Eggs

     It didn't take Mahlon long to become a very cute baby and John and I used to run home from school everyday, warm our hands by the stove, and then took turns to hold him. John usually didn't hold him very long before he decided it would be more fun working in the shop with Daddy.

     That left me alone in the kitchen with the hired girl. Mom had told me to be a good helper and even if she does things differently from what we were used to I was not supposed to say anything about it. I tried to stay quiet as I watched her haphazard way of doing dishes but kept a tally of all the dishes she broke. She broke more dishes in those six weeks than I had since the day I was born.

     Her cooking wasn't very good either, most of the things were edible but I couldn't stomach the way she fixed the eggs for breakfast. The egg-white used to still be runny and I simply couldn't make myself eat it, and morning after morning I would push the egg to the side of my plate and eat only my fried cornmeal mush. After several weeks of doing this Daddy happened to see my egg one morning and told me to eat it.

     I sat there and tried to choke back the gags that were threatening to come. I bravely cut a bit of the egg-white but when the half cooked egg white came oozing out, I gagged openly and started crying as I said "These eggs are not fit!" Everyone was quiet and looked at me, and I wanted to scoot down on my chair and out of their sight.

     Daddy told me to go get ready for school and I was happy to get away from the table and those awful eggs.

     The next morning the eggs were well done and I had no problem eating it, and that evening after we went to bed I could hear Mom and Daddy talk in their bedroom. I couldn't understand what Mom said but they both chuckled and then Daddy said. "I wish Mary Ann had said something about those eggs the first morning, so we wouldn't have had to choke through all those dreadful breakfasts."

     I snuggled deeper under my covers, happy to know that Mom and Daddy weren't displeased with my outburst at the breakfast table the day before, and knowing that I wouldn't have to worry about those yucky eggs again.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. On this first official day of spring tell us something (besides the weather) you're looking forward to in this season of the year.

Spring is such a pleasant time of year. I'm looking forward to not having to wear a coat every time I step outside the door, and being able to make lovely bouquets with our spring flowers.

2. When it comes to spring cleaning would you rather wash windows or wash baseboards? Clean out closets or clean out the garage? Dust ceiling fans or dust bookcases? Wipe down the patio furniture outside or wipe down the light fixtures inside? Any of these tasks recently completed?

I don't mind washing windows, but having to crawl on hands and knees in order to get baseboards washed is not my idea of fun.
The garage is not my territory, and I'll happily clean the closets and let someone else care for the garage.
We don't have any outside furniture, but wiping it down doesn't sound horrible. Maybe because I've never had to do it. I don't mind cleaning light fixtures.
We're in the middle of our spring cleaning right now. I've been focusing on the bookshelves recently.

3. Your favorite thing to make/eat that calls for cream cheese? Sour cream? Whipped cream?

Cheesecakes, cheese bars, spinach dip, Thanksgiving pudding all take cream cheese, and I love them all equally.
We're big fans of sour cream. I don't necessarily have something I make with it, but we like dollops of it on salads, meats, anything spicy, and more. There's not much that isn't good with sour cream added.
Whipped cream... on the other hand isn't such a big deal, and we rarely ever use it. Though we did make some last evening in order to make our favorite no churn ice cream.

4. I read here a list of commonly mispronounced words. What is a word that gives you trouble when it comes to pronunciation?

I read the list of words and wanted to curl up and whimper at a word that I have apparently always pronounced wrong. I will continue pronouncing it wrong though, because pronouncing 'gif' correctly makes my skin crawl.

5. What's a song you love with the word 'rain' in the title or lyrics?

I can't say I love this song, but these are the first rain related lyrics that popped into my head when I read this question.

Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

Every once in a while something happens that reminds me of one of my all time favorite book series. (Anne of Green Gables) It happened again. A stray cat wandered in all scraggly and ugly, and I mean ugly. It looked exactly how I used to picture Rusty from Anne of the Island. Apparently I'm not the only one who thought that because Rosie Mae looked out the window and asked if I had seen Rusty.

We both got a chuckle out of how we immediately knew the poor thing. Thankfully it will not have to worry about any badly executed chloroform attempts with us.

It has been the easiest animal to name. There really was no other choice besides Rusty.

Mahlon

     The winter winds were sweeping across the hills and around the corners of the house when Daddy came upstairs one Saturday morning to wake us up. He told John and me to hurry and get dressed while he helped David. Once we got downstairs he gave us a note and told us to take it to Grandma Mast and then stay there until he comes and gets us.

     He helped us into our coats and we started up the road as the sun was beginning to rise above the trees across the road. We trudged up the hill and made our way slowly to Grandpas where aunt Emma arranged chairs around the kitchen stove for us to warm up. Grandma read the note and handed it to Grandpa, he read it and immediately went and hitched up his horse, Tony, to their buggy while Grandma hurriedly got ready to go with them.

     I was wondering what all the strange commotion was about and suddenly I recalled how they acted similar once before and I all of a sudden grew excited and could hardly wait till Daddy came to get us.

    He came shortly after lunch smiling from ear to ear, and asked if we want to go home and meet someone new. I asked if it's a baby girl and he said "No, we have another baby boy." We hurried out to the buggy and hurried into the house the moment we got home. Grandma was standing at the kitchen sink washing a few dishes and told us to warm our hands while we wait till Daddy gets in to show us the new baby.

    Once Daddy came in we followed him into the bedroom where Mom was in bed and beside her was the wrinkliest, ugliest little baby I had ever seen. I felt like crying. It had been bad enough that I didn't get a sister, but having such an ugly baby was about more than I could bear. Daddy gently lifted the baby and placed him in my arms and said, "Say hello to your brother Mahlon."
    I choked out a whispery hello, just as the baby opened his eyes and his wee little mouth and stuffed his fist in and started making the funniest noise as he started sucking on it. Daddy gave the baby back to Mom and herded us out of the bedroom saying that there is plenty of time to get acquainted with him once he is no longer hungry.
    I ran upstairs and flopped across my bed and cried. I could hear voices downstairs but I didn't even bother to try to listen what they were saying. After a bit I heard the squeal of buggy wheels in the snow and looked out the window to see Daddy, John, and David starting out the driveway and head up the road.
     After what seemed like a long time Grandma came upstairs to find me. She asked what is wrong, but I really didn't know what to say and finally blurted out. "The baby is so ugly!"  She chuckled a little and said "Don't worry, all newborns look like that. He will look a lot better in a few days."
     I went downstairs with her and helped start supper, and before too long Daddy and the boys were at home bringing a neighbor girl along. She would stay with us for the next six weeks and do all the housework while Mom rested and enjoyed her new baby.

The Start of Whispering Pines

      Since we had built a large addition to our house Daddy was working on getting a woodworking shop started in the basement of the new addition, in hopes that he could work at home with his growing family, instead of doing carpentry. It took quite a while to get everything ready. The electric motors had to be removed from the machinery and replaced with either a hydraulic or air motor.
     Once everything was ready to go he started working  in the shop in the evenings. We enjoyed watching him whenever we could. There was something about watching plain boring lumber being turned into something much nicer that sent a thrill through me.
     Besides starting a woodworking shop. Daddy and Mom also bought a fabric store from someone who was going out of business. We moved all of our furniture out of our living-room and sewing-room, and put it into our kitchen. And turned those two rooms into our store. Daddy built shelves along the walls to hold the bolts of fabric and the many other things Amish stores have. They also set up a queen size bed on which to display the many quilts to sell.
     After everything was set up and ready for customers Daddy fastened a small bell to the door so we would be alerted to any customers that came. And Mom painted a sign "Whispering Pines" Quilts, Fabrics and Gifts. After the paint was dry Daddy put it in the front yard, and there was nothing left to do but wait for customers to start coming.
     It wasn't long before people started coming. We children would have loved to be in the store with Mom to watch. But we were told to stay in the kitchen and try to be quiet. We stayed in the kitchen, but pressed our ears to the door to hear what was going on in our store. It wasn't very satisfying not being able to see too. And then a great idea popped into my head. I could climb up on Mom's china cupboard and peep through the vent hole above the door.
     I climbed up. And was delighted to not only be able to hear everything but now I had a birds eye view of the store. I stayed there until the customers were paying for their purchases and then jumped off and went to do something else before Mom came and discovered me there.
     From that day on whenever Mom went into the store I would climb up on my perch to watch, until one day several years later just as I popped my head in front of the vent, the lady Mom was helping look at quilts looked up at me and waved, which made Mom turn around and she saw me before I had time to disappear. After the customer had left Mom had a talk with me about how impolite it is to peep in on people, and that it would be better to sit in the chair behind the desk if I wanted so badly to see everything.
     That was the last time I watched from the cupboard. It was so much better to actually be in the store, even if I wasn't allowed to every-time.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. Best place you've been lately?

Home.

Recently I've gone grocery shopping, went to church, attended homeschool co-op, went to a birthday party, and took our vehicle to the car wash. Each of those places was something I enjoyed, but none of them as much as I enjoy being at home.

2. What's something you should say yes to today? Or this week? Or even this year?

Today I should say yes to my growing donate pile. The girls and I will be working in the storage room this afternoon, and I'm trying to become more heartless and get rid of the things that do nothing but take up space.
This week I should say yes to writing time.
This year I again should say yes to writing.

3. Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day in any way, shape, or form? If so tell us how. In Western cultures the color green is typically associated with jealousy, nature, good luck, and growth. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word 'green'?

I don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day in any way, shape, or form. I don't even know when it will be this year. Is it always on the same day?
The first thing that comes to mind when ever I hear the word green, is a green crayon. The most coveted and special crayon in the entire box. As a child I wasn't allowed to use it for anything other than coloring trees, even grass was only outlined because it would take too much green to fully color it. I so badly wanted to color the dresses the little girls in the pictures were wearing, green, but I couldn't. Even so the green crayon always became short and stubby long before the rest of the crayons in the box.
Even now when I help Steven color, and I use green for something that wouldn't have to be green I feel somewhat daring and guilty.

4. What's a product or service you love so much you'd happily be their spokesperson? Tell us what makes you such a fan.

Bonne Maman  fruit preserves. I only recently discovered them, and I'm in love. It's all natural with no added ingredients. It also doesn't have that funny after taste that all other commercially produced jams and jellies have. An added bonus is the jar that can then be used for other things once it's been emptied. So far the peach is my favorite flavor, though all of them are delicious!

5. March 14th is Pi Day. How are your math skills? What's the last thing you did that required math of any kind? And most importantly do you like pie? What's your favorite kind? With ice cream, whipped cream, or please hold the cream?

My math skills are average. The last thing I did that required math was when I wanted to make a batch and a half of a certain recipe.

I love pie. Cherry pie is one of my favorites, though I do really like pecan pie as well. I was about to say I've never met a pie I didn't like, but that's not true. I don't care for any store bought pies.

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

Score ... Boys 12
              Girls  6

The amount of grandchildren my parents have since my brother Ivan and his wife had twin boys yesterday. We're all excited and happy for them.