So once every 2 years, my extended family makes a pilgrimage to the White Mountains of Arizona. My Great Grandfather homesteaded here around the turn of the century and now thanks to the foresight of some other relatives this place has been saved for future generations. When I was growing up we always went down to the reunion, I remember my parents driving all night and then Daddy playing in the horseshoe tournament. One time our friends Jinx & Fern Everett drove all night too, bringing down a pickup bed full of roasts for a big BBQ. We all played on the rope swing and listened to my Great Aunt Elda's truly made up pioneer stories.
Over the years, we started going less and less. As the great Aunts and Uncles passed away, my Dad wasn't as interested in going back, he said he didn't need to go to the homestead to remember his family, memories are something you carried with you in your heart. Scott and I went to the reunion in 1998 (the 50th Anniversary of the first reunion). Then last year my cousin organized our smaller RE Whiting reunion to take place at the homestead. As mentioned in a previous post our little melodrama caught the ear of the big reunion chairwoman who asked for a repeat performance. So the majority of the Don Whiting Family headed down for an encore performance. Unfortunately I didn't have any pictures of the play, since we were in it, but hopefully there will be a few posted on the whitinghomestead.com website in a few weeks.
Here we are in a last minute cram session, trying to get through. Notice all the scripts? Yeah, we had a few on stage too. It rained like I never knew it could rain in Arizona, and since it was the big reunion we had to perform on the outdoor stage. The reunion outgrew the rec hall many years ago, and now there is a large outdoor stage in the meadow. This change prompted Scott and Allison, the younger, to redesign the set and create a backdrop. Scott managed to build and fit a bunch of modular sections in our little utility trailer. Once we got there on Friday morning he went to work, and with a bunch of help from everyone we managed to get everything up just before a torrential downpour. Everyone was worried about getting rained out, but I knew it would be alright. You see I talked to all my relatives on the other side, called in all my chips and knew that they would do everything they could to stay the weather. Well, they came through in a big way, and we had clear weather. I would like to say the play went off without a hitch, but that wouldn't be very truthful. We all forgot lines, Scott and Casey had to kneel in a puddle on the stage, Ma Jitter's kids decided to tag along, and Nancy's wig caught on the bar and started to fall off! But I think it was a hit, because the next day when I was coming out of the port a potty, I heard a little boy take in a quick breath and say, "It's Wildcat!". I'm just vain enough to let that make the whole thing worthwhile.
On Saturday it was time to take down the set (in between storm cells) and enjoy all the events of the Whiting Village that included candle making, branding, bull whips, sawmill demonstrations, and a whole lot more. It ended with the infamous candy canon that was a huge hit with all the kids.
This is what Allison got to do all over the very rough terrain for three days, she got a workout!
It got cold enough on Saturday night that we could see our breath, and it felt a whole lot more like October rather than August. Then the clouds came rolling in and it was pretty surreal.
Can Janna and Donna say humidity? We definitely could tell who had the natural curls!
We had a good time, mixed with some emotional ups and downs. What else can you expect when traveling, camping, and performing with your family? Overall, we had a pretty good time and while I can't say I won't perform that play ever again (I said that last year and look how that worked out). I do think we will go back for another big reunion. After all where can you go to a little cash store and get Aunt Mynn's fudge, Whiting histories, Fat Sister's Cookbook (a set of cousins), attend an auction and battle with your relatives for out of print books about your ancestors? I'm not sure whether I go for the memories or the shopping, but I think my kids like it and it's pretty good to learn all about those roots.
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