Grape Juice Memories

A couple of weeks ago the boys, sissy and I walked through the fields to my grandma's house, to check on the grapevines, that have grown there for as long as I can remember.  As we picked some grapes for eating I told them why these particular grapes mean so much to me.

When I was a little girl we would spend weekends with our grandparents now and then.  It was always a special time and I now have so many wonderful memories stored up from those visits.

One memory that I treasure is of my grandma's grape juice. On Saturday evenings she would pop a large bowl of the yummiest popcorn, slice up apples perfectly and serve us glasses full of her sweet, home canned, best in the world, grape juice like only grandma could.

We didn't turn on the T.V., watch a movie, surf the Internet, or get absorbed in a video game. It was a simplified life. Before the electronic boom took up so much of everyone's time and attention.  Our family would sit around the table with grandma and grandpa enjoying our evening snack. I remember listening to my parents and grandparents talking. I would half listen at times, but more often us girls would carry on our own conversations. Sometimes if it was just us kids and grandma and grandpa we would play a rousing game of Aggravation.  Grandma would try to be on her best behavior and not send our marbles back to our home bases, but at times her ruthless game nature got the better of her!

Grandma's house sits empty now.  Grandpa has been in heaven for 12 years and Grandma is living in an assisted living home. But, just walking into their yard brings a shower of memories, laughter, a sense of security and a feeling of home.

This winter I will be making some grape juice memories of my own.  Finally, after many years of desiring, I made grape juice from the grapes that grow on my grandma and grandpa's property.

Saturday evenings when its chilly and the snow is flying, you'll find us at the table with a huge bowl of popcorn, apple slices and some home canned grape juice, just like grandma made.

Oh and kids, watch out, because when we play Aggravation, you might just find your marbles getting knocked off and sent back to homebase. I have a wee bit of your Great Grandma's feistiness in me!