Sit for a Spell

I shared on my social media haunts that I've been craving sweet iced tea with lemon. In a jar. As in mason. General use for preserving fruits vegetables and even some forms of protein. Why then do casual beverage binge drinking in them? It's better. Psychologically. Think of iced tea and southern life immediately comes into view. Summertime in the South meant people on porches. Swimming holes. Not pools. In creeks (pronounced in certain locals cricks). Picnics. Family reunions. Watermelon and iced tea. People. Good eating are the heart and soul affectionately called good ole southern hospitality.

There are numerous stories of drinking stuff in jars. Most are family based tales. For my own clan family gatherings, back in the day, tended to be so large the good glasses quickly got used up. That and constant chore of canning created a surplus of extra Mason jars. Typically recycled once or twice a season. Then put out of preserving circulation and into general usage inventory. Hence extra backyard drinkware. There was no such thing as a paper or plastic anything in dinnerware. Growing up my folks always used real plates silverware and glasses or cups. Which meant us kids were daily dishwashers. My grandmother would always tell me the story of my mom pregnant with yours truly standing at her kitchen sink. She often volunteered herself to wash dishes but seemed to underestimate how much there was to clean up afterwards. Grandma says before long Ma would be bent over the sink. Every now and then a "Whew!" would emphasize the clank of a dish in the drain basket. That story always tickles Grandma whenever she told me. Explains why I always hated the chore. Would haggle with my brother and sisters to get out of my tour of duty busting suds. I digress. Delightfully so though.

What makes drinking stuff out of jars the bestest, particularly for us southern bred, is family and friends. The coming together. Sitting down for a spell to talk awhile. About any everything or nothing in particular. Maybe that's why I've been craving it. Haven't replaced many things I either gave away. Threw away. Or left behind moving to California. Real silverware. Those cool square plates and saucers. Stoneware. My favorite cook everything in it iron nonstick pan with glass lid. My cast iron grill though! *Sigh* Those long stemmed wine and brandy glasses, and yes, jars. There are Masons with handles. Designed specifically for drinking. They caught on.

Cousins. Uncles and Aunts. Grandma. Mothers. Fathers. Friends. Near and extended kin. The people who've known and loved me from pampers to dance scivvies. Braids and curls. Just as I am. Without criticism. Through all my sorted ambition. Missing them like crazy. Whomever I may meet. Whatever bonds we form. These cannot ever replace them who have been there. When I was no one special but Rae Rae.

Sweet iced tea with lemon. Drink best served in a jar. Even better when shared with good people. Have a great week everyone! Care for a jar of tea? Sit down for a spell.