It all started with one of my favoritest people saying she had sent her famous "Aunt Jimmie Miller's grape jelly" to the Crumrine's. Well if you are wondering...these are off the branch of my Grandma Bessie...my mom's mom! You see Reedie was Grandma Bessie's sister. They looked a lot alike. However, actions might have been a little different between the two sister's...but I loved them both dearly. Reedie married one of the sweetest men you would want to meet...A Frank Miller...though sweet with just enough sass to make him that much more lovable. Anyway...Frank and Reedie had a son and daughter. It seems the seed might have split a little there...and the daughter...Kay Crumrine seemed to take all the sweet...and ole Everett Miller (Big E) might have taken a little extra of the sass...but he seemed to inherit that Miller trait of just enough SWEET! And he married well...a beautiful Texas girl...Jimmie...
So I give you a little bit of the background...but I also share that Kay...who could be one of the most amazing saintly women I know...seemed to have to pay her dues or someone's dues...her dues being five "more than sassy" sons! Two of which a pair of red headed twins...who did sort of instigate this whole cycle of events...to which I guess I owe them a Thank You as well...I tried to claim being a Crumrine...and was told perhaps I was the long lost triplet...though I am YOUNGER...just throwing that out there...and I am sure I must be Jimmie's FAVORITE!!!
And so I suffered and perhaps "whined" a little about their pictures of how they were eating their grape jelly...I promise I was doing it out of fun. But in the spirit of a true southern belle...I opened up my mailbox from my day of work...and though it was a good day...even had some home grown beef and tomatoes...It got even better...There it was a cute little brown box that fit perfectly in my mailbox...
I seen the return address...and wondered...could it be. However, I thought all of the jelly had gone to those Crumrine's! But upon opening it up...the cutest two jars of that explained from "my private stock of grape jam"...LOVE Jimmie...and my mouth began to water...and my heart just breathed it in.
So I tried to take a picture of them on my kitchen table...but didn't appreciate the light as much as on my front porch rocking chair...and what better connection than a front porch...
I remember many a warm summer days...on a front porch in Gridley, Kansas where my Grandma called home...even if only during a summertime visit...listening to laughter of these two branches of the tree...and now they have gone on ahead...but their "fruit" continues on...love between one branch to another. As though a hug from heaven...showing up in two jelly jars...and for sure LOVE from Texas!
So Jimmie (and Big "E" who helped)...who unselfishly shared from her private stock...boxed up some love and sent it my way! And so I wait to finish this until samples were made...and yes it meets and exceeds the "hype". And I think YES this is Miller Jam...you see it is sweet...with just enough "sass". And though I did just have some wheat toast (not the homemade bread or biscuits that a couple of red heads spoke of)...but an AMAZING treat all the same...made with love indeed!
And this is a reminder of how special it is to have someone just let you know that they are thinking of you...that they love you! Jimmie Miller...thanks for being the special amazing woman you are...and you too Ev...
I think of the last family reunion we went to...and Jimmie and Everett singing "FAMILY TRADITION" along with Bessie's bunch and though I have not spent a lot of time with them...there is a connection...a connection of love and family! Though sometimes Facebook gets a bad wrap...it also helps keep us connected...and without it I probably wouldn't have known those Crumrine's were getting a jump on me! AND I wouldn't have gotten to experience some delicious homemade jam! Yes I must say...Life is good...
lyp
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