photo by Marcus Frazier

Patrick Baldwin Sr., upper left, plays a game of spades with his nephew Robert Plummer, Jr., niece Tanya Galtney and nephew Darren Plummer Friday afternoon during their Fourth of July barbecue.

Plummer siblings travel across the country to celebrate

By Mary Hood (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Saturday, July 5, 2008

NATCHEZ — The many cars clogging the driveway had tags from all over the Southeast — Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, Mississippi, Florida and Louisiana.

For this family, no distance can stop them from gathering together for Independence Day.

For major holidays, the 11 brothers and sisters jump from one family household to the next and for this Fourth of July, they all congregated at Pam and Robert Plummers’ house on George F. West Boulevard.

While only seven siblings could make it for this year’s July 4, the house was still packed to capacity with nieces, nephews, in-laws and grandchildren.

Keeping with the status quo of their family gatherings, there’s no agenda and no time limit.

“We started this morning about 8 and we’ll be here until,” Pam Plummer said.

What the family does have clearly mapped out, though, is the menu.

A plethora of protein sizzled on the grill including ribs, chicken wings, pork chops, hot dogs and garlic sausage.

Grill master Robert Plummer kicked back in the backyard, mindful of the smoking grill a few yards away.

He said his technique for grilling such a wide variety of meat is simple, start early, watch the grill carefully and spice properly.

To accompany, grilled sweet potatoes, potato salad, baked beans and corn were on hand.

A cake brought in from Houston was reserved for dessert and to be served with ice cream.

The only thing Pam Plummer said was scheduled for the evening was taking a break from the backyard lounging to see the fireworks down at the bluff.

When they get back, Pam Plummer said she expected the party to keep on rolling.

Oldest son Jimmie Baldwin expected things to get wild.

“Some of us will be out all night,” Baldwin said with a roar of laughter.

Pam Plummer said she did expect for voices, music and laughter to get louder as the night moved into the wee hours.

“It’s typically like that,” she said of the family get-togethers.

The party will then move inside, she said.

“We’ll all get (inside) and laugh and bull,” she said smiling.

And when it finally does come time for sleep, it’s no holds bard on who crashes where.

“Dibs on the couch,” Baldwin yelled.

When the sun or people rise, whichever comes first today, another cookout is lined up for the self-proclaimed “very close” family.

The menu will deviate from the grill and feature fish, shrimp and boiled turkey necks, Pam Plummer said.

As the crowd of family stood around watching youngest family member Noah, 14 months, sit in the grass beaming a less-than-toothy grin, Pam Plummer explained the genesis of these family gatherings.

“We started after our mother died in 1996,” Pam Plummer said.

All the siblings, who herald from Natchez, still wanted to get together but couldn’t bear returning to their hometown.

“We were all feeling the loss of our mother so it was hard to come home,” she said.

So for the following 10 years for the holidays, the siblings traveled to different homes across the Southeast.

After those years, they were able to finally come back to Natchez to celebrate together.

“Time heals all wounds,” Pam Plummer said.

Robert Plummer said he’s glad he’s able to offer his home to the family.

“This is home to everybody,” he said. “And knowing they can always come home and have a place to come back to (is pleasing.)”

He said while he just married into his wife’s family, he feels he might as well be blood related.

“We are family, we’re just a big old group coming together,” he said.

Even in the midst of one holiday, plans are being formed for the next immediate celebration.

“I think for Thanksgiving we’ll be in Houston,” Pam Plummer said.

Baldwin let out a hoot and a sigh of relief at hearing this as Houston is his hometown.

Just to make it to Natchez in time for the beginning of the festivities he rose with the sun.

“I left Houston at 5:15 this morning,” he said.