PIERRE'S, THE BARK - HAPPY HALLOWEEN

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE.  As you can see, Mom put me in that Pirates Outfit again.  What we pets have to go through to please our owners !!  Please remember to keep an eye on your pets when the trick-or-treaters come to your door.  Pets might be afraid of these weird people at your door.  Also, if you aren't watching, your pet might slip out.  Make sure they aren't like me, and try to get into your candy.  Candy is not good for pets.  You can have lots of enjoyment, if you watch your pets. Hope everyone enjoys.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN,
PIERRE,
and
MARILYN

ELMER ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT DWARFISM PART 2 TOMORROW.

JEAN'S DINNER IN A PUMPKIN

JEAN'S DINNER IN A PUMPKIN

1 medium pumpkin
3 cups cubed pork shoulder
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash cloves
1 jar (15 oz) spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
1 green pepper, cut into wedges

Cut lid from top of pumpkin.  Scoop out seeds.  Cut out and cube pumpkin meat, leaving 1/2 inch shell.  Combine flour, salt, pepper, cloves.  Dredge pork cubes in mixture.  Brown meat in its own fat.  Add pumpkin, spaghetti sauce and green pepper.  Pile all into pumpkin shell.  Place pumpkin in pan with an inch of hot water, cover with own lid.  Bake at 350 degrees for two hours.

SUE ANN'S GARLIC

  GARLIC

There is still time to plant garlic for next year. You have to  the 2nd , 3rd week in Nov. to plant. If you don't have a regular garden, but like garlic, you can plant it  anywhere you have dirt. If you don't care for garlic, but have roses, and deer, it is perfect for planting around the rose bushes , a few cloves per bush.

There are two basic types of garlic that are found at the grocery, hardnecks -"Northern White", and softnecks - "German Red".

Hardnecks are larger, more flavorful, and easier to peel. Softnecks are smaller, harder to peel each clove, but that makes them great for longer storage.

You can buy a garlic bulb at the grocery , if you are not near a seed store, and separate the cloves and plant them - use the largest outside cloves first , save the smaller cloves for cooking. Do not peel the cloves. Plant the flat end down , the point , up, cover with 3" of soil , plant 4"- 8" apart...if you are growing in a regular garden bed - if not , as around roses..the depth is still needed , but not the distance. Mulch over the cloves, and wait until next year!!!

Garlic is ready to harvest from July to August. Bulbs are ready to harvest when the leaves have turned yellow and withered. To harvest , carefully dig up the bulbs , roots and all , leaving the stems attached. Garlic needs to be seasoned after digging. This is called curing, and can take 2- 6 weeks depending on the weather. Any dry , airy and shady location will do - they can be hung under a covered porch, as long as the sun does not hit them. Simply bundle the garlic by the stems in groups of 10-20, and hang to dry. If you have the space, you can lay them individually on a screen to dry, turning them once a week.

When the garlic has cured, trim the roots and cut the stems to 1" of the bulb.Store in cool, dry, dark space. Well - ventilated, garlic containers are sold just for this purpose - with lids, and holes around the sides - they can be copper, ceramic, any material. You can also just leave them hanging......bring them in from the porch tho, come winter!!! And hang from a ceiling hook- out of direct sun. Cut off bulbs as you need them. Hardnecks last up to 6 mos., if stored in containers, softnecks, almost a year.

This is the last garden project I do, for the year. I plant garlic all around my roses and any other flowers I don't want to deer to enjoy....and I harvest it, the same as if it were in a regular bed. Some of the fun of gardening is that you can plant anything, anywhere......it will compliment your flowers, and shrubs, and it is fun to try and remember where you DID plant things!!! 

There is also a perennial known as garlic chives,they return each year, and spread slowly, and do the same thing - keep deer, and rabbits away from your flower beds, and even in the vegetable garden. The green stems of these garlic chives are cut the same as you would regular onion chives, and frozen, or just used when you need them for a recipe. They will flower, and are pretty towards the Fall. No digging required!!! They return year after year, very hardy. something green, then white..in the flower beds......they die down in the Fall. A very easy herb to grow and maintain, and eat. You can separate them in the Spring if you like,but I leave them go, I have the space to do that, you may not - they are easily thinned. Buy these  in the Spring . They are not a late Fall planting.

This is also the time to plant any seedlings of trees, fruit, pines, hardwoods, softwoods, the time frame is the same for the garlic- to about the 2 - 3 week in Nov. It does'nt matter if it snows , or is really cold..but you want to plant before the ground freezes solid. There is time yet , before that happens.

We have 10 white pines coming in 2 weeks , and I will have the garlic planted by the time you read this...THEN...my gardening is done for this year!!!

ELMER ANSWER'S YOUR DWARF QUESTIONS

Thank you for all the questions regarding Dwarfism.  It may take two posts to answer all your questions because knowing me, you know, I can't say anything in a word or two.  I will start with the medical questions first and then answer the rest.

I am not a doctor, so what I am telling about medical here is what I remember from way back.  When I was in my early teens, I read all the medical books, articles, etc. I could find on Ellis-Van Creveld Syndrome.  Medical science might have changed since then.  But here goes.  If both parents have a recessive gene trait, the chance of their child getting the gene is 50%.  If only one of the parents has the gene, the chance of the child getting the gene is 25%.  The chance of a child not receiving a gene is 25%.  Dwarfism could skip generations.  Yes, later when the family has long forgotten it was in the line, it could reappear.

Ellis-Van Creveld is more in Old Order Amish in certain areas.  Where we have intermarried (married distant cousins), Ellis - Van Creveld is more prevalent.  But, Old Order Amish are not the only group to be born with it.  There are Englishers, Mennonites that also have Ellis-Van Creveld in this country and other countries.  It doesn't matter if your skin is white or black.  It was in other countries before it was brought here, when we migrated to this country.

The lady that Sue Ann spoke of in her comments in my previous post could very well have had Ellis-Van Creveld or another dwarfism syndrome - it does sound like Ellis-Van Creveld.  My fingers are more chubby than people without the syndrome.  The former school girl has shown that even with dwarfism, she can have children and accomplish a lot in life.

What are some things that irritate me regarding people?  My major one is when a child says something like look at the man and the parents pull the child away like I am sick or something.   I would like to talk with the child and explain that even though I look different than other people, I am just like everyone else.  Lots of people are different in this world.  Another thing that irritates me is when people stair or talk about me, like I am not there.  I know people will look at me when they first see me, I am use to that. Like Anna and I went into a restaurant to eat.  At a few tables over were a couple that kept stairing at me and talking about me.  Like I said, I am use to it when I go some place, but they kept it up.  I wanted to go to the table and speak with them, but Anna didn't want me to, so I didn't.  They finished their dinner long before we did, but didn't leave until after we did just stairing at me and talking about me - saying I was a poor, poor man and how sad it was for the lady with me.  I wouldn't have gotten angry with the people, if I spoke with them, I would have just answered their questions so they could enjoy their dinner and we could enjoy ours.  On the other hand, is the people that ignore me.  Anna and I go in store, Farmers Market, etc. and people talk to Anna, but ignore me.  Now, Anna can talk to who ever she wants, don't get me wrong.  For example, Anna and I are going to a Farmers Market and I ask how much something is and the clerk turns to Anna and tells her.  Anna would say, my husband asked, I didn't, tell him.  Being a dwarf, I expect people to stair or talk about me, so don't feel bad if you do, but don't keep stairing and talking about them for next fifteen minutes or half hour. Now that I have that off my chest, I'll go on.

I have trouble reaching, too.  An Englisher neighbor, who is a nurse brought me a grabber that you can reach things higher up with, but it didn't have the best grip.  What we did find is one called the Gopher.  It is a medal grabber with a plastic handle and that is great.  You can pick up a penny with that and it holds more weight than most grabbers.  Anna saw it in some mail order catalog.  I have one in the basement, the kitchen, the barn, and the bedroom.  Even have one in the buggy - I never know when I might need one.  I can't remember the price, but it wasn't bad and I think they had a two for one sale.  Just thought I would pass in on to anyone short out there.

Old Order Amish and Mennonites believe all our children are gifts from God - even if they are a special child.  Now, that being said, having lost one dwarf child, my Mother was sure she was going to lose me, too, so she was kind of over protective.  She didn't want me doing certain chores, play certain games, go certain places, etc.  My Father, on the other hand, after hearing the doctors report that I didn't have the heart condition that  my brother had, felt that I should be treated as a boy like my other brothers.  I know there were arguments between my parents over what I could do and couldn't do.  At the time, I thought my Father was strict, but now I am glad he made me learn all chores, let me go where the boys did, and more.  I learned.

Children will be children and in school, some of the other kids did pick on me.  I wasn't good in sports so was always the last chosen in school games.  Not all were that way, but some.  My brothers, I think, were the hardest because I was getting favors they weren't - until we got older and played it to our advantage.  Like, if I wanted to go some place and they couldn't - I always came up with an excuse that I needed at least one of them with me.  My parents told me that if they knew then what they know now.  LOL

I didn't really realize that I had a lot of obstacles in my life.  When something came up, I just learned how to over come it.  I remember my Grandmother, she's with the Lord now, would put me in a high chair at her house as it was all she had high enough for me to sit on at the dinner table.  Finally, I wised up, and brought a couple of thick phone books with me and would sit on them.

During my early teens, I went though this feel sorry for me era.  All my friends, and brothers were tall while I was small.  What really got me was when I had gone to party, had been drinking , smoked cigarettes and came home.  My Father took me out in the barn, turned me over his knee and paddled my bottom.  He couldn't have done that to my brothers, as they were bigger than I was.  He would have just lectured them.  Father told me, I could go through life with a chip on my shoulder and feel the world owes me a living or I could do as the Lord wanted and live as close to the Lord's way as I could.  I had to decide if I wanted to live with a frown or a smile. It made no difference how tall or small I was.   But I better decide quick.  It took me a while, but I decided to live the Lord's way. I'm glad I did.

As a small person for a Dad with average size children, was there a problem in discipline?  Not really.  I worried about that some, but as the children came they knew that I was the head of the house.  Although I do remember one of my teenage sons giving me a hard time about I couldn't discipline him.  I didn't like the paddling idea so I thought of other ways.  We were painting the house and I made him go up the ladder to paint the point of the house.  That would have been okay, if he didn't have a fear of heights-he doesn't now.  Despite what you see in movies and at barn raisings, not all Amish men can climb to the heights of the barn.  They fear heights.  More than once, I have had to go up on a ladder to paint the point of an Amish, Mennonites or Englisher persons house because they were afraid of heights.  Anyway, that took care of my son and I never had problems again.

How did I get my sense of humor?  I believe it was a gift from God.  I did have a sense of humor as a child, sometimes not in the way it was suppose to be (doing tricks on people, etc).  After my I feel sorry for me era, I realized what my Father said, and have tried to take his advice through my life.  I am glad that my Father is still here and can see that I did listen to him-eventually.  I do enjoy talking and speaking to people.  Being a dwarf, I want others to know, that we are like everyone else, just a little shorter.  We have our happy times, sad times, good times, and bad times.  We are only on this earth for a short time, we should do the best we can for the Lord, while we are here.

I have spoken to Amish, Mennonites and Englishers.  Been to conventions, schools, hospitals and just speaking to people I meet.  Don't mind if people come and ask me questions.  Spoke to people who had a dwarf child and thought it was almost the end of the earth for the child, not medical problems, but because they were small.  Medical problems they can mostly fix, but being small you have to accept.  Like, my parents, I have found that people are worried about their child, more so than parents with average size children, which I understand.  Doctors can answer a lot of questions, but sometimes it is better to speak with a dwarf person to understand that their child can have a life like other children.

Well, I think I am going to end this post here.  I will answer the rest your questions in my next post.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

ELMER WILL ANSWER THE REST OF YOUR QUESTIONS ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST.

MENNONITE GENTLEMAN MOWING THE LAWN

I had driven by this house several times.  But one day, this Mennonite Man was out mowing the lawn, so I took pictures.

ON MONDAY, ELMER IS BACK ANSWERING YOUR DWARF QUESTIONS.

SAUERKRAUT RECIPES AND VINEGAR RECIPES

Back on April 17th, Jean had some Sauerkraut Recipes on.  Well I was going through some books and found this cookbook.  Inside are two sauerkraut recipes along with three vinegar recipes.  I thought I would pass them on to you folks that enjoy sauerkraut and/or vinegar. The name of recipe book is: Cooking with Radio by Richey Airwaves, Inc. in New Port Richey, Fla.  I must have gotten this book when I lived in Florida, many years ago.

CHOCOLATE SAUERKRAUT CAKE

1 1/2 cup sugar
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
3 eggs
1 t baking soda
1 cup water
1/2 c butter
1/2 t salt
1/2 c sauerkraut
2 1/2 cups flour
1 t baking powder

Cream butter and sugar, add salt, vanilla and cocoa continuing beating, for five minutes.  Add eggs, blend for 5 minutes or till light.  Sift remaining dry ingredients, add alternately with water to the creamed mixture.  Lastly add the washed and coarsely chopped, drained sauerkraut.  Bake in greased and floured pan at 370 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes.

SAUERKRAUT BALLS

1 cup sauerkraut, squeeze out and cut
2 whole eggs, beaten
1/2 t. salt
1 cup fine cornflake crumbs
1 t. worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients, well EXCEPT cornflake crumbs.  Form balls, take 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs, roll balls in that, put 2 to 4 spoons butter in skillet, heat, put in balls and turn as they brown 3 to 4 minutes, serve hot.  They do not taste like kraut.

VINEGAR COOKIES

1 cup shortening or butter
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp soda
1 tablespoon vinegar

Cream flour and butter together.  To 3 eggs, well beaten add 2 cups sugar.  Dissolve 1 tsp soda in 1 tablespoon vinegar, mix all ingredients together, well.  Roll out very think.  Sprinkle with sugar, bake at 450 degrees, quickly.  Use knife to cut dough into odd shapes.

VINEGAR TAFFY

2 cups Karo syrup (blue label)
2 T butter
1/4 t soda
1 cup sugar
1 T vinegar
1 t vanilla

Combine Karo syrup, butter, sugar and vinegar in a large pain.  Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.  Continue cooking to hard ball stage when tested in cold water.  Remove from heat, stir in soda and vanilla.  Beat until smooth and creamy.  Pour into buttered pan.  Let stand until cool enough to handle.Pull candy with fingers until satin like finish and light in color.  Pull into long strips and 3/4 inch in diameter, cut into one inch pieces with scissors.  Wrap individually in wax paper.  Makes 1 1/4 lbs.  Good to make to send men in service.

VINEGAR CANDY
This one is a little hard to understand.  I am going to print it just like it is in the book.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
Butter

Cook sugar and vinegar in water.  Butter (I assume they mean add it) the size of an egg.  Pour into greased pan.


Hope you enjoy these recipes.

Marilyn

JEAN'S BLACK WALNUT PIE AND SHOO FLY PIE RECIPES

JEAN'S BLACK WALNUT PIE

4 eggs
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup black walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups dark corn syrup
2 medium size pie crusts

Sprinkle the walnuts over the crusts and then mix in the filling.  The eggs must be well beaten before adding the sugar, gradually.  Then fold in flour, corn syrup and 1 1/2 cups of water.  Bake in very hot oven (425) for three minutes and then reduce to medium (350) for 30 to 40 minutes.

JEAN'S SHOO FLY PIE

1/2 teaspoon soda
3/4 cup of boiling water
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup flour
2 Tablespoons shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 unbaked pie shell

Dissolve soda in boiling water; add molasses and egg.  In a separate bowl mix flour, shortening, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Form the mixture into crumbs.  Pour the liquid mixture in the unbaked pie shell, then add the crumbs on top and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

SAUERKRAUT RECIPES AND VINEGAR RECIPES COMING TOMORROW!

SUE ANN'S - THE END OF THE SEASON

THE END OF THE SEASON

We have pulled our last tomato plant and pulled the remaining carrots. In a few days I will put the strawberries to bed as well as protect the blueberries and rhubarb from our winter visitors. The asparagus is not quite ready to cut down and straw over yet, another week perhaps. Our weather has jumped to 35 degrees at night,with a high of 42!! I knew we would be having an early and quick Fall, there were just too many caterpillars already in September.

We had our first fire in the wood stove last night and all day today, so that routine will begin earlier too. I keep a kettle of kindling, a kettle of paper , and a BIG wood box, full, next to the stove. we have a large covered wood box on the back porch we fill once a week, so I can replenish the inside box easier.

This is the time of year that I pick up my knitting again, and my sewing, as I am indoors more. I miss my knitting!

I also start thinking about next year..what to plant, where, how much, when. What did well this year, and what did'nt, perhaps I need to move things around. There are three companies I will be studying this winter, and hope to order from them. They carry a lot of plants that are hard to find, and heirloom seeds.

jungseed.com

eBurgess.com

rhshumway.com

All three have good pricing on plants, bulbs and seeds, that I want to try next year- It is hard to find old fashioned varieties, and I am most interested in the old fashioned snow ball bush- hydrangea- the blooms are huge and white.

I have a 1937 planting guide, from Rural Progress Magazine, that will give you interesting insights to what people were doing at that time, for feeding their families.

For EACH person, in the family, you will need to plant:

8 crowns asparagus

60' beans

10' early beets

10' late beets (this refers to spring and fall plantings)

18 cabbage plants- early

18 cabbage plants- late

15' carrots- early

15' carrots-late

8 cauliflower plants

8 celery plants

100' corn

9' lettuce-early

6' lettuce-late

20' onions

6' parsnips

45' peas

5' radishes- plant every 2 weeks.

15' spinach-early

15' spinach-late

36' string beans

1 squash-early (summer)

3 squash- late (winter)

15 tomato plants

These are a selection, for a garden, obviously, not all vegetables are listed, but these were the most common then.

Keep in mind, this is what people grew to feed their families for the year, per person. All these things can be combined to make many , many things, canned, or frozen, or dried, for the winter. Amazing, huh?

We have never planted anywhere NEAR these amounts, but every year is different, and we have been known to plant a lot of some, and not so much of another. The herbs planted are astounding!! The use of dill, green onions, first as chives, then later for the onions, basil, thyme, a HUGE list, for the perennials.

So.. I am looking, thinking, planning, drawing it out, it will take me a few months to decide what I want to do come Feb., as we will re-plant strawberries then, to always have a strong on-coming crop.

I have thoughts for growing gourds. I grew mini gourds several years ago and loved them, but never had the time nor space to work with the larger varieties, and they are curious to me. This next year will be my "gourd year"!!

                  SOUR CREAM PUMPKIN PIE - from 1979

1, 9" unbaked pie crust

3/4 c packed dark brown sugar

2 T sugar

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t each, salt, cloves, nutmeg

1/8 t allspice

3 eggs

2 c canned or cooked, mashed, fresh pumpkin

1 1/2 c sour cream ( this takes the place of the evaporated milk recipes always use)

Mix all together well, bake, 375 degrees, 50-60 mins, till tested clean with toothpick.

JEAN AND DAVID ADOPT EDWARD AND KATIE

Well, we were back to adoption court again to adopt not only Edward, but Katie.  Katie's great-grandparents encouraged the court for us to adopt her now rather than wait a full year.  All Katie's great-grandfather asked was that he and his wife be allowed to visit her.  The court was going to make certain times when they could come, but David and I stopped them.  We asked that they call first and if we are home, they can come and visit Katie.  We don't need any certain time.  She is their great-granddaughter and they have a right to come and visit her when they can.  Although we are now legally her parents, they are still her family.  So that settled that.  The judge was surprised that we would feel that they could have the freedom to come and visit her, but he approved that.

Edward and Michael were thrilled they were now legal brothers.  They hugged each other.  As Edward is black and Michael is white, they say they are "coffee and cream" brothers.  Michael kept asking David and I, if they were really brothers in the State of New York and we kept saying yes.  I guess they felt better when the judge said yes.

Susan was jumping up and down when we told her that Katie was really her sister now.  She hugged Katie so hard, we had to break them up as we thought Susan was going to knock the breath out of Katie.  Then they hugged again.  I don't think Katie really knew what it ment.  David, I and her Great-grandparents tried to explain, but I am not sure she fully understands it.  Her great-grandparents wanted pictures of all of us.  It is again our ways not to have our picture taken.  They really wanted that picture.  Bishop Joseph was there and stated as the children had not been baptized, they could, in this case, have their picture taken.  So we adults had our backs turned and the children stood facing the camera when the picture was taken.  The judge stood along with us in the picture - he faced the camera.  Bishop Joseph told the great-grandparents that he would allow this because of Katie and their wanting it. He kindly explained that this would be the last picture.  Bishop Joseph asked for a second copy that could be put in with the pictures that we have of Katie's parents.  Of course, Bishop Joseph saw that Katie's great-grandparents were in the picture, too.

After we left the court house, we went where Katie likes to go for lunch, Mac Donald's.  We all ate our lunch there.  For dinner that evening, we had Edward's favorite dinner: pork ribs, greens, salt potatoes, and pineapple up side down cake topped with whip cream.  At dinner we had Bishop Joseph, Martha, and family, along with Katie's great-grandparents.  David also made, for Edward  and Katie a plaque on the wall with a medal copy of the adoption papers and what looks like our signatures underneath.  He made them so the children know they are our family, not only because the state says so.

During our prayers, that evening, we thanked the Lord for uniting us all in one as a family. The State papers are nice, but knowing that we are also a family in the eyes of Christ is most important.  Lord knew just who were the perfect young folks to cross our door and become our family. Both Michael and Edward told what they felt when they first came into our home.  Neither of them thought, that some day they would be a member of our family.

Edward wanted to go see his Grandmother's grave the next day, so we rented a driver and all went to Rochester to see where she is laid to rest.  We then went to where Katie's parents were laid to rest,  but I don't think she really understood.

After that we went to the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences so we could have a tour and explore it.  When we left there, we had lunch at a restaurant.  After lunch, we went to take a tour of the George Eastman House, the man who founded Eastman Kodak Company.  As the little children were getting tired, we headed home picking up dinner at KFC on the way.

The next day, Michael, Edward and Susan were back in school.  Katie was home with me, learning her house duties and chores.  We are very happy now to be a family of seven.  Susan still thinks we should get another girl to even up the family.

Be With God,
Jean

NEXT MONDAY, ELMER ANSWERS YOUR DWARF QUESTIONS.

DOREEN TELLS US ABOUT COVERLETS

 Above are pictures of the Jacquard Loom and a few pictures, of my friends, Jacquard woven coverlet with the name and date of 1833 woven in the corner.
                                                
Coverlets are a woven bedcover. Unlike a quilt which is made from cloth that is sewn and pieced together, a coverlet is woven on a loom. Early coverlets woven in the 1700’s were mostly geometric patterns, but in the early 1800’s the Jacquard Loom was invented which simplified the process of weaving complex patterns in a short amount of time.

Professional weavers -who were men owned these jacquard looms, and they could weave intricate patterns like flowers, trees, stars, eagles, and even words. It was common for a jacquard coverlet to have the weavers name and date woven in the corner. Sometimes the name of the person who commissioned the coverlet was added. When you see a ladies name woven in the corner, it will be the owner, not the weaver.

Most coverlets were made from wool and cotton. The wool for these coverlets was often spun and dyed at home and then delivered to a local weaver who made the coverlet. The wool was usually dyed a dark blue from indigo or red from madder (indigo and madder are both plants), and the cotton was the un-dyed natural color. Because most looms are narrow, coverlets were often made of two woven panels and joined with a center seam. The cost was about $2.00 - $4.00.

After the Civil War, weavers could no longer compete with the cheap yarn goods being imported, so that was the end of the coverlet business.

Doreen

THANK YOU DOREEN FOR SHARING THIS WITH US.

MARTHA: BISHOP JOSEPH'S FAMILY

First I want to thank you all for your comments and prayers on my husband, Joseph, becoming Bishop.  We were very surprised at who God has chosen, but accept His will.  Thought I would tell you about our way of life now.

When Joseph became Bishop, it is custom that the Bishop goes to the home of each of the members of his Meetings (church) to visit them and hear of any problems they would like to discuss.  Usually, if anyone has problems they make appointment to discuss it with  Joseph at a later time.  Most people know us so they just visit.  When he got to Jean and David's and was offered a piece of pie - he just couldn't eat it.  He told Jean that he knew she was a great baker, but every house he went gave him a piece of pie, cake or cookies and he was full of sweets.  He did have a cup of coffee.  They thought that was funny.

Joseph was told by the previous Bishop to be careful what he says because if he says he likes something or that I would like something, or that we could use a item, the people will give it to us.  The Bishop is considered a great honor and the people feel it is a honor to give something or do something for the Bishop. So we have to be careful what we say.

When the Bishop gives a sermon, it is not written down.  It is all by memory.  Joseph was so nervous with his first sermon.  What if he should forget?  He had our retired Bishop next to him during his first sermon in case he forgot or something.  After Joseph gave his sermon, our retired Bishop said something to Joseph and they both smiled.  On the way home Joseph said the retired Bishop told him, the people were really going to like him.  Most Bishop's sermons are at least a hour, Joseph's was a half hour, which ment that our meeting (church service) ended early.  Since that day, Joseph is more comfortable giving the main sermon and it is now at least one hour.

Jean and David held a big picnic at their house the first Sunday after Joseph became Bishop.  All the members were invited.  Everyone bought a dish to pass.  Seeing the picnic was for Bishop Joseph, people felt they had to bring a gift.  People bought Bibles, religious books, a quilt, canned food, and more.  It took two buggies to bring everything home.

In our house, we took one room and are turning it into Joseph's office.  When people want to come to talk with Joseph, they can go into the office.  Anything that is said in the office, stays in the office.  If a lady or child should come alone to speak with Joseph, I must be in the office with them.  Should anyone in our house hear what is discussed, it must be kept in our house.  No one tells what someone said.

As the Bishop's wife, I will also be with  Joseph when he does Baptisms, which is twice a year.  When a girl is baptized, Joseph will put the water on her, but I will be the one that will kiss her on each cheek and welcome to our meetings.  Joseph is allowed to kiss the boys on each cheek, but not the girls.

People of our church and meetings are making Joseph a new desk and chairs for his office.  David, Jean's husband, did not like the old metal desk that we had, so he decided to make one.  That grew.  When the people found out David was making one, they all wanted to get in on the making.  So it grew from just a new desk to a chair with it, plus chairs for people to sit on in the office and also a book case.  We can hardly wait until they are finished.  Joseph offered to pay for them, but David and the other people wouldn't hear of it.

The Bishop's family is also suppose to be a model to others of the church.  This has upset some of our children, especially Erin.  Erin wants to move in with Kevin and Bridget.  He feels that all the eyes of the people are on us and he can't live up to what they want.  Joseph explained that we are not perfect and the people know that.  But, we must obtain our religious ways and beliefs.  Still Erin wants to move.  Joseph said no one is moving for a few months.  Becoming Bishop is a change for us all.  If Erin does not feel better, in a couple of months, then he can move to Kevin and Bridget's.

One of things that is causing a stir is Erin does have a car, which is against our ways.  The retiring Bishop said that Joseph should give a sermon against such evil.  Joseph and I discussed it.  Joseph says it's a  don't do as I do, do as I preach thing .  When Joseph was Erin's age, he did not own a car, but had a license and drove a friend's car.  The day I accepted Joseph's proposal, he turned in his drivers license and never drove a car again, which he feels Erin will do when he meets his special lady.  Erin is not the only young person that has a car.  Should Joseph give a sermon on the evil of cars or not?  He still hasn't decided.

Just wanted to tell you a bit of our new life since Joseph became Bishop.  He is still the same person, but has many more duties.  We do a lot more praying for understanding now than before.

Be With the Lord,
Martha

TOMORROW DOREEN HAS A POST ABOUT COVERLETS.

JEAN'S TURKEY STUFFING RECIPE

Several people have asked for this recipe and I thought I had put it on before, but I haven't.  At the end I have put several variations that I use when I want something different.  Regarding bread crumbs I usually break up a large loaf of bread, but you can use bread crumbs purchased from the grocery store.  Jean

JEAN'S TURKEY STUFFING

1/3 c. butter or drippings
1/4 c. chopped onion
3 T. Chopped parsley
3 c. diced celery
8 c. soft bread crumbs
2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 t. sage or poultry seasoning
1/4 c. hot water

Melt butter or drippings.  Add onion, parsley, and celery.  Cook until onion is transparent.  Combine with crumbs, add seasonings and hot water. Chill.  Stuff turkey loosely.  Do not pack tightly, as stuffing will swell as it cooks.  Recipe is for a 10-12 pound turkey.

You can very flavoring by adding any of the following:

1 pt. raw oysters
2 c. chopped apples
2 c. chopped cranberries
1 lb cooked chestnuts, chopped
2 c. cooked corn
1 lb. sausage, browned

SUE ANN - DEAR NEW YORK STATE READERS -

I am doing a picture post this week, so you can see where I live in Ohio.

The first picture is looking from our street, up the drive to the house. We have a 300 foot driveway-I walk it twice a day for sure, to get the mail. You also see the front ,by the road, and the beginning of our woods. Many , many people drive right by our house and have to turn around and come back- you cannot easily see us from the road.

The 2nd picture is a little ways up the drive, and you can see the hill we have, for walking, and mowing the grass, and see a bit more of the woods.

The 3rd picture is our raised beds, one is for strawberries, one for asparagus, one is rhubarb, and the 4th one is for our greens. If you look to the far back of the pictures, and  where the grass meets the hay field, that is our back property line, and in that green grass next year, I will be adding a larger vegetable garden,things that do not need as much daily tending, as the raised beds do.

The 4th picture is the raised beds again, but at a different angle,  you can see the grape vines in front of the garage,more of the woods...

The 5th picture is a look down into the woods, from the drive.

The last picture is from last Winter, and you can see how we cover the rose bushes, and other flowering bushes, to protect them from the deer, and the wind.

A fun and easy, quick recipe:

                    "Hole In One" Breakfast Fun

Butter a slice of bread on both sides. Place on skillet, cut round hole in center with a cookie cutter, cook cut-out slice next to the slice of bread. When bread begins to fry, crack and egg in the hole. Cook until the egg is set, flip over, and cook til done, how you like it.

You can add a slice of cheese to this right before you take it off the skillet. Quick and fun for breakfast or anytime!

JEAN ANSWER'S SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS

It is time I answered some of the questions that you asked.  So here I go.

What do we think of musical instruments like the piano or the organ?  We consider them ways of the world. Children are not allowed to learn how to play the piano. Once in a while a young man may play the harmonica at young folks singing to get them started off in tune, but that is even looked down on.  We don't have any musical instruments in our meetings (church).  Music is just for singing and to Praise the Lord.

We do not allow clapping in our meetings although young folks sometimes clap or stomp their feet at their young folks singing.

If someone is an artist in our group, they are allowed to paint.  I don't know if they would be encouraged or not.  We consider artist painting the same as house painting - you don't do it on the Lord's day (Sunday).  But if someone was an artist and wanted to do it in their spare time it would be allowed.  We do not allow peoples faces to be in pictures - hand painted pictures included. Edward is an artist and paints pictures.  He has even sold some of his paintings.  As long as he doesn't do it when he should be doing school work or chores or prayers, we allow him to do it.

The school is one large room.  It is not divided into separate room for each grade.  All the grades are in one room.

Susan and most of the children enjoy the school.  There are some students that would rather be doing something else than going to school.  They feel they learned all they need.  The school has to measure up to certain achievements set by the state.  Children take state tests a few times a year to make sure they are measuring up.  These are the same tests the public schools take.

Yes, we do send cards for birthdays and anniversaries, etc.  We don't send cards for Halloween, or send a lot at Valentine's Day.

Children start dressing like adults at a very young age. Men do not always wear their black suits to such places as auctions, Farmers Markets, etc.  When going to auctions or Farmers Market they mostly wear jeans and light blue striped  shirts.  They do wear their straw or velvet hats.

In our family, we do celebrate birthdays with cake, ice cream and gifts for children and adults.  If we are having friends or family, we do not decorate the cakes with flowers and design.  It is just a cake with frosting. I say with friends and family as Susan likes flowers on her birthday cake, but we only have that cake just for our immediate family.  It is our ways not to have cakes with fancy decorations on them.

I hope I have answered some of questions.  If you have more questions, please ask.

Be With God,
Jean

MARTHA HAS A POST THIS THURSDAY ABOUT LIFE SINCE JOSEPH BECAME BISHOP.

JEAN HAS SOME GREAT NEWS IS NEXT WEEKS POST.

WEAVERLAND MENNONITE CHURCHES

Weaverland Mennonites dress the same as Jean and David do, but drive cars.  The top three pictures show the name of the church, the office and the church.  I got the two Bible quotes from in front of a Weaverland Mennonite Home.  The name of church is the top picture of the second church, a picture of the church and the building that houses the lawn care equipment.

AUTUMN LEAVES ARE REALLY BEAUTIFUL IN NEW YORK STATE !!!

Sue Ann suggested that I put a post on of leaves and here it is.  I took pictures of leaves at all the places I traveled this week and some in my home town.  This is a beautiful time of year.  Enjoy them.  Soon they will be gone.

THERE IS A NEW POST FOR TOMORROW AND JEAN ON MONDAY.