There is nothing better in life than family.
It’s not often that my little family, consisting of my parents, my sister, niece, and I can all get together for a trip like we just got to experience. These are rare occasions when we can all be free at the same time. I think the last time we did this was in 2008, when we planned a long weekend trip to visit my dad’s birthplace and where he spent the first 12 years of his life on the coast of Florida, near Wakulla Springs.
What started as a family get together with my mom’s brothers, turned into a full fledged family reunion, once the word spread that there was going to be a fish fry. My mom is the youngest girl in the family of 7 and had 2 older sisters and 4 younger brothers. Her 2 sisters are gone now, so she is the only sister left. I have fond memories growing up of going to the Tampa, Florida area to visit my mom’s extended large family. We have spent many fun days in this part of Florida. One of my mom’s brothers has a nice plot of land with a barn, cows and horses. Every time we visited at my uncle’s house, we had to ride horses and go out to the barn and hang out. There are so many great memories of these growing up experiences and riding horses were such a part of that. Playing in the creek and wandering through the cow pasture were also fond memories for these girls raised near the big city.
So, my whole family, my mom and dad, sister and niece, Lauren who was home for a visit, all of us piled into the car and took a trip to Florida for the weekend and had a wonderful weekend with our large extended family. It was another time of catching up and reliving old memories with all of them.
I’m discovering as I get older that we need to hang onto our family with all we’ve got. I love the family I came from and am so grateful that I’m a part of this wonderful heritage. My mom’s family is a Godly family, rich with pastors and missionaries, built on a solid Christian foundation that I would not trade for the world. Not a perfect family, but a sweet heritage to be a part of.
My sister, niece and I stayed in my aunt and uncle’s travel trailer, which sits in the backyard. It was cozy and a fun time for us girls to be together. I am treasuring these years more than ever now. We do not know how much longer we have with our parents and I’m savoring every minute that is left. Listening to their stories, reliving memories of our childhood and other family reunions that we’ve experienced. Sharing our lives together.
I forgot my big camera at home, so these were taken with a little point and shoot.Â
So, thanks for indulging me with family stories and fond memories of the heritage I was born into. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!
The barn where we all have such fond memories growing up, at my mom’s brother and sister in law’s house. Such fun times spent at this barn. It is nothing fancy, but holds a lot of treasured times.
My uncle has a few orange trees growing in the backyard.
Lauren, my niece and our cousin, Layna, with Layna’s new puppy, Jake. Layna rode us down the road on the golf cart when we got in on the first day.
Layna’s Dad, Dennis, my first cousin, saddled up Layna’s horse, getting ready to take him for a ride. Layna is a wonderful horsewoman and does barrel racing. She has been through some serious health problems in the last year and and half and we are so thankful that she is doing better right now, but she is not able to ride her horses the way she used to. Not yet anyway.
Dennis took her horse out for a ride to give him some exercise.
Dennis knows his way around horses too, since his dad, my uncle has always had horses around. He used to raise and race quarter horses for many years.
One of the things that I always loved and looked forward to seeing here in Florida is the moss hanging on the trees.
There is nothing like it and I still love it to this day.
Down the road from their house is another little ranch with cattle. If any of you have ever heard of Durant, you are probably a native of this part of Florida.  That is where my mom grew up. It’s not too far from Plant City, the strawberry capital of Florida.
Layna and Lauren on the golf cart. My uncle still lives on the road where my mother was born and raised. The old house is gone, but not the memories.
We had fun playing with little Jake.
Enjoyed the horses.
Waiting to be fed.
Another one in the stall, they have 3 horses now. At one time, there were many more. We all laughed about the time one of my uncle’s horses, Magic Man, bucked me off. He was a BIG horse and it just about scared me to death!
We stayed in the camper in the backyard and it was fun.
Jake is part hound dog, a barn dog and will have a happy life playing around the horses.
These big birds hang out in the pasture too.
All three horses waiting to be fed.
We had some beautiful weather while we were there and Lauren and I couldn’t resist riding horses. I got a sweet old girl named Rose and she was just my speed. I would have had to beg her to run. She would barely keep up with the other 2. She’s the mama and they are her 2 boys.
Layna came out too and we all three took a few turns around the pasture. It was so fun to be on a horse again.
Lauren, Renee, and Layna, enjoying the beautiful weather.
Our big event was on Saturday. We had around 60 people, a group of family and friends gathered for another of their famous fish fries.  Our family has been having fish fries since I was a little girl down here in the area.
Cousin Dennis is frying up the hush puppies.
Uncle Eugene is the expert fisherman and fish fryer. He fishes often and catches tons of Speckled Perch in the lakes in Florida, which he filets and fries up to a golden brown. This is the best fish!
He uses a coating of mostly cornmeal, with a little flour, salt and pepper and they always turn out perfectly.
Of course, they are deep fried. Yummy food, nothing better!
We have been having fish fries in this family for as long as I can remember. Back when my sister and I were girls and all our cousins were small, we were having fish fries here in Florida. Here’s an example of my plate. Grits, baked beans, cole slaw, deviled eggs and plenty of fish and hush puppies. Plenty of dessert too. We did nothing but visit and eat the whole weekend. 🙂
I have to give a shout-out to The Strawberry Hut in Plant City. I had their Cuban sandwiches a few years ago and we had to fit in a visit there. They are the BEST Cubans I’ve ever had, so if you are in the area, GO. Also, we had lunch at Fred’s Market one day, also in Plant City. It’s home cooking, all you can eat buffet, you can imagine how we felt when we left there. So, you can see we had no shortage of good food. My family loves to eat! 🙂
Here’s a small portion of some of the family members who were there. Aunts, cousins, and their babies too. From the left, my Aunt Evelyn, my mom, Aunt Mary, me, Lauren, Renee, cousins Joy, Carla, Jackie, Jackie & Joy’s mom, Aunt Frances, Jackie’s daughter, Jennifer and Jennifer’s 2 girls. These are all such special people to me and I treasure them all.
We had to take a pic of the older generation, my mom and her brothers. There were 7 and now there are 5. I love my family so much. My mom’s family has 2 preachers and my mom is a preacher’s wife. One of her brothers is blind (2nd from left) and even that didn’t stop him from becoming a missionary for many years to South America. My mom’s brother next to her is also a long time preacher. God has been so faithful to my family and all of their children. It was a special time for all of us to be together again and to be reminded of God’s faithfulness and grace to this entire family.
Godly heritage is a blessing from the Lord and for my Christian foundation, I’m so very grateful. If you have a large family, I hope that you are thankful for them too.
Do you still have family reunions? Do you go and enjoy them? I hope you do!
JD says
Thanks so much for sharing the wonderful pictures. Makes me wish our family had such gatherings. Those of us that are still here are scattered around the entire United States so it makes it difficult. Love the moss in the trees.
Ann says
Hi,
I sure do know where Durrant is. I have family there, I also have a huge amount of family in Plant City, I was born and raised in Plant City. I also have to say love the StrawberryHut..best cuban’s around. I have always loved your blog, and now I really know you are a great person..you come from good people.
Blessing’s
Ann
Nathan's Uncle says
Rhoda, thanks for chronicling our family reunion so beautifully. Did you see the picture Andrea had of Grandmother Kitty frying a pile of fish back in what looked like the 1940s? Also, I have some of Grandaddy Blount’s old photo albums with pictures of us riding horses. Remember Missy? By the way, those beautiful tall birds are sandhill cranes. I love them! You should see them in the spring with their babies walking around. Precious! Love you, cuz!
Gina in S FL says
Back in college at FSU I had a dear friend from Wakulla Springs! Good people! Whenever we had final exams we would go down to Wakulla Springs and park ourselves under the great big live oak trees covered in Spanish moss! Somehow the stress of exams disappeared and we were transported to a little slice of heaven. So blessed to have my family all together in the same county here in south Florida. Thanksgiving blessings to you and your family!
Paula B. says
Family, are there adequate words to describe their importance in our lives, wonderful post, I am tearing up as I write this. I felt like I was enjoying the weekend with all of you, the eating out and the fish fry, and riding the horses, fun! As always, thanks for sharing.
Elizabeth says
What a beautiful family! Thank you, Rhoda, for sharing your reunion pictures with us. Lovely.
“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.” ~Thomas Jefferson
Pattie@On HollyhockFarm says
What a great family! We have reunions on my husbands side every year. They’re great. Thanks for sharing.
Jamie says
Looks familiar!
Wish I knew you were in my neck of the woods; I would have loved to meet you!
Arlene @At Home with the Grimms says
A Godly heritage is a true blessing and worth more than money could ever buy! Loved seeing all the pictures. My hub is from Savannah Ga and our kids have memories of going there just like your memories of Tampa. I loved see the Spanish Moss…it is so beautiful. And that picture of your mom with her family is so sweet. Glad you had a wonderful time.
Mary Ruth Kozma says
Beautiful photos of happy people! I do not know how you all keep the weight off with all that fried food! Looked real good though! Everyone looked relaxed and happy.
What a blessing. I now live on the Space Coast of Florida and em enjoying this climate year round (as of 2 yrs). Glad you had a wonderful time and got to ride too!
Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says
Rhoda,
What a beautiful family you have.I’m so glad you were able to attend this reunion. Where I grew up, we had a barn just like your uncle’s. My brother raises and trains quarter horses. My great-niece does barrel racing, but I’ll have to say that when I go back home, I don’t get on a horse!
Blessings,
Jane
Carollynn says
Hi Rhoda,
Long time lurker, seldom commenter, but big fan! I grew up a little north of Durant in Seminole and Orange Counties, but your photos and description made me very home sick. What you’re showing is the REAL Florida, and it is gorgeous. Looks like you hit all the high notes on activities, most especially the time you spent with your family.
Shari @ My Cottage of Bliss says
Well dang, Rhoda, I wish I had known you were coming because you were only about 5 miles south of my new home! It would have been a real pleasure to meet you in person and give you the *grand* tour of “the house in Hooterville” and our horse farm. If you get down this way again, holler at me. BTW, you look really good on a horse…like a natural! With so many horses right out my back door now, I should get my daughter to teach me to ride. 🙂
Since we haven’t lived in this area very long, we’re still learning about all the local “treasures.” We’ve been to Fred’s, but not the Strawberry Hut so thanks for the recommendation. We love Cuban sandwiches!
Looks like you had a lovely time with your family and I’m sure your mother was extremely happy to get to visit her old hometown again and spend time with her brothers.
LinhC says
Love today’s post! We have family reunions in New Orleans, where my in-laws live. And we get together with my family in Houston. Family reunions can be stressful, but we still need to have them, right?
Love fish fries! I’ve never had grits with fried fish before, but I love grits so I might have to try that next time.
patti g says
dear friend,
if we think we need or have to wait till we die to
get to see God’s face – then we have missed so much
of the journey He intended us to have.
it thrills my heart that you have the kind of family
and friends you do.
Happy Thanksgiving early –
your friend,
patti g
patti g says
Got a bit emotional in the moment –
forgot part of my thought.
God’s face is in family, our best friends,
and especially in our parent’s faces .
Your journey is blessed.
patti
Brenda says
With tears in my eyes, I read your story…..my story. Our family’s hertiage is priceless. The love they show is immeasurable. I think often of how lucky I was to have them all around me growing up!
Though I love raising my family in Atlanta, near a small portion of my family (like Rhoda’s family) I wish my kids could be raised with LOTS of family nearby as I was in Durant, Florida.
Thanks, Rhoda for sharing our story! Love you!
Terri says
We share a lot of the same type of family heritage… we still have family re-unions in “Hazelhurst” Ga. where my Mom (1 of 8) and her remaining siblings and many cousins, Aunts & Uncles get together every year on the same small farm where my Mom was born!! So many fond memories!! My granparents were ministers as well and actually started the little church in the Bridgeford community where they lived!! the church is still there and thriving!!! I love that farm and allllll the memories from many summers visiting with the cousins and helping out on the farm!!!! Thanks Rhoda so much for reminding us .. building memories with our family is PRECIOUS!!!!!! Terri
Black Tag Diaries says
what a wonderful time with family! and great pictures! love seeing the moss in the trees and of course, the fish fry!
Terri says
oops……. that was (one of 8 siblings!!!) lol, Terri