The Phosie-Gertie 2012

It was Sunday of Labor Day Weekend, and time for the annual clan gathering we call the Phosie-Gertie Picnic.  Always held at the family compound on Whidbey Island, it honors the two sisters, Phosie and Gertie, who were grandmothers to a very large group of cousins who have for many years summered and vacationed at these two cabins.

There being many teachers in the group, we try to be organized, as much as we can be,  surrounded by free range kids who make the whole beach their own and hook up with other peoples kids wherever they may roam.

Here is our agenda.  Times are approximate and to be determined.

The Foster/Reeder side of the clan, Gertie's Kids, use the morning time for our annual cabin owners and users meeting.  

Various preparations go on during the early part of the day.

For some, it may be just waking up that is the chore.  Right, Jake?

Over on the back porch of The Vintage, Sharon and  grandson Carson are making a blackberry pie, using berries picked minutes earlier on the dike.

The family tree has been updated an posted.

Kids collect where snacks are available.

Quiet conversations are carried on.  Here Tom and Jake catch up.

Phosie's bunch was just two this year, sisters Marilyn and Martha, as their kids and grand kids are scattered on this end of summer weekend.  As the official Opening Ceremonies draw near, we all begin to gather.

It's time for the Phosie-Gertie song and the flag raising.

Listen up, everyone.  Jill is activities director.

It's time for real beach volleyball on the tide flats.

Some of us olders sat on the beach and watched, and reminisced on younger days.  These youngsters just love playing on the beach.

What's next?  The sand castle contest, with teams of three generations working together.  The theme this year was Sea Creatures.

Along with photography duties, Tom and I were the judges.  The two teams who chose to work out on the tide flats had a urgent need for quick judging, as their creatures were about to return to the sea.  

Isaac explains his team's octopus.

At least the giant sea star group had made a protective wall to hold out the tide long enough to show off their work.

We all waded back to the dry beach to check out the work of the other two teams.

It was the shark's feeding time and a live shore crab was provided.

That's a mean looking shark from such a friendly looking team.

Irene told us about their rays, who were sharing a crab, just as we will later share our picnic.

Jill rushed off to scatter candy around the two cabins while the kids lingered on the beach.  Then at the word "candy" they were easily collected for the candy hunt.

We were all in the water balloon toss which was up next.  Since I was in for quite a while with my young partner Carson, I have photos of only the finishers.

That tough balloon rolled into the lagoon and still survived.  Lucky Tom.

The winners, Jake and Paul.  Still dry, but not for long.  The kids went after them with the extra balloons.

Group Photo time.

Those earlier preparations were leading to this, the time to honor the Direct Descendants, the Elders of the Clan.  They can remember when they used to make their parents do this.

There was a lot of eating next.  I was too busy participating to take photos of the food this year, but I can testify that it was abundant and delicious.

As the kids scattered, the two older generations stayed to listen to Tom show and tell some family history.

His act included talking to a box.  At least it wasn't a chair and it wasn't empty. :)

The box is the Civil War foot locker belonging to Seneca Eugene Reeder.

Late in the afternoon the lagoon filled on the high tide, the breeze calmed, and the sky mirror of the lagoon attracted watchers for quiet conversation.

Jill and Jake went for a canoe ride.  The little kids were free ranging again.

Day is done, gone the sun.  

Some of us gathered around the fire.

As Tom and I collected our gear and prepared to head home, the kids were being rounded up and the moon rose over the hill.  

And another great Phosie-Gertie goes down in family history.