There was a large clay tile outside the kitchen door and G.G. filled it with moss roses, and she had morning glories climbing the kitchen windows to the east. Flowers added to my summer activities, making dandelion chains and dolls from hollyhocks. Uncle Don had a flair for the lovely, so he spent considerable time working working on a stone walk on the southwest corner of the lawn. I can be assured that G.G. was so appreciative of his handiwork.
It seemed that I was either waiting for the Huckster Wagons or the mail man a lot. Shorty Marsh was generous to me and the whole scene of everything from long drawers was exciting. You cannot imagine the variety of things that the rural household might need , from thread to "anything else that you could not raise, can, smoke or have in your cellar.
The mailman was not so much fun but Orin Miller was so nice, and it was fun to take the mail to G.G. and D.W. In the fall, waiting on the mail was made more lovely with a fence sporting bittersweet.
G.G. would let me walk to Community Center, usually to get an all day sucker. I enjoyed some people on the way. Tillie Chivington and McCuens were so nice to me but the prize was Viv Huffman. She liked to talk about Homer. I think that Homer may have been adopted , and oh, how she loved him. I spent lots of time on her front porch. She loved life and had a laugh you could never forget.
Sometimes I would walk to Alma Zent's house. I called her Elme, and she was so kind to me. Her husband, Bill, teased me and I was afraid of him. I think I was there with G.G. the night he died.
It is hard to beleive that I was allowed to walk on gravel roads. Todayit is hardly safe for your children to play in their own yards.
G.G. has a little social life and the affairs of the church were uppermost on the schedule. Often I could go with her to Ladies Aid, ect. It was not often that you went to see a neighbor, but if needed, you went. G.G. helped deliver the Swartz twins. All the Amish that I knew in my childhood were wery special people.
G.G. made bread and lots of it. She had a long board that came out from under the upper cupboards and it held lots of loaves. When you came home from school you knew what aromas would be waiting. On Monday ,wash day, we had beans and what she called light rolls. Oh how I wish you could have had that pleasure. You just cannot imagine how tiring to mix and knead that amount of bread for such a large family plus who ever they invited. She was so happy when she was able to have a machine to help with that chore.
Certain foods were stored in the south room upstairs. Kraut, dill pickles and some staples. Don's drawings were there too, and not to be touched.
Meal time was pretty big, with lots of food., hotcakes she made on a special little griddle, that you could flip over and use the other side. Fried potatoes, eggs and meat too- all of this to do after she was up, dressed, had the pots emptied , cook stove going, and much more I am sure.
D.W. drove the school bus after milking, and other chores. Everyone was at the table and there were devotions and not too short. Some in later years were supplied by Suze and Marg. D.W. always said the same blessing (something about the up-building of our bodies). Goodness knows someone had to help with the building of those bodies. The cook stove had a reservior that had to be filled for warm water needs. The Sat. bath was something all endured whether dirty or not. Being clean for church was very important.
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