July 20 was one of those summer days Alaskans dream about. A bright sunny day when mountains are clear from top to bottom, fish are clogging the rivers, and gardens are growing bigger and stronger by the hour. If that day should come on a Saturday, and if there is a wedding to celebrate, a successful gathering of friends and family is inevitable!
The whole neighborhood showed up. Little children running around; Dan serving up enough meat to feed an army; young people streaming in; neighbors showing up who I hadn’t seen since 2002; Stanley filling a huge cooler with beer, water, and sodas; the peonies still glorious; and everyone coming with best wishes for Sean and Erin!
Jesse’s “Best Man” speech was well received. It hit just the right mark to tease his brother a bit, to congratulate him on his good choice of a bride, and to welcome Erin to the family Well done, Jesse!
As usual at these events, there was story telling. Old stories are repeated, but new ones are often invented on the spot. Friendships are renewed. Memories are made. In the future stories will be told about the gathering on the mountain back in ‘24 to celebrate the marriage of Sean and Erin Ashmore.
As Stanley and I drove back to Jesse’s house, the sun was just slipping behind the Talkeetna Mountains. It was 10:30PM. The sky was still clear. We had our own thoughts - some nostalgic, others optimistic. We both felt a sense of contentment!
