Cherokee Argonauts BBQ: Marble City Visitors Make Grape Dumplings
We were very fortunate to have visitors from our Sister City, Marble City Activity Organization (MCAO) last month. The Argonauts’ initial travel plans were to fly here. That changed at the last minute because some did not have their Real ID required for flights to California, and there was not enough time to get them. They decided to drive, scrambled and rented a large SUV.
Our MCAO Argonauts, Myra, Junior, Reba, and Missy, drove to California, which included a stop on the way to visit the Grand Canyon. They arrived in Roseville on Friday, June 20 around 2:00 PM, staying at Mike and Liz’s home. Because of their tight travel agenda, we didn’t have the time to organize a special dinner, so we decided to do a BBQ at Mike and Liz’s backyard patio. We sent out a quick invitation to our membership.
On Saturday June 21, after we returned home from our Grass Valley membership event at the John Rollin Ridge family cemetery plot, there was a request for traditional Grape Dumplings at the BBQ. Early Sunday morning before the BBQ, the MCAO crew went to work making Grape Dumplings for everyone to have as a dessert. Grape Dumplings, with vanilla ice cream, mmmmm mmmm good, WADO MCAO! The BBQ was a great success - the weather was perfect, we had a good turn out, and we all had a nice fun visit and good time.
Because our visitors were driving and this was the first time for some to see California, they wanted to take advantage and do some sight seeing on their journey home. Their plan was to leave on Monday heading to Lake Tahoe (Lake Tahoe was high on Reba’s list), then through Reno and on to Salt Lake City, then home. Junior was impressed with our foothills, commenting on the mountains and pine trees he observed on the way when we went to Grass Valley. I recommended they might want to consider, after they visited Lake Tahoe, to travel around the lake and take the Carson City route, then onto Reno and Salt Lake.
Monday morning after a light breakfast, they were back on the road. They hoped to see the ocean while they were here, but because of their tight schedule we couldn’t make that happen. I promised next time they visit we will take them to see the ocean. They did take the Carson City route, and they all were blown away with the spectacular views of the Sierra mountains and snow. Junior said everywhere he looked was like looking at a travel calendar. I think Junior now understands why we are called foothill communities.
We are all looking forward and hope we will be seeing and hosting them again here in the foothills!
— Mike Webb
