Strawberry Jam and Grandma Umbaugh

Each summer my Mom got the invite to my Great Grandma Umbaugh's house for the annual reunion. Mom's side of the family was very big and distant relatives would show up from all over the country. We would be in Pennsylvania, usually in July or August and there would be what seemed like a million people for a massive picnic.

Some years we didn't go. I remember my Mom always wanting to go and she would be very disappointed if the reunion fell on a weekend that she couldn't make it. Usually these reasons were a soccer tournament, a dance recital or something along those lines. If we were at home the weekend the reunion was happening, Mom always mentioned that she wished she could be there.

When we did go, Mom would say she hoped to see certain people this time and when she did, she would introduce me. I remember being introduced to kids that were my age and many families that were thrilled to see us there. Whenever we brought one of the baby siblings along, they were always the star of the show- everyone wanted to hold the baby. A few times, my Grandmother and a couple of my aunts and uncles would be there. We could follow their cars all the way there. At least there were a few familiar faces when we got there.

Seeing everyone there and realizing how many people we were related to was wonderful, but the best part was Grandma's strawberry jam. She used to make tons of it and can it so she could give us some to take with us. My Mom loved the jam even more than I did- I think it reminded her of when she was a kid at her Grandma's house. Sometimes we would barely have gotten to town from New York all the way to Pennsylvania and Mom would ask the question, "You do have strawberry jam, right?" and Grandma always replied, "Of course!" She would immediately open one of the mason jars and hand it over.

I had never had jam made with fresh fruit, I don't think, until Grandma let us try hers. I fell in love instantly- she used the perfect amount of fruit- and it was very, very sweet. Mom would take a few jars back home and it didn't last very long at all. Suddenly everyone in our house was eating toast and English muffins so we could have the strawberry jam.

I haven't had Grandma's strawberry jam for years now. I miss seeing her and I miss seeing how excited my Mom would be to taste her jam.