TODAY IS ELMER'S AND MICHAEL'S BIRTHDAY

Today is Michael's Birthday and my birthday.  Can't tell you what we did as we haven't done it yet.  I know the party is going to be at our house.  Also, know that Anna is baking us a cake.  She is also planning the dinner.  So you will have to wait to find out what is going on today.

Michael will be 18.  He is moving into his one room apartment sometime this coming week.  Asked if we would still be friends and be able to come to our house after he moved.  I said as long as he went the way of the Lord, he was welcome in our home anytime.  He said Jean and David told him the same thing.

He is young and trying the ways of the world.  Jean and David, as we are, are concerned of the way he will go when he moves out.  I told Jean and David that they had taught Michael well, when he was in their home.   They had taught him the way of the Lord.  Michael is in the Lord's hands.

Michael is only moving a few miles from home.  He is closer to our house than his parents.  He is not even moving out of town.  For now, all the repair work that he does will be in the same barn he has been using at Jean and David's, so they will see each other every day.  Anna told her that she bets he shows up for meals, often too.  Nothing like Mom's home cooking.

We have some good news from Hannah and Moses, they are not moving.  They have found a store that they are very interested in.  It is a new one, but the people want to sell it.  I guess maybe health entered into it.  Anyway Moses and seller are down to hitting the right price agreeable to them both.  Moses and Hannah, when she could, have been working down there and getting to know the business.  It isn't very far from our houses, so they could drive the buggy there and back every day. Once they buy it, some of their children are going to be working there, too.

That good news brought tears to Anna's eyes. She didn't want to see her twin sister and family moving away.  We even told them that if they needed a hand in the store, we would be glad to help them out, too.

John and Dot are in their house on the other side of us.  When all the raining started, I told Anna, I have to check their basement.  She couldn't figure why.  So I went over and knocked on the door.  When Dot answered, I told her I had to see her basement.  She looked at me kind of funny, but let me in and got John.  I explained to him what happened the first bad rain storm we had when out house was built.  Somehow we forgot to put in correct drainage and our basement flooded.  Just wanted to make sure we did it right on their house.

John laughed.  We checked the basement and walked around the outside.  The drainage is fine.  No water in the basement.  Now he calls me the Basement Man or the the Basement Checker.  Just told him I would rather be safe than sorry.

Well, I guess I better go and see if Anna needs any help with anything for mine and Michael's Birthday.  I am 53 years old today. Time seems to fly by fast.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

Sorry I was late about getting this on.  I had it set for the wrong time to come on.  But here it is.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !

I put this on today as Elmer has a post on tomorrow.  Happy Halloween.

MY MORNINGS

I was in a new store today that I will be putting on here, maybe on my birthday.  Inside was this sign and it fits me perfect every day.  Amen


Will have a Halloween post on tomorrow.

OUR FIRST FALL SNOW !!!

Woke up yesterday morning.  Opened the drapes and saw this white stuff.  I was not looking forward to it.  Hadn't had my first cup of coffee when I took these. The first three are of my porch taken out my sliding glass door. The fourth and fifth are out the front door of my building.  The last is of my car parked across the street.

GOD'S CREATURES - SEA GULLS

These pictures were taken last March when it was like in the 70's that day.  Sea Gulls were on Canandaigua Lake.

WHAT'S THAT WHITE STUFF ALL OVER THE GROUND THIS MORNING ?????

ANNA'S POST

As you know my Mother passed away - and my Father was over to our house with a book that had been my Mother's.  He said he tried to give it to Hannah, but when she saw what was inside, told my Father that I should have it.  Right after Mother died, he couldn't read any of the diaries she wrote.  My Mother use to write in her diary about every day.  Maybe about the weather, crops, one of us children, some place we went, a passing, maybe a prayer or saying that she heard and enjoyed, etc.  So when Father opened this one that is what he thought it was.  But it wasn't .....

What my Father had found was the book my Mother wrote with all her remedies in it.  I never knew there was such a book or that my Mother had done this.  My Father said he didn't either.  Oh, he would see my Mother write in the evening or sometimes early morning in one of her books, but just assumed it was her diary. She had several of these books that she wrote in, but Father just assumed what they are.  He started reading them and came across this one.  Men or at least all the men I know consider remedies - women's work. So this book was a women's book.

I started learning medicine from my Mother.  Not knowing she wrote her knowledge in a book, I would write them down.  Sometimes, in a hurry, I would not get all that my Mother did.  Sometimes she would try one thing and if that didn't work try something else.

Hannah was closer to my Mother than I was.  It's not that my Mother loved Hannah more than me or me more than her.  It's just that Hannah was more the type of daughter an Amish Mother would like.  Hannah loved to cook and bake - where I do it -but could think of things I'd rather do.  Hannah enjoys sewing - again I do it because I have to not because I want to.  Hannah would rather clean her house than work it the fields or barn.  I would rather be in the fields or the barn than clean my house.

So when it came to medicine, Mother wanted to teach Hannah.  Hannah had no desire to learn.  I wanted to learn. My Mother taught me, but she would rather have had Hannah.  To this day, Hannah only uses remedies when she has too.  If she can get me to do it, she is much happier.

Over the years, I learned what I could from my Mother.  I learned from other Amish ladies.  I learned from Grandmother Olive.  Amish and Mennonite ladies talking together sometimes pass remedies on that have worked for them.  I am  grateful that our son John's wife Sarah wants to learn. I am teaching her what I know.

I am getting like Elmer - off course.  So this book means so much to me.  Some of the remedies are in my Mother's best writing.  Some, you can see, were written in hurry.  Some of these have been passed from my Grandmother to my Mother, which I didn't know.  It also tells what goes with what illness or situation.  This book means so much to me.  I am leaning so many things I didn't know.  Remembering some good times.

It is also a view into my Mother.  She wrote all this so it could be passed on.  So others would know what she did.  To help others in our world.  This book makes her close to me even though she is with the Lord.

She also had some medicine sayings in there:

God cures: the doctor get the credit.

It is easy for a man in health to preach patience to the sick.

Causing a symptom to disappear is very seldom the cure of any human infirmity.  The true course is to prevent the symptom.

The wise for cure on exercise depend, God never made His work for man to mend.

Who goes to bed supperless, all night tumbles and tosses.

I have lots more of these so I may put some in time to time.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Anna

BARNS - DUTCHLAND FOODS

Also in Dutchland Foods parking lot were these barns that could be built on your property.  Again they are Mennonite or Amish made.  I like the last one the best.

Wind Vane Animals

Sunday, I had to turn into Dutchland Foods driveway to turn around as the road had been closed.  I did a post or two on Dutchland Foods Grocery Store last year or so.  When I went in this time, they had these animals - wings or legs blowing in the wind.  Dutchland is Mennonite owned and closed on Sunday.  As I was there on Sunday, I couldn't find out how much they cost.  I do know these wind vane animals are made by either Mennonite or Amish.

CHICAGO CUBS - FINALLY MADE IT !!!!!

Chicago Cubs FINALLY made it to the World Series - first time since 1946.  Before I was born.  The last time they won a World Series was 1908 - before my Mom was born.  She grew up in Chicago, met my Dad there, married there, had my oldest brother George there and the Cubs were her team throughout her life.  Wish my Mom was here to see this !!!!

GOD'S CREATURES - LAMBS AND OTHER ANIMALS

These lambs were on an Amish Farm.  I couldn't resist taking a picture of their dog (picture 4) taking a nap. Also the lambs with cows and horses.

FALL FOLIAGE - AGAIN

This is what we wait all year for.  It is beautiful this time of year.  Too bad it doesn't stay long.   I am almost out of all the pictures I have.  Better get out and take more.  It's going to be raining the next few days.  Trying to think of places I take pictures of inside.