MY ANTIQUE COUCH HAS FINALLY ARRIVED !!!!

My couch has arrived and I couldn't wait for you to see it.  The first two pictures are of the men arriving with the couch on the truck.  The third is them bringing it in my side door.  They did scrape it a bit getting it in the door.  Pictures 5 thru 7 are of the previous owners, Henry and Theresa Peters.  He was a local house painter.  Both he and his wife have passed on. Picture nine is of one of the men that moved the couch into my apartment.  The chair on the right matches my previous couch - I kept it because my friend, Nancy, is handicapped and this is the only chair I have that she can easily get in and out of. I am looking for one similar to that one - that matches my antique couch.  I also don't care that they put the electric plugs up that high behind my couch. Next two are the couch and the pattern close up.  The last two pictures are of Pierre giving his approval.

This is an original antique - not a copy.  It is stuffed with horse hair. The wood is cherry. I think Pierre likes it better because it is lower to the ground and he doesn't have to jump so high. I will have to put something over the couch because of Pierre.  Hope you like my new antique couch.  I still cant believe someone gave it to me.

Can anyone give me any information on my couch?  It is Victorian, but would anyone know the style, the age and was built in the country.  Any information would be appreciated.

SAVORY POTATO SALAD, MANDARIN MOUSSE & CARROT PINEAPPLE SALAD

Maureen from Cornell University Cooperative Extension has three more recipes.  I believe these are the last of her recipes.  For completing the course she had where I worked, I got a Certificate of Completion.  Here are her recipes:

SAVORY POTATO SALAD

6 medium potatoes
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 stalks scallion, finely chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 egg, hard boiled, chopped
6 Tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dill weed, dried

Wash potatoes, cut in half and place in saucepan of cold water.  Cook covered over medium heat for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender.  Drain and dice potatoes when cool.  Add vegetables and egg to potatoes and toss.  Blend together mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, dill weed and pour over potato mixture.  Stir gently to coat evenly.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

MANDARIN MOUSSE

1-11 ounce can mandarin oranges in juice, drained
1 package sugar-free orange gelatin mix
1 package sugar free fat free vanilla instant pudding (NO MILK)
8 ounce package fat-free whipped topping

Mix orange jello according to package directions and let sit for 10 minutes.  Using wire whisk, whisk dry vanilla pudding into gelatin until well combined.  Fold in drained mandarin oranges and whipped topping  Chill before serving.

CARROT PINEAPPLE SALAD

3 large shredded carrots (2 cups)
1/3 cup raisins
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice
3 Tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

Wash the carrots.  Shred the carrots and place into a medium size bowl.  Drain the crushed pineapple.  Save the juice.  Placed drained pineapple into the bowl with the shredded carrots and raisins.  Add 3 Tablespoons pineapple juice and low-fat mayonnaise to the bowl and mix well.  Cool before serving.

WOULD ANYONE BE INTERESTED IN A COOKBOOK?  JEAN AND ANNA CAME TO ME WITH THE IDEA.  IT WOULD BE THE RECIPES THAT JEAN AND ANNA HAD PUT ON NEW YORK STATE OF MIND.  THERE WOULD ALSO BE SOME THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ON.  MAYBE EVEN ONE OR TWO OF MY MOTHER'S.  WE ARE JUST IN THE TALKING STAGES RIGHT NOW.  IF THERE WAS A COOKBOOK IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL YOU WOULD LIKE IN THE COOKBOOK?  HOW MUCH WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE BOOK?

ANOTHER THOUGHT WAS A COOKBOOK OF THE ALL THE CHRISTMAS RECIPES WE HAD ON THE LAST TWO YEARS, PLUS THE ONES WE PUT ON THIS YEAR.   OR MAYBE A BOOK OF ALL THE EASTER RECIPES WE HAD ON?  WHAT DO YOU THINK?

JEAN ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

I thought, this time, I would answer some of the questions you asked.   One of the questions that has been asked is what group Mennonite do we belong to?  We belong to the Wenger Mennonites.

There were questions about Michael and Edward's crops that they grown on their lot.  Last year they grew corn, but this year, they are growing vegetables.  Yes, they do everything from start to finish including selling.  David is here if they have questions, need advice or they need help, - but they are on their own.  Last year Michael did most of it on his own as Edward broke his ankle, but this year they are doing it together.

Do we have anything special we like to do when the little children are on vacation?  We like to go fishing, have picnics, visit relatives, bake, go for a buggy ride and get ice cream cones and more. We enjoy being together.

Do we have a lot of tourists where we live?  Not really.  We live out on a country road, off a country road, off a country road - so we are not that easy to find.  Sometimes we get tourists, but very seldom.

Someone asked how much do our buggies weigh?  It depends how they are construction and what they put on them.  Most of our and Amish buggies weight about 1000 pounds to 1200 pounds.

Do we have yard sales or tag sales on a regular basis to bring in extra money?  Not on a regular basis.  After we got moved into this house, we found a lot of items we don't use or need so we had a yard sale, but that is not on a regular basis.

Yes, there are thrift stores, a little way from our house, that we make use of.  We use it mostly for things like tools, some clothes, small kitchen items, but when it comes to something major like a washer, dryer, refrigerator, stove, etc. - we usually buy new.  I like to go to thrift stores with Susan and Katie to see what we can find.

Was there anyone else, in our community, aside from Martha, who was  an Englisher and chose to be baptized in our church?  No, there hasn't been.  Once in a great while someone will come, live our way for a while, and then decide not to join.  Having someone from the outside world join Old Order Mennonite is rare.

I have more questions to answer, but some take longer to answer, so I or Anna will answer them in other posts.  As of right now, it looks like I will be back next week.

Be With God,
Jean

JEAN TELLS OF ELMER AND ANNA'S NEW HOUSE

Not only is this my week, but I will be filling in for Elmer and Anna until they get into their new house. I am not going to tell everything about it because they want to tell you somethings, but I will tell what they told me to.

As their house is being built in the back of the large house the own now - that puts them on another road.  So that means that their address will be changed.  They are closer to our house and the Fire House bu a little bit.

The four walls are up on the house with the roof on.  Right now they are putting in the insulation, plumbing, and then they put in the walls.  They also have figured out where all the walls will go to divide the rooms.  Of course, a group of us are helping Anna make her new drapes for the house.

Elmer said to say: "everything is on one floor except the basement."  He is right.  The only things Anna has  to go down in the basement for are the canned goods, fruit and potatoes.  Of course, Elmer has some tools in the basement right now.

Anna's sister Hannah, and her family are here helping build Elmer and Anna's house plus seeing where their new house will go up.  Hannah and her husband own a General Store in Pennsylvania.  They have it up for sale.  We are hoping when they move here, they might consider opening one here.  It would be nice to have an Amish owned General Store here, it would contain items we can't obtain locally.  They also sell handmade Amish and Mennonite items in their store, which would be a great help here.  There are many Amish and Mennonites here that would make items for the store. But, we will see, they have to sell the one they have first.

Hannah's new home is going to be a two story house with a basement.  They still have two of their children living at home so they need more bedrooms than Elmer and Anna do.  Also, they are going to build a Dawdy Haus on their house for Anna's parents, when they need it.  Anna's Mother has the first signs of alzheimer's diease.  When the time comes when her Mother can not handle their home or needs help, they can move in there and sell their home.

Elmer has asked me if I could come up with some excuse to get Anna to come to our house the day before they move to their new house because Elmer is putting in some things that Anna wanted, but didn't think she was getting.  So I will be canning that day, and tell Anna I could really use her.  I don't know what I will be canning, but something will be up at that time that needs canning.  Elmer said if he asked one of their children, or one of her Amish friends she would think something is up, but she wouldn't if I asked her.  I just hope it works.  I know what is going in the house and Anna is really going to like them, but I wouldn't tell you.  I will let either Elmer or her do it.

I guess I am saying a lot without saying anything, but I want Elmer and Anna to tell - it's their house.  Wish we had a house on one floor, but with all the children we have, we needed a two story.  David said, maybe later on, we will have another house with everything on one floor. - when the children are grown up.

This is kind of short, but tomorrow I will be doing another post to replace Anna.

Be With God,
Jean

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF MANCHESTER, MANCHESTER, NY

The First Baptist Church of Manchester was originally organized as the First Baptist Church of Famington (before the division of the town), and dates back to 1797, although not until 1810 was the first log meeting-house built, followed by a stone chapel in 1815.  In 1822 Farmington was divided and Manchester was formed, where upon the society took the name of  The First Baptist Church of Manchester.  The property on which the present large church now stands was purchased in 1849, and in the same year the meeting-house was built.  A few years back, an addition was added to the church for a Kindergarten School, Child Care, church offices and the many church bake sales, fish dinners (during lent), and more.  They do a great deal for the local area and missionaries.

PALMYRA FIRE TRUCK TRIES TO GET ME!!

A friend of mine's son is a volunteer fireman with the Palmyra, New York Fire Department.  As I was taking pictures of the Fire Department, back in April, he was following me around with the rising and lowering section of the fire truck.  I didn't notice the truck until someone told me.  While I was being followed, someone (who does not wish to be known on here) was taking pictures. What is funny is they took pictures of the truck - not of me. So here is the fire truck trying to get me !!

MAYBE THESE WILL COOL YOU DOWN !!!!

These pictures were taken last November.  This is what we have to look forward to in a few months.

AMISH PEOPLE, BUGGIES AND ENGLISHERS CARS AT AUCTION

This is the rest of the Amish Auction pictures that I have.  The top is the second picture I have of the Amish.  What I was trying to show in pictures 3 and 4 is that this behind this property was a lamb farm.  I don't know if you can see the lambs in the picture.  The parking here was horse and buggies up front and on the sides - cars in the back which is unusual to me.  You had to watch where you stepped back to the car.