Makin' Sausage!

Ever made homemade sausage? It is actually a lot of fun and a lot of hard work but extremely rewarding in the end. We have a small smokehouse that Alfred built about five years ago and it sure makes it nice when you want to smoke your own meats. We got up first thing this morning and got busy! Alfred has a huge, one piece, stainless steel sink with a long counter that makes the perfect grinding and mixing station. We got all the meat separated and cut into small chunks then added the seasonings so it will mix better as it goes through the grinder. I prepared the casings and the work began......

Seasoned, mixed and ready for the grinder.

A nice pile ready for the smokehouse


Hanging in the smokehouse



VOILA!

When I was a little girl my grandparents had hog killings during the cold winters in Mississippi and it was a BIG DEAL! It was always SO COLD and I loved it! I just stayed really far from the place where the men did the dirty work! Know what I mean....? Everyone worked and everyone had a different job to do. I especially remember the ladies in the kitchen with a hand grinder, grinding the meat into a big washtub. My grandparent's smokehouse smelled like smoked ham and bacon as long as I can remember. Many, many years after the smokehouse was retired from service you could still smell it! It always brought back such fond memories. Memories of a time when families worked together and played together and if someone was in need, everyone came to the rescue. I LOVE helping people! I guess it goes back to my raisin' and the many acts of kindness I witnessed as a young child.

I was so blessed this Thanksgiving by being able to send a huge meal to an elderly and rather sickly gentleman that wasn't having anything special this year. And the best part is, my son delivered it because he knew of this man and had the compassion to act. Ya see......when we teach them early, they never forget it and before you know it, our own younguns are looking out for others. I'm tellin' ya.....nothing compares it!

Please pray for my son Jeremy. He is in the hospital with a bad infection in his hand. He apparently had a blister in his palm and he bursted it (like we usually do blisters.) It got infected and he had a big red streak going all the way up to his elbow. They have him on antibiotics and want to watch it for a few days. We went last night and he was cutting up and feeling fine. Just has a very sore hand. God bless you guys...........