It was actually a few days ago that I bought my first box of strawberries for the season. It had been a couple of weeks (at least) since I hit the grocery store to reprovision. It has also been bloody hot here in Carson City.

I decided that some Greek Yogurt, strawberries, and granola would make a decent lunch without a lot of bulk, sugar, or preparation. So, I bought the first box of strawberries of the season.

The next day about noon, I remembered the strawberries. I got the box out and began working them up, removing the remainder of the flower and cutting them up into chunks. This resulted in a recollection of Wife’s mom, my beloved mother-in-law, and her daughters working up strawberries from the berry patch they kept in their garden.

As I worked up my own, store-bought, berries, I recalled watching the technique and could see myself replicating what I first saw all those years ago. This made me smile and made my heart hurt a little.

Then I remembered strawberry pie. OMG, Mom’s strawberry pie was one of my favorite things. Her blackberry cobbler was right up on that list as well. (Best warm with vanilla ice cream and coffee!) But, my mind went to the strawberry pie with the reddish tint to my fingers from working up my berries.

I then thought “I could make a strawberry pie!” And that made me think of my sister-in-law, whom I had not contacted in a minute. So, after working up my berries and making a parfait for lunch, I sent her a text and we chatted a bit.

They are well, which made me happy. I asked about the pie and she sent me her recipe for the pie and the crust.

Then she sent a little lagniappe — a recipe for easy biscuits.

I usually use frozen Grands as I can make one or two. But, I also long for homemade biscuits and I think I can cut the recipe such that I can make two or three readily. I am going to try.

My mind sometimes goes into a stream-of-consciousness mode. My thoughts leap from one point to another, sometimes leaving even me feeling a bit dizzy.

Also, I think I’ll make a strawberry pie this weekend. I can make it with Sucralose and keep my sugar intake under control.

Mom sure made a killer strawberry pie. When I went to visit, she always made one. With whipped cream and coffee, it was a perfect treat.

Wife, Mom, and Dad are all gone now. It is a pity. They are greatly missed, all of them. They were my family, all by law. But, they might as well be blood. That is how I feel about them.

Godspeed, my loves, Godspeed.

I am grateful to have had those people in my life. Life is good.

So is strawberry pie.