Every long weekend in August, Tyler’s family plays in a baseball tournament in Venosta, Quebec. Each family has their own team and there are around 10 teams, to give you an idea of how massive it is. It’s an awesome reunion for family: everyone from parents, siblings, and great-grandkids to cousins many times removed.

Tyler’s team is called Hilda’s heroes, after his grandmother, and the family gathers at the farmhouse where Hilda and her late husband Jack Sullivan raised their six children. We arrived on Saturday afternoon, and spent a few hours having lunch, catching up, and setting up out tent for the evening. Their first baseball game had been played and won at 8am, and we set off for game number 2 at 4pm.

Hilda’s heroes played decently but lost to the Chrome Domes, 3-1. Maybe it was the silly, stretchy grid hats that we wore? In any case, we were out of the tournament for this year.

Tyler’s cousin’s youngest son was turning 2 and there was a piñata to hit, candy and raisins to eat, then a birthday cake or two. Little Declan loves music, just like the rest of his family, and spent some time strumming and picking at his plastic guitar joyfully, while carefully watching his aunt and uncle play.

We had a great dinner of pasta and lots of salads, then headed up to the old schoolhouse, saying hi to people along the way, to set up Tyler’s equipment. I had a few drinks, chatted with people, and then settled in to listen to Tyler play with Greg and Pat, covering lots of popular rootsy tunes like “Man of Constant Sorrow,” and “I’ll fly away”. As the night went on, the dance floor started shaking with all the happy, sun-baked ball players, family, and friends of all ages. I danced with a young fellow named Tim, who was actually a great dancer. I am not, but managed to stay on my feet as he twisted and twirled me around – and then had the fright of my life when he lifted and flipped me right over, head over heels, flip-flops flying through the air. That was enough dancing for me! The rest of the night passed in a happy blur of faces, friends, late night hot dogs charred on the barbecue, and finally zipping into the tent on the dark dewy grass.

The next morning was bright and clear and promised to be hot. Since Hilda’s heroes were out of the running, we had the whole day to spend in whatever way we wanted. After lunch at Sue-Ellen’s, a diner in Kazabazua, we decided to drive down to Low, a town nearby, for a nature walk. We got out of the car and scrambled through trees and bright green brush to reach a creek with rushing water and lots of huge wet rocks.

We climbed and waded up and up until we reached a pool of clear water in front of a huge circular drain at the end. Everyone dove in and came up shouting from the cold water.

There were piles of soft wet clay lining the edges of the pool, and soon everyone was rubbing it all over their legs, bodies and even their faces. A natural mud wrap!

After one last refreshing dip to wash off the clay residue, we made our way back down the sloping trail of sparkling water, taking in the sunlight slating through the trees and making patterns on the hill and in the water.

We stopped off at the dam on the way back to check out the ravine. It filled my entire scope of vision – trees, bleached white rock, the dark blue water meeting the sandbar below.

After we got back, we sat around the house for awhile listening to some music. The weather was gorgeously hot and sunny, and it was the perfect weekend to sit and relax, sip a cold drink, and not do anything much at all for a few minutes.

Baseball was still being played, the teams were getting whittled down, and we headed back to the pitch to catch the final, deciding game between Ernest’s Corners (some distant Kealey relatives) and the O’Connors. It was well-played, with a few confusing moments, like one runner hitting second base and finding out there was already someone there, and in the end the orange team emerged victorious.

We all gathered in the school house, passing around the coveted trophy, and then settled in to enjoy the rest of the evening.

It was a perfect way to spend the long weekend – and maybe next year Hilda’s heroes will win!