Susies Black Eyes

My husband had a friend, a retired Byzantine Priest, who was originally from Ukraine. He became a dear friend to me, as we shared the same interests... gardening, cross-stitch, and cooking. He use to call me and read recipes to me or challenge me with the height of our plants. "My iris' are 32 inches" he would say, "and my dear how tall are yours?" (mine had better be a bit shorter!). He always beat my husband at Gin-Rummy...always. I finally caught on to how he counted his cards...he always managed to add a few extra numbers to his hand! When my grandmother was still living, we would visit her on Sundays and then go to his home for dinner. After my grandmother passed away, this little routine sort of ended...until one day. FatherEmil called me up and told me he did not like the fact my grandmother died...since we no longer came to his house every Sunday for dinner ( he was a great cook). "So" he said "I will be your grandfather now and you will be my grand-daughter. And the grand-daughter must see the grandfather every Sunday for dinner." And so I became the grand-daughter to a priest. My card raised a few eyebrows at his funeral....

Father Emil had a unique way of saying things, and this is one of them.... "Black Eye Susans" that are pictured here he always called them Susies Black Eyes. He was a dear and is missed.