Gram V’s Cookies

I’m in Petosky at the very moment of this writing seated in the breakfast lounge of the Days Inn looking out over the bay. It is terribly humid outside for the third day in a row. This makes for a somewhat hazy view of the Lake Michigan bay.

The sun is probably getting ready to come up over the bank of clouds out there somewhere. I’m beginning to see some color in the clouds…it’s time to take a pause and wander down the street to see what mother nature has in store for me this morning…

I started this yesterday morning and didn’t have the opportunity to finish my work. I was in Petosky for a family reunion of sorts in celebration of Lisa Wingate, my first cousin’s success as a New York Times best selling author.

Lisa has written 30 books and her last one “Before We Were Yours” stayed on the best seller list for 10 months straight! You really have to read this one…that’s all I’m saying! She is am amazing writer.

Lisa had a book signing event that McLean and Eakin Booksellers sponsored since this book has helped keep them in business of late! I say that in jest. It is a wonderful store which if you happen to find yourself in Petosky Michigan you may want to wander into.

This event prompted Lisa’s father to make the trip from Oklahoma to attend. He is my father’s brother. It prompted my father’s sister and her adult kids and my second cousin and her husband to attend too.

I decided to attend just a few weeks ago after my wise mind self, that little wise voice inside who I’ve learned to pay attention to told me I needed to go. And thankfully I listened to her because it was a wonderful family reunion time as well as soooo very special to hear Lisa talk about her writing journey and her book.

The Vereyken family origins are here in Michigan. In fact Lisa’s first make it big book “Tending Roses” is based on stories that my father’s mother told to her about her life growing up!

That book is also another good read by the way! Mind you, it’s not that any of her other books are not worth the read too!

So, it is these Michigan origins and this long winded tale that brings me to Gram Vereyken’s cookies…I hosted an after Lisa’s event family gathering at the hotel I stayed in so we could all visit some more and consume a ton of snacks that I brought.

Gram V loved to bake for her family. I remember to die bread rolls she brought to every family dinner. As the years went on she got a tad wiser I suppose and would bring us rolls she baked up from the frozen bread dough she bought at the store…one year she did fess up to it anyway but who knows just exactly how long she had been doing that!

Gram V’s Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies are a family favorite. I’ve taken them over the years to various places and they are always a hit. Everyone wants to recipe too!

We just couldn’t have a Vereyken family gathering of the grand kids without having her cookies now could we? So I baked up a batch to share with my cousins, aunt and uncles. They were well received with lots of yummy responses too.

It was wonderful to watch peoples faces light up as they discovered the container and chow down on a cookie to two or three. You really can’t just have one!

I could see memories flooded into people’s eyes as they remembered things about Gram and the times she baked them up a batch of her cookies.

Gram’s cookies brought our family together to honor her memory. Those cookies are a great unifier in a very diverse family. They are Gram’s legacy. She would bake them with all her love for us too. And we knew we were loved by her.

I remember picking up care packages at her house when I was in college that she’d pack up for me when I came home to visit. They always contained a batch of her cookies!

My adventure north was a wonderful one full of family, fun, laughs, shared memories and a beautiful sunrise on the bay…who could ask for anything more!

What things are unifying forces in your family?