Old Order Mennonite Memoirs

When June began its first day with temperatures in the 30s, it seemed that chills would simply stay and outdoor comfort wouldn't come, but it did. It seemed like a miracle, but by the end of the week, I was picking strawberries and the breezes were soft that swirled around me as I cleaned my weedy flowerbeds. It was a long wait, but it was worth it.

Besides being thankful that summer weather is here to stay for a while, I remained caught up in the count down till our youngest son's wedding day. The royal blue fabric that waited for weeks in my sewing basket is now a dress for me to wear for the big day. The house that waited for years next door is now remodeled and ready for the new occupants and their belongings.

The former project was in the making only three days and I did it all by myself. The latter project took almost a half year and was mostly done by others with more expertise than this country bumpkin had. In the beginning, however, my husband, son and I were able to ram the horsehair-plastered walls into shambles. As we choked in the dust, we tried to remove all those lathes with our incompetent shovels, out the doors and windows. Sometimes with a new experience, we say, "I'd like to do that again." But gutting an old house is not a task I want to relive.

Halfway through the project we were thankful for helping hands to do all the painting. The clutter of tools and materials seemed endless at times. The dust and dirt looked at me at every turn. Unbelievably and with more helping hands, the dusty walls and grimy windows are history since last week. I wonder what our former friends, Sophia and Susanna Dilling, would say about the renovations of their earthly home.

Willing to return the favor of helping hands, I went again to Muley Lane where wedding preparations are underway. On my way home that afternoon when I was shopping at Flitch Country Store, it began to rain. With the drops of drink for thirsty gardens, came little bits of hail bouncing everywhere, but very soon the sun began to shine again. When I came home, it was still very windy and dry. Our turn came, however, that evening after chores. We were very thankful for every drop of refreshing water for our plant world.

The rest of my week was all about keeping ahead of weeds along the edges of my gardens and along the asparagus row. The weekly cleaning and lawn mowing gulped up some more hours. Finally on Saturday afternoon, I had a slot of time to attack weeds in some flowerbeds. I was having the grandest time in the soft summer breezes when I was called to the phone by my son who was moving some of his possessions from his only home to the new one waiting.

In the phone conversation I was reminded again by our daughter about our invitation to a pork roast picnic beside a Hickory Bottom pond. Were we coming? Ahh.........I forgot. We'll see if we can find a ride.... so we shifted gears and started chores earlier to spend a short but sweet time with many others in the glorious summer evening.

The next morning we hired a ride to bring my dad to our house so he could go with us to Piney Creek church. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event in a beautiful June day when I rode in the buggy with three of the most important men in my life: my husband, my youngest son and my dad. I met Granddaughter Bella after church services but she didn't come to our house for lunch like usual because I wasn't cooking.

Instead my friend took us in Holsinger Lane to Foothill Farm where my sister had cooked up a feast and her husband had the coffee brewing. As escorts for my dad, my husband and I were invited to the reception for their son Chad Leid and his wife Kristine. The travelers from Lancaster County were already there when we arrived. We had an enjoyable afternoon strolling among flowers and on garden paths. The pond also offered various summer joys for their guests.

At New Enterprise church a group of young people applied for baptism this fall and after services another couple was published to be married in July. It will be the third wedding for Lester and Marie Zimmerman of New Enterprise to make for a daughter. A granddaughter of Elvin and Mabel Zimmerman, her name is Marian and she will change her name to Martin by marrying Ronald, the oldest son of Lloyd and Ruth Martin of Martinsburg. He is a grandchild to Harry and Ida Martin and Allen and Miriam Garman.