Happy Birthday Aunt Elaine!

The above picture is of 3 amazing women in my life- my cousin Judy, my mother, and my Aunt Elaine.  Aunt Elaine doesn’t like to have her picture taken- bet you can pick her out!  She is kind enough to oblige us from time to time when we really want her in a picture, but she doesn’t have to like it! 

In years to come, it will not be an old color glossy 4 X 6 that will help future generations know more about Aunt Elaine.  But they will indeed know her and picture her fondly.  It will be in the stories and descriptions passed down by her nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.  It will be in recipes and birthday cards.  It will be in stories as we describe with delight her kitchens in the various homes she has lived in during her adult life.  She will be known for caring for her mother and making a home for her to live out her life in.  There will be fishing stories.  No Christmas will ever pass in the lives of anyone who has ever spent a Christmas with her without the memory of her toffee, her corn, her jam cakes, her caramels.  No other apple pie in the world will ever measure up to hers with the crisp glistening caramel on top.  Not one of us have ever danced in a recital or turned a tassel on a graduation cap that she has not been there to watch.  Her pantry has always been and continues to be pure delight and 10 yards deep, filled with whole packs of candy bars and the newest snacks and the ingredients to throw together pretty much any recipe she spots.  I am fortunate because I carry her name as my middle name!

Someday, someone will pick up a stack of faded pictures and be completely unable to name the faces looking back in spite of our clever poses.  But stories of Aunt Elaine will still be circulating as will her recipes, I’m quite sure.

Happy Birthday to my Aunt Elaine!  Oh, that every child could be blessed with an aunt like you.  I love you so much.