Chicken!!!

This is very fitting for my 600th post. Our family reunion.
Dixie Belle park, also known as my Aunt and Uncles back yard, was where the reunion was held.

This is the main event. Uncle Georges chicken.

Sadly Uncle George is gone but his son-in-law Todd does a fine job carrying on his chicken tradition.

Here is Uncle George cooking chicken the original way.

This is being cooked on bed springs from and old army cot or something.
No bagged briquettes just catch some logs on fire, shovel the coals underneath and simmer the special sauce underneath on the coals too.


As time progressed so did Uncle Georges process.

This is the coal barrel.
You build the fire on top and then hit the barrel with a shovel every now and then and the coals fall in to the bottom for easy shoveling.

Can't you smell it?
The bed springs got to small or the family got to big but this is the modified grill now.
We still call it the bed springs though.

The special hot sauce.
True lovers have their chicken dipped in the sauce first before eating.
I don't know what the recipe is but Todd said if I got up at four in the morning to help I could learn it.
I think I will keep it a mystery for now.

Church.
Since the reunion falls on a Sunday we have a church service first.
This is my cousin Leslie's husband, Brett, preaching.

Sermons finished and now it's time to eat.

We eat, talk, play games and some preform for the family.

Megan sang, Paige danced and the Carter sisters sang.



Uncle Leslie played a few songs on the harmonica.




Corn hole was played throughout the day.

My brother Brett earns the brown nose of the year award for making this beautiful set.

Amanda also had her staples removed while at the reunion.

Before we leave it is picture time.

My Dad or one of his siblings names are called out and family members gather under the park sign for a picture.

This is my family. This is everyone in our family but my brother Brett's son Kye.


This is the paparazzi.


We even take a picture of guest who come to the reunion.
Levi's girlfriend Hope was in this picture this year.
Many have hopes of being included in the family picture some day.


Family, food and fun.
It was a good reunion.

Bugs Bunny: Elmer Fudd The Hunter 5

"Now, Wabitt! One pull of the trigger and...."

Cake Walk

The cake walk is a annual event for my kids.
The pay a quarter a turn and walk on the paper plates taped to the street.
When the music stops they call out a number.
If your number is called you win a cake.

We always hope for a rum cake because they are delicious.

My kids didn't win any cakes but my cousins daughter, Havanna, did.
She always does.


The band started playing and people gathered to dance and to people watch.

Mylee was telling us she was going to be a big sister.

Here is some of the line dancing going on.
Which my kids and my cousins kids couldn't help but to join in.

Bugs Bunny: Elmer Fudd The Hunter 4

"Yeoww!
This is no time to split hares!"

Cumberland River Ferry

After visiting the cabin Dad took us to the local ferry that crosses the Cumberland river.

This river has a ferry versus a bridge because Dad said that the powers that be figured it was cheaper to have a ferry rather than build a bridge.

Not everyone in my car was thrilled with the idea of taking our car on a boat across a river.
Joel was already riding with Mom and Dad so I jumped in with them and rode across.

We had two cars on our trip and I don't think there is much room for more anyway.


Dad said the ferry is supposed to tie off when they load and unload but they just revved the engine to push the ramp into the bank for us.

Dad said that a dump truck was pulling off while the ferry wasn't tied to the bank and his weight pushed the ferry back into the river which he shortly fell into as well.

He also said that in the winter an older couple were waiting for the ferry when their car began to slide on the slick road. As their car slid towards the river the ferry pilot speed up and was able to pinch their car into the bank saving them.

Have you ever crossed a river this way?
If not here is a sample of how looks for those of you who haven't and for those who stayed in my car.

Bugs Bunny: Elmer Fudd The Hunter 3

"Cwazy Wabbit!
It's hunting season!"

Cabin

Our family has stayed at this cabin on the Cumberland River a couple of times so we got permission to go look around it.

This cabin is very cool.

We didn't go to town to get the key so we walked around and peered in the windows.


I think Levi enjoyed showing the cabin to Hope.

It sleeps fifteen in beds but many more if you bring sleeping bags.

One of my wife's favorite things is the coyote that looks over the balcony.

Upstairs has all the bedrooms and downstairs is all open with a big kitchen.



Elaine saying " I wish we could bring this home with us.".

They added an outdoor stage complete with a lighting system.

A nice big porch.

Down the ramp to the Cumberland River.

The river was way down so we went out and explored the river bottom that was now exposed.

We will come back here and stay again for sure.

One of the most fun things about the cabin is driving back to the cabin.

You drive for a long while down a creek.

Here a video of it. It was pretty dry this trip but it has been flowing when we were here in the past.

Bugs Bunny: Elmer Fudd The Hunter 2

"Eh-h-h Wot's up, Doc?
Nice gun!"

These reels are kinda famous because Elmer Fudd is so tan in them all.
Maybe they over baked him or they just picked the wrong skin tone paint.

Poplar Log Cemetery

After we left the Old Mulkey cemetery I called my Dad and had him meet us at the family burial grounds, Poplar Log Cemetery.

Dad brought mom and my brother Chads kids with him.



I had Dad tell us stories we had heard before but we love to hear again. Also I want my kids to know the stories so that they can pass them down to their kids.


In the picture above Dad is telling us about his youngest brother, William Med, who only lived for a day.

These two headstones are for Dad's Uncles who had pneumonia but went ahead and checked their traps in the winter and died while still young boys.

Listen to your Mother boys is the lesson here.

I think this is another one of my Grandmas brothers.
This one relative needs a whole post to himself.
Fear, murder, revenge and a shootout at the courthouse is the summary of his story.
Check back later for the story in its entirety complete with the newspaper clippings.

Left to right: Levi, Joel, Me, Zach and Dad in front of my Grandparents grave.

Here are my Grandparents in front of their grave.
Dad said they were proud of it. I thought it was a little creepy at the time.
Now whenever I am at the grave side I think of this picture.

Me with my Grandma.

My Grandpa name is John Turner.
My Dad is James Ted and we named Joel, Joel Ted to keep the J.T.s Running in the family.


Many stories here.
The kid who died from eating to many apples and died from diarrhea.
The relative who died from riding his horse while drunk and ran into a tree.
Not to mention the town drunk named Tanglefoot.