Pure Florida!

This past Saturday, the whole family was invited to go to the ranch of one of Danny's contractor friends for a "Cane Squeezin' ". This man is a 6th generation Floridian -- a Cracker (not in any way a derogatory term -- named for the old-timers who cracked the whips when herding the old range cows in FL). He has a cane squeezin every January: grows his own cane, has a mill to squeeze out the juice, and boils it down right there. We went home with several bottles of pure unrefined cane syrup! What a treat!

The children were asked to play and sing, and everyone had a great time with that. We heard stories about how this was his grandfather's homestead, how it had been sold, and how he (the friend) had been able to buy it back for his family. He and his family love the Lord and love to show people how the "old Florida" really was.

We had sausage and biscuits, swamp cabbage, fat back, and pulled wild hog. (We brought some fruit so all would not be lost, on the nutrition front!) He had asked guests to bring some sausage, so we brought venison sausage another contractor friend had shot and made. It was absolutely delicious!

It was a wonderful "old Florida" day that the grandchildren will remember, even if they move away to the cold, cold North! Thank you, Lord, for our unique home!



Markie (black vest) yodeling "Cowboy Sweetheart", backed up by the other Little Cousins and the Big Cousins.
Squeezing juice out of the cane. Instead of the old time mule, a "Gator" (left background) was used to turn the wheels.
C.J. and Margaret Anne watching the juice as it boils down into yummy syrup.