Summer Family Reunion Circle
Forty of us, ages two to 80, met at YMCA Camp of the Rockies near Estes Park, CO in mid-June. Elevation 8,750 feet. Scenery backdrop: a near 360-degree view of the Rocky Mountains. For three days we enjoyed all that Snow Mountain Ranch had to offer—whitewater rafting, aerial ropes course, horseback riding, hiking, miniature golf and lots more.
Group photo by Kyle Anderson
Grandson Jaden on aerial ropes course, photo by Ann
River rafting by Erica Geib
On our third night my three sisters and I and our children and grandchildren and all spouses gathered in a circle inside around an artificial campfire. (Red flag warnings precluded a real fire.) After days of activities, the group was bonded and happily reacquainted. (The last time we had gathered was 2021 to honor our mother/ grandmother, Astrid, with a Covid-delayed memorial). To create the center for our circle, everyone lined up by age and then oldest to youngest placed one shoe in the middle in a spiral emphasizing that we are all following in one another’s footsteps.
The center of our family reunion, shoes placed oldest to youngest, photo by Lorenzo
2026 is the year of the 100th anniversary of my parents’ birth. The focus of the circle was to collect stories about “Astie” and/or “Bumpa” that we recorded for family lineage. People knew about the story gathering ahead of time. Some had carefully thought out their contributions; others were spontaneous. And some, especially the youngers who never met their great-grandparents (who died in 2013 and 2020 ) were listeners.
Reunion stickers created by my sister Margaret. Colorado visits began about this era for us Minnesota girls to be able to see our grandparents and cousins.
4 Brown sisters at the family reunion, photo by Kyle Anderson
My family is accustomed to using circle to gather and share stories. So, only a brief amount of structure needed to be spoken: Be brief; the person with the little earth ball speaks; the rest of us listen. Some stories were funny—our dad, Bumpa, was a larger than life character with a very strong personality. Our mother, Astie, knew how to get things done with the softest of approaches.
I shared the story of helping my civil engineer father dig out dahlia bulbs from our yard every fall so they would not freeze in the bitter Minnesota winters. And then he and I replanted the bulbs in late spring. To this day I grow dahlias in my garden in honor of Bumpa who showed his creative side in his beautiful gardens—he gave his plants what they needed then expected them to behave, just as he did his entire engineering staff at George Hormel & Co., and his four daughters.
My first bush of dahlias was blooming when we returned from Colorado
The story I shared about Astie was how she used her incredible piano playing ability to build community. After Dad died, when Mom was 87, she left her hometown and moved into an assisted living near our sister Kathy a hundred miles north. As soon as Mom sat down to play piano in the lobby by the dining hall, people lingered and requested songs so they could sing along. She quickly made friends.
As the little earth ball went around the circle, there were many stories about fishing with “Bumpa” at the “Ranch”—a Colorado guest ranch our family visited every summer for 50 years. The tradition of gathering in Colorado is deeply imprinted in my family.
Stories shared about “Astie” ranged from spending time hiking along Canyon Creek, loving her cooking, and sitting with her on the porch admiring the vastness of the canyon mountains and their beauty. Both my parents cherished time in nature and passed that appreciation onto each of their four daughters and we in turn have passed it to our children and grandchildren.
It took an hour for the little ball to travel around the circle of 40 descendants—just long enough for good stories, but not so long that fidgeting overcame us. We closed the circle singing “Happy Birthday” and retired for cupcakes, casual conversations, and a magnificent sunset.
Ann and Christina outside after the family circle, photo by John Harrington
Our whole four-day gathering was wonderful, heartfelt fun. We did not talk about religion or politics. Instead, we focused on what we all have in common—love for each other, love of our families, and love for the beauty of the natural world.
As my niece, Kyle, said in the circle, “Values are not taught, they are caught.” I invite all of us to find ways to connect with family members—a little email text about something you have or had in common, like maybe sports and the World Cup soccer matches; or sending a recipe you have preserved from your family to someone who likes to cook; or sending a link to a fun puppy video. The world could really use some re-knitting—and it can only happen one stitch at a time.
I love each of my sisters: Margaret, Susie, and Kathy. Before she died, we promised Mom we would take care of each other and we plan to do just that. photo by some beloved niece or nephew
I just want to say thank you for sharing. I really enjoy every word.
You are most welcome, Larry.
Beautiful, Ann, just beautiful.
With appreciation, Ann
“Caught, not taught.”
I’m so glad to hear of your adventure.
And to see the photos (shoes in spiral).
All before I head to a reunion (much smaller) in Canada next week.
Thank you, thank you Ann (and family).
Thank you, Tenneson, and happy reunion to you, too. Ann
Ann, this went straight to my heart. We just gathered our family in Colorado, too, for a grandson’s college graduation. I wish we could have done a spiral of shoes – what a beautiful co-created symbol. Yes, the stitches that knit our world together need tending and our families are such an important place to start. Thanks for the reminder. Blessings to you and Christina.
Dear Catherine,
With appreciation for your words. And blessings on your own family reunion and the “world stitching” I know happened there. Ann
Thank you, Ann. Like Tennyson, I am also going to Canada for a reunion. This one is a celebration of 100 years since my grandfather’s farm was established.
Hello Sharon!One hundred years is an important milestone to mark. May it be a most joyous occasion for you and your family. Ann
Fabulous, Ann! Thank you for sharing your time together. I am envious of your 40. Mine would be 16, at most, including a girlfriend I haven’t met and a spouse who wouldn’t come!
Thank you, Gretchen. It’s not the numbers at the family reunion that counts, rather the strength and love of interaction. Ann
What a sweet sharing. I love how you love your family. xo
Indeed, I do love my family very much. Ann
Absolutely beautiful post Ann! I LOVE the “faux fire” of spiraling shoes at the heart of your story sharing! What a gift to have that time to connect with all your family.
Creating just the right center for a circle is always a creative endeavor. It proved a fun way to engage our youngers and keep them focused. Ann
always a joy to be included in the stories of your family’s lives. It’s a very precious contribution to this world……love and appreciation… Anne
Thank you, my friend. Connecting with our families, be they ever so far flung is important and harder as we age—but a priority for sure! Ann
Being a part of this reconnection of family was incredibly special and bucket filling. Thank you for summarizing so beautifully.
Appreciate your response, Erica, and your leadership throughout the reunion. Love, Aunt Ann
Oh how wonderful! What a joy it must be to gather together the different generations- sharing stories and building memories. I’m fortunate to have met your mother. I remember her as gentle, but with a playful spark.
Thanks, Ann! I savored every word and memory of this time together. I recently had a similar time with my two sisters in Prosser. It is precious time! You also taught many of us elders about the great outdoors. I miss those times. Much love.
Dear Diane, Thank you for these reflections on your own sister reunion. And blessings to all of us elders still wandering the wilds, Ann
Thanks for sharing your family reunion. I too love the circle of shoes. Love yo you and Christina.🌷🌺
Dear Ann, Lovely to hear from you!May this find you and your family well. Ann
Ann!
What a story you share of joy and family. You have shared this (mostly) yearly event of your summer family gatherings and both individually and collectively, they feel like a written scrapbook of “Colorado with Family” a place to keep the memories safe. The photos are the most precious for me and tell a deeper story of family connection no matter the differences. A perfect moral anytime but especially at this moment in time. Kudos to your family for showing up and proclaiming that connection means far more than anything else in a family. The beginning photo of your Mom and Dad gave me a big smile before any words were read. And of course the collective creativity of all of your circle of shoes, touching each other until the last shoe – huge symbolism of unity. Your family is a huge gift to humanity. And what fun it looked to be to boot! Grateful for your sharing, Ann!
Dear Jeanne,
Thank you for all your comments on the post. Yes, pictures do say 1,000 words. That photo of my folks is one of my all time favorites. We did have a wonderful amount of fun and had some good education, too. Each of my sisters and I organized an evening program. My sister, Margaret, the retired history professor developed a scavenger hunt that involved reading placards about different family members from our history and answering questions. It was amazing how engaged and involved everyone was that night. She “knocked it out of the park” and may help preserve some of our family lineage in the generation behind us. Ann
Ann – what a great story – I love the spiral of shoes – what a storytelling circle those shoes would invite I also loved that values are caught not taught. And your sisters!!! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Nancy! Lovely to see your name here—you who know so very much about circle! Ann