Grandpa Kline's Poppycock {Not Your Average Caramel Corn}

Thanksgiving is a holiday that has looked a little different each year. Thinking back over the past few years, I am quickly reminded that although the location, guests, and surroundings may have changed, two things were always the same: sweet potato casserole and the turkey song.

Sweet potato casserole can only be made one way. The recipe will appear on the blog soon, but until then we have to discuss this matter. Sweet potato casserole and marshmallows were never meant to be baked in the same dish. Although it may seem like a good idea, don’t fall into the trap of mixing nature’s orange perfection with the processed princess of the hot chocolate aisle. It is a travesty.

The turkey song is a tradition in itself. After the food has been inhaled and the dishes stacked beside the sink, our family can usually be found sitting around a piano. Grammie serenades us with her version of hymns and the golden oldies. One of our favorite Thanksgiving songs is the “Turkey Song.” While this is best appreciated in person, you can imagine what it must be like to listen to Grammie Campbell intersperse the “gobble, gobble, gobble” with her infectious laughter. It is always a favored time by all in attendance and a special memory I have tucked away.

While these two traditions may seem trivial, I cannot help but be reminded that the joy of tradition is often felt in these small details. Simple traditions are like a comfort blanket. As you grow through the uncertainty of life, you learn to look at those simple details and take them as an opportunity to be reminded of past experiences. Often those reminders bring with them a sense of joy, leading to a time of thankfulness for experiences in the past and those yet to come.

Sarah Lou