It was October when her husband moved her from Texas to West Virginia for his job. She knew no one in the area. She had a toddler and another baby on the way. She was overwhelmed.
The first day in their new house was spent directing the moving people. She did not have time to look around to see the new neighborhood. The second morning, she looked out her back window as she ate her breakfast. She saw smoke. Slightly alarmed, she looked around for the source.
There in the neighbor’s backyard was what appeared to be a cauldron sitting in the middle of area that appeared to have been a garden. The fire was under the large, black pot. There were several people sitting/standing around it. One person was stirring it with a large stick or paddle.
She called for her husband to come and look. She wondered where he had moved her. She knew West Virginia would be different, but never expected witches next door.
The next day, one of those next door neighbors offered her a jar of the “cauldrons” concoction. It was apple butter. She was very relieved. She kept her first impressions to herself for years…well after they had become friends.
This is a true story. The family in the backyard was mine. We made apple butter for decades. I don’t have any pictures from that house, but I do have one from years later after my parents moved.
This is the “cauldron” she saw:
It was a great family tradition even if it did scare the new neighbors.
