Me, Chris, Sarah (Ryan's Fiance), Ryan, Billy

Every summer growing up, my family would make weekend treks to our cottage in Long Beach, Canada. I have many fond memories of visiting that place for over 20 years, one being the annual Whitmore Chowder making day! We would get up very early to start chopping, peeling, and readying the vegetables for the chowder. It would take, what seemed like, an entire day to make. Everyone got their turn in stirring, but it was mostly a male bonding experience while all of us women folk prepared snackage and cracked the beers for the long haul. Still, I have photo's from year after year me stirring the pot and helping out with the family chowder. Yet, families change when people grow up, people move, people pass. Our cottage was sold in 2004 and family gatherings slowed to those of birthdays, holidays, and occassional dinners. And so, it has been a couple years since I've participated in the family chowder making experience until this weekend! My brother's (now two of them engaged) decided to continue the family tradition. We reminisced of how things used to be, cracked the beers, ate some snackage and made over 50 Quarts of chowder to last us throughout the winter!