An October Family Gathering, Oct. 2, 2021

 Ray did the grilling.  Gretchen played most of the roles I usually do.  But she didn't play my Grandma role.  Ray and Gretchen brought the meat and buns with them.  When the others came they brought food offerings also.  I opened a quart jar of Amish Spiced Peaches which I knew Steve would enjoy.  It turned out some of the others liked the peaches, too. Since I bought them at the local turkey farm, market, all the effort it took me was the trip to the farm market and opening the jar.

Victor and Samantha brought their "boys", Henry, Thomas and Gizmo.  Henry is the old boy.  Thomas and Gizmo are young.  The dogs know Sean (John to people who didn't know him when he was a little boy.)

                                                    A better photo of Sean.

                                            A better photo of Victor and a glimpse of Sonja.  

Due to shenanigans, I had to take two photos to get one of Samantha's face.

Ted and Ashley drove over from Columbus.

So did James and Reagan.

Bianca and James came all the way from California.  We hadn't see James since Christmas of 2019.  It has been even longer since we have seen Bianca.

James had something special to show me.  He had this tattoo inked.  The tattoo artist used a black-throated green warbler that Tom photographed and I used as the basis for a painting.

Ray and his four boys together for the first time in a very long time.

Steve was clearly pleased with having all his brothers at the party.

Looks like Sonja and the others are taking a break from eating before looking for dessert.

Ray and Gretchen brought a lovely bouquet of flowers.  I stuffed them in a vase to keep them alive and then after everyone left I found a vase that matched the flowers colors.  I have the flowers to remind me of this day now that everyone has headed for home.