Pimm's Originals ♥ for a Mother-Daughter Weekend

Mothers and daughters enjoying Pimm's on the patio, a refreshing summer cocktail, fresh and fruity
Today's recipe: An easy summer cocktail, Pimm's liqueur with ginger ale and slices of cucumber, orange and lemon.

Yes, there's a recipe here, a traditional summer drink from England. But mostly, this is about mothers and daughters and how friendships can cross generations. I'm in a story-telling mood: many will not be interested, please feel free to scroll down to the recipe!

The story starts in the early 1950s when five girls left home from across Canada to attend the University of Manitoba's college of Home Economics. They were Margie and Shirley (my mother) and Willie and Betty and Meryl -- all those -y names, any surprise Meryl was some times called Merlie? Two were roommates but since the girls were in different graduating classes, they met but really didn't know one another.

Fast forward five years. All the girls -- women, now, of course, new grads and young professionals -- took jobs as county extension agents in rural northern Minnesota, each one 20 - 25 miles apart from one or two of the others. (Signs of the times: county extension agents were not allowed to smoke in public nor -- how funny is this? -- to shave their legs.) In 1955, the five piled into a two-door white Chevy Del Ray coupe named George with a red roof and a monstrous trunk for a two-week road trip to a home ec convention in Seattle. They were a fashionable bunch: four wore skirts and one, the Katherine Hepburn character, wore lined wool Bermuda shorts. Five was a magic number: one to drive, four free to play bridge. On two-week road trips, you either form life-time bonds or never speak again. These five, they bonded.

Five county extension agents setting off cross-country to a convention in Seattle in 1955

Fast forward five years. Four of the women married Americans, stayed in the States and eventually became American citizens; one returned to Canada to marry an Englishman. They continued their careers, raised their families and like busy people do, kept in touch with Christmas cards and very occasional visits, one family with another.

Fast forward 40 years. Retired now, the five women and their husbands come together for the first OCHER -- Old Canadian Home Ec Reunion [o-ker] -- a grand reunion, the five together for the first time in decades, some of the husbands meeting for the first time. OCHER II and III soon follow, moving from Florida to Minnesota and back to Winnipeg, home to the University of Manitoba. During OCHER III, they happen upon a wedding. For good luck, the bride and groom want their picture taken with the five OCHER couples who collectively have been married more than 225 years.

Fast forward 10 years. By now, one of the OCHERs, my mother, is gone. The four OCHERs meet in Michigan, this time sans husbands. Some time mid-cocktail, they begin to fantasize about a future weekend gathering, still all women, but two generations, they and their daughters, a sort of Ya-Ya Sisterhood gathering. None of the daughters really know each other as adults, most had never met. Could it ever happen? Surely not. Could a date be found? Surely not.

Fast forward one year to this weekend. The OCHERs and their daughters -- already dubbed the YaYas -- boarded planes, trains and automobiles to reach St. Louis from Saskatchewan, Colorado, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota and Virginia. We spent three days making introductions and reminiscing, exploring St. Louis and just sitting on the patio, cocktails in hand. Because daughters do learn from mothers and women do learn from women, here's what I learned during our extraordinary gathering.

It pays to dream big. Without the OCHERs daring to dream, this weekend would never have been.
It pays to say "yes" not "maybe". If any of us had hesitated or said "yes" and then didn't act, it wouldn't have happened.
It pays to keep your friends from so many years ago. They know you in ways your newer friends simply cannot.
Women in their 70s? In the ways that count most, they're the same women as in their 20s.
Eight women with bright hats and big flowers attract attention like butterflies. Strangers stopped us to ask, "What is your group?" Strangers asked to take our photograph. Who knew that colored hats could be so much fun? (Willie did!)

OCHERs and YaYas at the Missouri Botanical Garden, photo by Victor, another garden visitor

During a weekend with "many highs and no lows" (Meryl), amazing moments occur almost by accident: like drinking surprise bellinis in the shadow of the Gateway Arch, the waters of the Mississippi lapping at our toes, jazz playing at the tour boat a few yards away.
It pays, when you're hosting, to ask for help.
Half of us stayed at my house, half across the street at my neighbors. Thank you, Doris and Max, for making everyone feel so at home!
Ed, Molly (my neighbors) and Skye (their dog) rescued Margie when she arrived two hours early and reached my house only to find nobody home because we were picking up the first arrivals at the airport! Thank you, Ed and Molly!
Imagine feeding eight people for four days without spending every waking hour in the kitchen. I cooked just one -- one! -- meal. After that, we were fed -- sumptuously, right here in my own home -- by the St. Louis' hot new personal chef, Karen Tedesco of DinnerStyle and her food blog FamilyStyle Food. One of the OCHERs said, "... the food was interesting and delicious and so seasonal and personal that it only added to the pleasure".
Imagine a personalized tour of St. Louis from a St. Louis native -- neighborhoods, old stories, little bits of St. Louis trivia. Thank you, Jim, for being our amazing tour guide.


It pays to 'arrange' for good weather. Bookended by cold and rain, our weekend was a spring-perfect 70 and sunny.
Hearing the women who loved your mother most talk about her -- it's humbling, it's emotional, it makes you realize all over again how much she's missed.

Flowers from my dad, eleven roses, five OCHERs and six YaYas

Wow -- good guests make hosting a complicated few days extraordinarily easy. I learned much about being a good guest: going along, no special orders, pitching in, adding to the fun. No e-mail, no long phone calls home: all of us were completely present.
Remarkable women bear remarkable women.
And okay, yes, there is a food angle, entirely unexpected, one we didn't even realize until late on the second day.

One Yaya has two connections: she is an engineer who works with water purity issues, we talked much about the question of pharmaceuticals that reach our water supply. She and her husband also farm 2000 acres in Colorado.
Another Yaya has two connections: she and her husband are the second generation to farm the prairies of Saskatchewan, wheat, cattle, sheep. She's also a physician and thus much concerned about wellness issues.
Another Yaya's husband is in the military and so they have moved often. Even so, every place, she manages to plant a small garden and now also belongs to a CSA. With two children, she is much concerned about nutrition and wellness.
And of course me, writing about food and immersed in the food blog community where we watch and talk about sustainability, local products, scratch cooking, food safety and more.
The four of us were also quite struck by how much, in our own ways, we followed our mothers' paths, how related our own work is to theirs.




To the OCHERs, it was such a pleasure and an honour to be part of your weekend, and to get to know you! (Anne) It was really neat to spend time getting to know the important women in our mothers' lives. (Kirsten) Thank you for showing us how family and career can work, how (and more importantly why) to feed and nourish the friendships of our youth. Thank you for showing us grace. Thank you for laughing, laughing, laughing ...

Four of the OCHERs, laughing over photos

To the YaYas, to Kirsten, to Michelle, to Anne (and also to Heather and to Adanna who were unable to join us and were muchly missed), thank you for sharing your time, your spirits, your mothers. I'm willing to bet that thanks to our own 'road trip,' a long time from now, we will all still be friends, we will all still laugh over bright hats with big flowers and so much more. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for coming.

The Ochers and the YaYas at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis



MORE RECIPES for DRINKS & SMOOTHIES with VEGETABLES
~ Cucumber Lemonade ~
~ Parade-Day Gin & Tonics (a Rass special) ~
~ Tomato Gazpacho ~
~ more recipes for drinks & smoothies ~


PIMM'S ORIGINAL

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Time to table: 5 minutes
Serves as many as needed

2 parts Pimm's liqueur
2 parts ginger ale
2 parts lemonade (we just used more ginger ale)

For each glass -
1 slice lemon
1 slice orange
1 slice cucumber
1 slice strawberry (we were out)
fresh mint

Mix and enjoy. Mothers and daughters preferred but not required.



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© Copyright 2008


Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. What a moving story, Alanna. I love the way your lives are still so interconnected, across time and space - and it sounds you had wonderful time together.
    And now I am even more keen to meet you (of course!), and Karen and Jim and all that St Louis has to offer.
    Cannot believe I'll be there in 12 days!!!???
    (PS I haven't got a bright hat - am I still welcome?)

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  2. What a wonderful weekend you had! These ladies are quite a bunch! Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  3. Oh Alanna, what a truly wonderful experience. I knew you were planning for a big gathering, but I didn't quite realize the historical significance. What a treat to have Karen as your personal chef for the weekend too. I'm sure this was something none of you will ever forget. Thanks for sharing with all your food blog friends.

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  4. Alanna, this is a truly beautiful post. It's impossible to read it without thinking about mothers, friendships, road trips, and the ties that bind. It's also a good reminder that "yes" should always be the first answer. I'm going to forward this to several friends, and to my far-flung family members, too.

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  5. A truly a special group of YaYa's! We can only hope to be as fabulous when we get to be 70-something. Something to look forward to, but maybe only if we're lucky enough to have such good friends.

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  6. Oh. That. Is. So. Beautiful.

    Now if only I could fins some Pimms... which I love btw!

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  7. How often has 'maybe' stopped us all?
    Hats and five in the car, those are stories that tell me there are hundreds more lurking behind that everyone relieved and created in this four days.
    A daughter getting to know a mother is sometimes difficult. These days you spent are such an incredible opportunity to see things differently and get to know them. Our parents are still those younger selves and those friends really bring them out.
    And remember, we are still those younger selves - it's just now I have an ache ;))
    Wonderful warm post Alanna, thanks!

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  8. Wow. I'm at a loss for words, Alanna, except to say thank you for sharing this wonderful story (and all those helpful tips!). The black and white photo of those five amazing (and classy!) women setting off for Seattle in the 1950s brought tears to my eyes. I just love that they all became county extension agents. That is so neat.

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  9. I think there might be a movie in here somewhere! It's one of those rare stories. How fun to hear about it!

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  10. AnonymousMay 20, 2008

    After losing my mother when I was only 20, her friends seemed to deliberately begin to mother me. Becoming friends with her friends, it helped me both know and remember my mother all over again. Today these are my own most precious friends, ones that cross the generations. I'm going to send them this, to say thank you. And I'm going to ask my daughters about doing something with their friends, maybe just a lunch, with their mothers too.

    Thank you for this - very moving.

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  11. It is exciting to see a story that highlights how special intergenerational friendships can be. It is also nice to be reminded of the value of keeping up with old friends. Lots of things change but it’s true that no one else can know you like they do!

    I also like your point about saying yes! I spent some years not so long ago learning to say no. It is an important skill in it’s own right. Yet, you are so right to point out that it does pay to know when to say yes. Without a doubt, you knew and chose wisely.

    Thank you for sharing your wonderful story!

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  12. AnonymousMay 20, 2008

    I love the story, Alanna--thanks for sharing it. :D

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  13. Oh, I forgot about Pimm's. Can I have some, too? Please? Haven't had any since 2005 or so :(

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  14. AnonymousMay 20, 2008

    What a wonderful story! I'm passing it along to my girlfriends. We are in our early thirties and already having trouble bridging the distance to see each other. And I do love some Pimms! I usually just have it with 7-up and a slice of lemon. I'll definitely have to try your recipe.

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  15. Alanna,

    Wow! I found your blog truly by accident (I think from Elise Bauer's wonderful site) and boy, am I glad that I did! This post of the mother-daughter weekend was FANTASTIC! It brought tears to my eyes... Thank you for sharing :)

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  16. This is such a beautiful story, Alanna. I think it's wonderful that the OCHERs all stayed in touch through so many years. One of the biggest regrets of my life is losing contact with all of my high school and college friends; sadly, "life" got in the way. Your story shows how much there is to be gained by keeping in touch, even into the next generation.

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  17. AnonymousMay 20, 2008

    AWWW. That is SO sweet. I love it!!

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  18. AnonymousMay 20, 2008

    Just finished your article. It choked me up. It's good to read something that is so heartwarming.

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  19. AnonymousMay 20, 2008

    Oh what a sweet sweet post!

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  20. AnonymousMay 20, 2008

    Farmgirl Susan forwarded me your article. What a great story! It is Amy Tan's JOY LUCK CLUB in real life! I am forwarding it to all my girlfriends - yes, still "girl" friends even though we are in our 60s!

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  21. Another teary, choked up reader. Told so beautifully.

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  22. Oh Alanna! I *really* enjoyed this post. Thanks so much for sharing.

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  23. AnonymousMay 21, 2008

    It's easy to think of our mothers as just mothers, forgetting that they were once young and hip and flashy.

    What a great tribute to mothers-who-were-once-girls.

    - DD

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  24. AnonymousMay 21, 2008

    This is a first for me, the first time ever that I’ve been drawn to read someone’s blog. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for sharing the wonderful story of the OCHER girls ~ it’s nice to know that these special women exist (you included!) and it was nice to hear that the reunion happened in our beautiful St. Louis. What a wonderful way to keep your mother’s memory alive.

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  25. Friendship, that is one of the most beautiful things I know. And your story really shows how strong and important friendship is in life! One can see from the photos how much fun you were having-Beautiful!

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  26. AnonymousMay 22, 2008

    Gosh, your story of the OCHERs and the Yayas just had me laughing and crying at the same time. And I choked up seeing the lovely bouquet of flowers (the symbolism of it) from your father. Thanks for sharing the entire story about the ladies and now the daughters.

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  27. AnonymousMay 24, 2008

    Such a precious post, Alanna, and I am all teary. What a history of love and friendship. Your dad's flowers are the best.

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  28. AnonymousMay 26, 2008

    Maybe those furry legs kept them warmer in those cold Northern Minnesota winters.

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe, whether a current recipe or a long-ago favorite. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. ~ Alanna