I know this is not much notice, but I think you should consider having dinner on the lawn at the Knowles House this evening. (That would be Wednesday, May 26, just in case you’re reading this on, say, Friday.) The event is a fund raiser for the Central Lake Area Historical Society. Gary Dawson is grilling brats*, Lois Dawson has made potato salad and baked beans, a lot of other volunteers are bringing side dishes, there will be strawberry shortcake for dessert, and Mike Berst is playing the hammered dulcimer. I don’t see how you can go wrong.
My job will be to take pictures of everyone else working (Lois is going to lend me her camera so I can see what I’m doing). I helped with the potato salad, too. OK, I was the official taste tester, but now I am able to assure you that it is a fine potato salad. The secret is the bread-and-butter pickles chopped into the dressing. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to tell. Hmm.
We have a little display about Civil War veterans, along with a plea for photos and stories from local attics. Bet we come up with some, too.
If you come, you will have a very, very good dinner, some fine music, and convivial company. You can tour the Knowles House, which has been nicely fluffed up for the occasion, and you can tell an enthusiastic listener everything you know about the Civil War veterans in your life. Or you can just go out in the kitchen and ask Lois for her potato salad recipe.
Gary and Lois Dawson relax on the porch at the Knowles House
Miss Sadie and the Cowboy will be lounging at home, but I have promised to bring them a little takeout treat.
*For those of you from Away, in this context, brats are not ill-behaved children but tasty sausages, as in bratwurst. There is no point in asking for bratwurst in northern Michigan, but everyone will know what you mean if you ask for a brat. It will almost certainly come on a roll with a nice mustard and some chopped onions. Please do not put ketchup on the brat. It would be . . . wrong.
Torch Lake Views 
Cindy Lou
May 26, 2010
Fun! Bread-n-butter pickles in the potato salad? Grand idea! Have a wondermous time tonight!
Gerry
May 27, 2010
And so we did. It was very warm, but we sat in the shade or fanned ourselves in the sun and generally had a high old time. There is nothing like good food to haul out a crowd in Central Lake.