Old Order Mennonite Memoirs

Among the birthday calls from family and friends on Sunday morning at breakfast time was also a call from our son Joshua to tell us the exciting news of a new grandson for us. Born on my birthday, our 10th grandson will answer to the name Marquis Devante Zimmerman. I wanted to go meet him right away, but of course, I curbed those longings for the time being. At Piney Creek church, however, I was delighted to tell others about this undeserved gift from God. His birth brings the number of grandsons for Noah and Esther Newswanger to 16 which is still way behind their 26 granddaughters.

I was pleasantly surprised when granddaughter Kaitlyn, age 8, slipped in beside me on my bench in church. Other special friends to worship with us included the Allen Garman family who were invited to their Piney Creek brother for the noon meal. I was pleased to meet the twins who were also there. Eric and Emily are almost 5 months old.

After services a couple was published to be married. Extending wedding invitations is a new experience for Loren and Elva Burkholder, since their son Ivan is the first of their children to marry. Susan Garman, his bride-to-be, is the youngest daughter of Allen and Miriam Garman of Woodbury. The wedding day is planned to be at their home on Sept. 5.

Although Ivan is a Lancaster County native, he moved to the Cove with his parents when he was 8 weeks old. Life as our Piney Creek neighbor, was all he ever knew. Once he helped us chop alfalfa with his dad's rig when my husband's own harvester broke down. Looking up his family in the church directory for his name is not something I needed to do, like I did for last month's groom in New Enterprise, who I never met. I should have made a call because I gave Bernice, the bride, the wrong groom. Instead of his correct name, which is Benjamin, I wrote Marvin, which is his brother. I apologize for my negligence, especially to the family. I hope they can forgive my carelessness.

On the way home from church grandson Trevor, age 3, rode home with us in the buggy. Here at home two of our daughters were preparing a birthday meal, which 13 of us shared on the patio. Besides favorite food and fabulous flower bouquets from the girls, there were cards, homemade with love, from the grandchildren, too.

After dishes I was showing Grandson Dana, age 11, the Imperial moth I caught last week and reading a story to Trevor when my husband called from the patio.

"Your 'screamer' is in sight," he said. All week I had been hearing shrill whistles from some unseen bird, not unlike a red tail hawk, but not exactly. However, the mysterious raptor was flying way too high so we couldn't see if it was an osprey, like we think it may be.

After lunch our son went to join many other youth at New Enterprise church where class meetings were held for them. Supper for the single youth was served at a home along Salemville Road.

It was a perfectly calm evening with cricket songs. After chores my husband and I took a bike ride around the block, which includes Davis Road, Lock Mountain Road and Piney Creek Road.

Chloe Pup was all excited about going with us, but when she saw us going west, she disappeared to sulk. After we appeared again from the east, she begged and panted and whirled around me. When I said OK, she led the way for my bluebird trail. The babies were grown and gone. The corn stood straight and tall in countless rows, crowned with golden tassels, never stirring. The second cutting of new seeding alfalfa rustled underfoot, drying slowly. The red tail hawk screamed, soaring overhead.