crops are growing.  A lot of rain has fallen up in that area.  About a week ago, some highways were closed because of high water.  Sounds like tropical storm Beryl has been upgraded to a major hurricane in the Caribbean.  The hurricane is on the verge of becoming the first ever Category 4 in the Atlantic in the month of June. 

Must start getting ready here.  Ta-ta till the morrow.