Luck

Luck of the Pot

Jeanna GLeave a comment

I was at a Friendsgiving on Sunday evening, and it was a potluck. I brought stuffing…easy to identify. Some other dishes, however, got me thinking about the true meaning of the word “potluck.”  Like you could really be pressing your luck by trying some of these mysterious concoctions! 

One pot was filled with a pineapple and cheese casserole, apparently a Thanksgiving table staple in the south. I’d never heard of such a thing, which is delightfully surprising to a self-proclaimed foodie. This introduction to a new recipe also got me excited about the fact that potlucks are making a comeback post-Covid. As someone who grew up on family reunion and church potlucks, I felt a loss when sharing homemade food came to an abrupt stop four years ago. But I digress. 

Later that night I decided to research potlucks. What I found out from my internet search is they have always been about sharing, but not necessarily with friends and family. Back in the day, people would keep their leftovers warm in a pot in case someone in need knocked on the door unexpectedly. During the Great Depression, communities of families would gather their food together to make more nutrient-complete meals for one another. What a beautiful practice! 

I hope that this Thanksgiving brings an opportunity to all of you to share something with someone. Whether it’s a casserole or a loaf of bread to break, or something that costs you nothing, like a smile and a handshake. Share a recipe, an anecdote, a laugh, or a turkey bone wish… that the luck of the pot will always land on your dish. 

Superstitions

Jeanna GLeave a comment

As I was waiting in the intersection to turn left, the light turned amber and the driver of the car coming from the opposite direction kissed his hand and then tapped his car’s ceiling as he sped past. I don’t know what the name for that practice is, but I know I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. But why? Do I think it will prevent me from getting T-boned? Or that it will stop a cop from giving me a ticket? 

I’ve also avoided stepping on cracks for most of my life, I drink out of my Penn State mug for all of football season, and I used to tape a Tootsie Pop wrapper to the strap of my shinguards before each soccer game. Some of my behaviors could probably be better labeled as obsessive-compulsive, rather than superstitious. Even so, what keeps me doing them? I’m sure at some point I felt as though they eased my worries or would bring me good luck. Some, I’ve heard, keep away evil spirits, like tapping my glass on the bar before I take a shot, or tossing a pinch of spilled salt over my left shoulder.  

As Halloween approaches, so do the images of spooky spirits, and I can’t help but get caught up in the superstition of the season. If a black cat crosses my path, will a witch be close behind? Maybe, maybe not, but I’ll be sure to light my Jack-o’-lantern just in case. 

Betting On The Ponies

Jeanna GLeave a comment

My family has been betting on the ponies for at least four generations. My mom and grandpa used to bet quarters on who would win. My mom would always pick who looked best going onto the field, usually number 8. I don’t know how my grandpa picked, but he usually won. I watched the races because my mom did, and I picked whatever number or name was sounding lucky that day. That’s how my daughter picks now, too. 

My uncle liked to bet, too, so he and I would chat about our picks prior to the race. He taught me more about how to pick besides colors, names, and numbers. In the last Triple Crown race before he passed, I finally picked a winner, Sir Winston in the 2019 Belmont Stakes.

In 2020, Covid pushed the races back to the fall, so my friends and I watched the race during our beach trip and got the kids all hyped up about it by having them draw a horse out of a hat. In 2021, I found a friend who also enjoys the races and she makes an amazing beer cheese dip, and her husband makes a perfect mint julep, so we enjoyed the Derby together. This year I picked Epicenter to win the Derby but the long-shot horse my daughter picked beat mine by three-quarters of a length. I think that win was enough for her to continue our family tradition.

Tonight is the Preakness stakes, which I attended about 15 years ago. If I ever make it to the Belmont stakes or the Kentucky Derby, I will definitely buy seats in the grandstand, because the infield at Pimlico was nothing I want to re-experience. But for now I’ll continue to watch the Triple Crown on TV and bet on the ponies with my daughter, and hopefully my uncle and grandpa will send a little luck down from above.