Raspberry Love

     It's raspberry season - it's hot outside. Smoothies for lunch are so cool and simple. Frozen vanilla yogurt, milk, an ice cube and lots of berries are pureed in the blender, poured in a glass and topped with whipped cream and a berry garnish. 

Peter & Juliana Voorhies

     We'll start with the end of a story here -  a tombstone in St. Johns Cemetery in Jackson, Michigan that stands as a silent reminder of a family long gone. The beginning was in Belgium, where Peter Voorhies was born in 1870, and in Flanders, where Juliana Desmyter was born in 1875. Peter immigrated to America as an adult in 1892 but Juliana was a toddler when her family arrived in 1877. The couple married in 1893.

     They were living in Scio Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan in 1900 where Peter (left) who had been a buggy maker in the old country, was now a farmer, and the couple had two little daughters, Florence and Marie. In 1910, the family had moved to Jackson City where Peter was employed as a laundryman at a hotel, and Juliana had borne two more children, sons Lawrence and Edward.











       Ten years later, the family was living in Summit Township, East Jackson; Peter was working for the railroad as a track foreman and a last little son, Louis (named for Peter's father) had joined the family. This photo shows the family plus a fellow named Harold Brown, seated far right, who was or would become Florence's husband.





     Here Peter and Julia, as she was called, smile on the wedding day of their oldest son,  Larry, and his bride, Phyllis Phillips (who would have only one child, my mother). Not long after, in 1926 at the age of fifty-six, Peter passed away but Juliana lived until 1952 with her single daughter, Marie. Sadly she lost two sons, Lawrence and Edward, before she died.

     I feel quite unfortunate that these hard facts are the only things I know about Peter and Julia (below). They lived through so much, overcame many obstacles and a large measure of their life must have been difficult. Why did they leave Europe and were they happy in America? What kind of personalities did they have? I can only speculate but I am glad that at the very least, I have these few photographs.

Simply Potato Salad

     Potato salad is a top favorite of my husband and he especially likes it made the way my mother did for decades. Her recipe is quite plain, which makes the preparation relatively simple. Cooked red potatoes (sometimes I use Idaho Russets because that's what we happen to have in the pantry), celery, pimento, hard-boiled eggs, and a dressing of Miracle Whip mixed with a touch of mustard, salt and pepper. Mom didn't care for onions in salads and I follow her rule in this instance, unless there are a couple of green onions available. Occasionally I will add a chopped sweet pickle, and in the early summer a few leaves of homegrown romaine lettuce add a special touch, as well. And there is just enough room on the plate for a tender grilled fillet mignon or barbecued pork steak!

Summertime - In the Pool

     Summertime memories are often evoked by the hot bright sun, the cool shade of a tree, a brilliant blue sky, and the smell of new-mown grass and pool chlorine. Back in the early 1960's, my little sisters and I spent most of our summer days outside. Before air-conditioning, it was more comfortable than in the house but I think we also just loved being in the backyard. In the morning, we set up doll hospitals or veterinary clinics (for injured or ill stuffed animals), or cared for the imaginary horses in the garage "stable".  

   Afternoons were spent in the pool. Although we envied a neighbor who had a "big" pool - really a galvanized stock tank - our vinyl version served its purpose quite well. It was filled with fresh water daily (after moving it to a new spot so the grass would not be smothered), and kept clean of grass and bugs by skimming with a dented sieve from the kitchen. No one was allowed in the pool until they rinsed their feet clean in a tub placed next to the pool!

Bacon Wrapped Burger Franks

     Summertime and grilling is easy...and fun...because creativity takes the ho-hum out of the everyday! These "burger franks" were so yummy and so worth not having dessert.  Cheddar cheese wrapped with ground chuck wrapped with bacon and grilled to sizzly perfection and served on a hot dog bun (which has to be a Ball Park Bun - our current favorite and not the thriftiest buy - they are substantial yet soft). Ketchup and mustard were hardly necessary!