Last year, I declared Arbor Day to be the official holiday of the Biddick siblings. My two brothers, my sister, their spouses and PB and I gathered around the table for a meal and to catch up.

We don’t get together for major holidays anymore. There are 29 grandchildren between the four of us, so the inevitable branching out has taken place, as it should. Yet, long stretches of time can go by without us seeing each other. We needed our own holiday. Arbor Day was perfect.

Our grandfather was a tree man. Grandpa was chosen as “Woodsman of the Year” in 1982, at the age of 87. He loved trees and owned timber land in Mississippi and Wisconsin, where he operated a logging and timber sawing business for many years. He planted hundreds of trees in his lifetime.

This year, Arbor Day also happened to fall on what would have been our mother’s birthday. I think she would’ve been pleased to know we reminisced and laughed together over memories on her birthday.

I used the “farm dishes” for this year’s 2nd annual gathering. When my siblings saw the table settings, there was a collective “ahhhh”. These were our “Sunday only” dishes — usually piled with roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and homemade dinner rolls.

It’s good to spend a day with people you love.
I hope you had a happy Arbor Day.
Mine was pretty great.