We hosted another successful event this past Saturday.   This was our fourth annual family reunion, and family and friends from all over joined us on the patio for a day of homemade gumbo, cold drinks, and lots of good times.  (The photo above was taken at the very beginning of the party.)

The leadup to the party was a bit of a challenge: a storm blew through the area on Monday morning, bringing 20 minutes of gusts, rain,and dark skies.  The storm knocked out our power for the following 72 hours.

Lisa had been making gumbo in the weeks leading up to the party, and our sole refrigeration-related focus was on keeping it frozen.   Fortunately, we have coolers and access to lots of ice and the gumbo survived wonderfully.   We couldn’t say the same about some of the other stuff in our freezer, but that’s okay:  we were due for a cleaning.

Along with Lisa’s gumbo (which we based on a recipe from our good friend and Louisiana native Nanette), our guests brought collard greens, jambalaya, corn bread, and a mess of other good food, beer, and wine.   Add the great conversation and music on top of perfect weather, and it turned out to be a wonderful event.

Looking forward to next year!