Canoe fun!

Picture: I think we finally figured out the people in the canoe. Gail's in the bow, John's in the stern. But, we have no idea who is in the middle.

Aunt Lois and Uncle Dave live on a chain of five lakes. Dallas is the largest where people could even water ski. The other lakes are Witmer, Westler, Dallas, Hackenberg, and Messick Lakes in the Indian Lakes chain of LaGrange County, Indiana. It's a very small town as you can see from the Wikipedia info below.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wolcottville is a town in LaGrange and Noble Counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 933 at the 2000 census.

My mom is the youngest of five kids. Since we were always the babies, we missed out on a lot of the fun. Or at least we thought we did! The highlight of any campout was to be deemed "big enough" to do anything that the older cousins did! Canoe trips or water skiing were at the top of the status pole! The canoe trip would last all day starting right after breakfast. And you'd better do your part paddling or you were going to get very wet (which was worse than getting yelled at!)! We would head for the dam. It is so quiet and peaceful there. Except the the SWAT! OUCH! SWAT! SWAT! SWAT! OUCH! The deer flies had found a free lunch! And did that bite ever sting! We would have welts the size of peas! Yes, we used the deer fly spray. that just seemed to attract them more. Once past the dam and park, it was time to get down to some serious paddling. We'd wind around the different lakes and eventually around noon stop for a picnic lunch if you were lucky enough to go on the looooonnnnnngggggggg canoe trip. Then more paddling - did I say my arms were very, very, very, tired and sore by now? I didn't complain (much). By early afternoon we'd reach Dallas Lake. The water skiers would be in full force by then. If you weren't careful you'd catch the wave just right and tip. Once down the channel, it was only about an hour's paddling until we reached the dock. We'd pass white and pink lily pads floating in a sea of green leaves. Then under the bridge, around the curve and home! It was the best trip ever! More on "the bridge" in another post.

July 4th camping fun!

Fireworks!

Part of the tradition is for the older cousins to put on a fireworks show for the Foruth of July celebration! It gets better and better every year! People from across the lake comment on the display1 They say it is better than the surrounding towns' fireworks!

The goal is NOT to set the yard or surrounding buildings on fire but there is always a designated "Fire Chief" who stand by with the bucket of water. Ok, there is usually more than one bucket of water because someone always ends up wet.

It's ice scream time!

i scream,
you scream,
we all scream for
ice cream!!

Aunt Jo

Aunt Jo is cooking again! WOW! can she cook! Aunt Jo is Italian. Her Mom still lived in Italy at the time of this picture.

This looks like dough for the meat pies. Ohhhhhh are they good - rich but ooooooohhhhhhh are they goood! I have her recipe and every now and again I dig it out and make them.

Aunt Jo's meat pies

Pizza Chiena (Filled Pizza) (Meat Pie)

Crust:

6 eggs

1 cup crisco

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2 tps salt

1 cup milk

9 cups flour

Cream sugar and crisco. Add eggs. Then milk - add dry ingredients - knead till smooth - separate into 12 balls - roll out 6" circles. Line 6 small (6 inch) pie tins - cut off excess dough.

Filling:

15 eggs (large)

1 fresh cheese grated (formaggia fresca) (tasteless soft) [fresh motzerella]

1/2 cup grated cheese (Parmesan)

12 slices ham - 1/8 inch thick

24 slices large pepperoni (pizza type)

Beat eggs with mixer. Add cheeses. Mix by hand. Separate in 4 bowls. Use 1 bowl egg mix on bottom of pies. Layer: 1 slice ham each pie. Egg mix (2nd bowl) - pepperoni - egg mix (3rd bowl) - 1 slice ham - egg mix (4th bowl).

Roll out remaining pie crusts - top pies - cut 1/2 beyond plate - fold under bottom crust. flute edges. roll out left over pieces of dough. cut in strips - decorate pies - then brush with beaten egg.

Bake 350 deg for 1/2 hour with 3 each shelf. Switch pies after pinching tops with fork. Then bake 350 deg another 1/2 hour.

They are best eaten warm or cool rather than right out of the oven.

Family

Top row left to right

First Row

First picture

Ken, Brannon, Larry at Brannon's choir concert in high school. Brannon said that would be the only time I'd see him in a tux. Not quite...he wore one when he got married.

Second picture

Leisa and her daughter Alyison. Alyison is now 16 or 17.

Third picture

Turtle races!! One of the past times at the family reunion campouts were turtle races!! It would take half a day to catch the baby turtles. Then we'd put the in the center of the table. The first turtle to make it to the edge was the winner! See that cute curly haired little girl in the white bathing suit? That's Katrina!

Fourth picture

The last picture is of my baby brother, Troy. (2006)

Second row:

First and second pictures

Another fun time camping was when Aunt Lois and Uncle Dave would borrow an Amish buggy from their friends and give us rides. That is Troy, I'm not sure who is in the middle, and Patti.

Third picture

The young girl and the boy on the right are now Troy's kids riding in the buggy! The boy on the left is a Sprow, one of Mitch and Sue's kids but I don't remember which one.

Fourth picture

Brannon is sure enjoying his ice cream! It's melting faster than he can lick the paddle!

Third row

First picture July 4th 198-something

Church services during campout. The older cousins would read from the Scripture and the rest of us would make up the choir. Brannon is the toddler in the bibs and red shirt in the front. Katrina is in the purple sweatshirt behind him. Here's what I could figure out from left to right starting at the top of the picture. Ken Vallimont is standing. Richard Faunce (Dad), John Christner are sitting in teh back row. I'm holding Patti Brose, Troy Faunce, Krissy Sprow, Peggy Faunce's hair (Mom always liked to hide in pictures!), Reenie Brose (cousin Irene - we called her Reenie I guess because Grandma was Irene.). Next row is Aunt Joyce Brose hiding behind one of her grandsons, Aunt Bea Vallimont, Mitch Teal, and Aunt Jean Sprow is sitting. On the left side of the picture is Todd Faunce is the front then Janice Vallimont, and I have no clue who is in the red hat and jacket.

Picture two

Kindra Faunce, Troy's youngest.

Picture three

Troy, John, Ken and Chris T who was someone's friend who came to visit.

Picture four

Uncle Pete, Aunt Joyce's husband.

Fourth row

First picture and then around the large family photo.

Katrina eating ice cream. She had tons of curls then too! Under her picture is Todd (2006). The picture under that is Todd's wife Missy and her son Hunter dancing together at Todd and Missy's wedding (8/10/2007). That house is where we grew up. Katrina and Chip have bought a house on part of the acreage next to this house! Camping again. Uncle Pete is kneeling trying to get the stove going for a meal. Doug Brose is holding the pot lid, Ken is in the hat. Gail Sprow has he back to the camera in the red shirt. I'm not sure who is in the chairs around the campfire. Above that Bo and Kindra (Kinner) are swinging another cousin.

Large family photo.

This was taken in the mid 80's. Brannon was a baby so it probably was 1985 since he was born in the winter. These are all first cousins. There are about 12 people missing from this picture for various reasons they could not be at the campout that year. I remember one of the girl cousins was in the service overseas. Grandma and Grandpa Heilman are sitting in the middle. One of these days when I have time I'll repost the picture with names.

Comfort foods of childhood

Picture: Todd and Brannon one July 4th camp out
Homeade ice cream
Crackers and milk - the crackers must be only butter crackers
Tapioca pudding
Rice pudding
Cinnamon toast
Butter toast and Vernors when we were sick
Homemade syrup from koolaid
Home canned tomato soup this is still the best over any canned soup
Homemade beef and noodles
Home canned stewed tomatoes
Homemade pizza this is the best by far over bought ones
PB & homemade wild strawberry jelly
PB, lettuce, and mayo - the lettuce has to be home grown not the store bought type
PB & tomatoes fresh from the garden
Sausage and pancakes piled high with straight from the garden strawberries.
Rhubarb and the sugar dish in the garden
Ripe tomatoes warm from the summer sun - the ones where the juice just runs down your chin, then your belly and drips onto the ground
Peaches off the tree
Fresh baked bread with butter (not margarine) and apple butter
Renee's potato salad
Fresh peas from the garden -no cooking these peas at fisrst-shelling peas with Mom or Grandma under the maple tree shade in the late summer morning
Bread and butter pickles
Grandma Heilman's christmas pickles - oh so sticky sweet you could only eat one or two
Mint apple jelly
Grandma Faunce's oyster stew at Christmas time
Jelly parfait
Special birthday dinners
Gingerbread cake with vanilla sauce
Swedish tea ring at Christmas time - a sweetbread with cinnamon, raisins and walnuts with confectioner's sugar icing on top...yummy!
Homemade pumpkin pie that takes 3 days to make
Grandma Heilman's mincemeat pie
And later years...
Jean's sausage gravy and biscuits - and I still can't make mine taste the same. I know it's the love she put into it!

Sleepy Baby

Picture is of Carmen and Aunt Jo.


I wrote this lullaby a long time ago when my babies were small. I've sang it ever since to all the babies changing words and gender as I go. The love is always there.


Sleepy baby, sleepy pie,
Sleepy little one,
Your my pumkie, punkie-pie,
Your my little one.
Daddy loves you. Mommy too.
Your our precisous girl.
Close your sleepy little eyes and go to sleep.

Four Generations of Heilmans

This is Grandma Irene Heilman, Aunt Joyce, my cousin Patty and her twins. I don't remember what year this was taken but it is more than 7 years old.

Family photo

Ok, this is an oldie - Grandpa Heilman was still alive. There were 12 people missing from this photo. Can you find me, Katrina and Brannon? I was still married to Larry in this picture so the picture is over 18 years old. Ok, did I just admit that? We have grown from these 56 to great grand -kids, nieces, nephews to great-great grand -nieces and nephews. And this is only my Mom's brothers and sisters. When the first cousins are included I quit counting so many years ago I don't know how many there are now.

Ok, the photo caption says 1985. I'm dating myself!!

Past Times

I hope this comes through so that you can read it. I was going through some old pics and found a few of the Fourth of July camping at Aunt Lois and Uncle Dave's in Wolcottville, Indiana. Every July 4th holiday we have a family campout. This has been going on since my cousin Steve was small. Ok, I'm 40-something so Steve has to be close to 50 by now. This is the picture of the outhouse rules that were written one year when the big kids were bored. Actually, my Mom being the youngest, I really was too young to help but I always thought the rules were funny. In essence the rules went through the alaphabet and excluded all the letters that started the last names of the families from using the outhouse.