Welch Whirl

The Prize

Months ago the Dyer and Nilsson cousins entered into a "Family History Trivia" battle to prepare for a huge family reunion in Nebraska. You wouldn't think that we are so eager to engage in a challenge without knowing the prize but hey we've competed over stranger things, namely, the "first one to 1,000 pushups". . . but as I was saying. A prize for this challenge was promised and the challenge spanded more than a month and amazingly I won, but only by a few points.

Weeks past as I waited patiently by the mail box for my promised prize. Finally, the prize arrived and not by the mail man, but by one of our challenge sponsors, all the way from southern California! I know what you are thinking, what could the prize be that would warrant a trip up from Cali?? I tore opened the box, while Ben ran to get the camera, a unwrapped and unwrapped and unwrapped and to my utter delight found three great prizes.

First, a cute note from our game sponsor, but not just any note, one that used to belong to Grandma Ruth's stationary collection. She had cards for every occasion on hand. (I also collect cards like she did-so this was special to get something from her collection.)

Next, a cash prize! I know, great eh and not just a measly $5 bucks. When Wiley saw the money he yelled with the hugest eyes, "A hundred dollars, Mom, you got a hundred dollars!!" I know, what a great family trivia prize!!

Lastly, the best prize of all was unwrapping Grandma Ruth's recipe book. There is page after page of her handwritten recipes. Some of them her's, many of them collected from the people she loved. Many recipes had Aunt Dot written next to them. (Grandma's Sister). Her notable contributions are "Aunt Dot's Meat Pies", "Dot's Yellow Cheese", "Dot's Dill Pickles" "Dot's green bean salad". I also noticed quite a few from my own mother. Amazing, my mom's own Mother-in-law thought she had good recipes! That is saying something because of Grandma's own collection and skills are known all over the nation, and I mean that literally.

Grandma Ruth was notorious for her food (as well as service, but that is a blog for another time). But you should know that it is not just about having the recipes that make this prize so amazing, because I may not make her "Green Tomato Jam" or her "Sloppy Joes for 100". It is more about having something that she loved. Something that she carried EVERYwhere with her.

Thanks Amy and Aunt Kip for giving up such a huge prize. Please know that it will be cherished forever.

Meanwhile, I'm wishing rhubarb was in season so that I could make her incredible "Rhubarb Cake". But for now I will settle for her "Kentucky Hot Browns" and "Ruth's Bran Muffins".