What a clear night dark blue, diamonds in the sky are stars. A half-bright moon, white, stillness filled the forest. Much to everyone's delight in this beautiful night of darkness.
Something smelling of horse floated on the air, sweat, fur is what it was. To those of us lucky enough to be raised with horses, a God-like creature GrossMama said. A white horse is a road by God in Heaven, where he roams on it always.
Jesus by his side rides one of the same color, and they both never sleep. Our God gives full counsel to his son Jesus. Many times he feels the need for it, especially after listening to his children's prayers. Jesus always in gut council, ready to be of service is our Master.
Beyond the Stars are many mentions, of homes for his people. Made from their gut behavior, beautiful, sturdy walls, and a fine fence built to withstand all kinds of weather conditions. These are life situations here down on earth.
" Mater where should I put the mares tonight? Chloe hollered. She is a small twenty-two-year-old young woman. Dark blonde hair, big blue eyes, lean frame. Her beauty is all its own. This life is a pleasure being Mennonite Amish. The plain folk, although she can have a driver's license and wear modest clothes, a scarf upon her head. Born to Andrea
And Harlond Peachy. Known for his gentle nature with horses. He breeds his steadfast behavior not only in horses, his Kinner.
Born into this marriage Chloe, Hannah, Emma, and Virginia for their girls. For boys, Benjamin, Harley, Samuel, and Noah. They had eight Kinner altogether, a family made of love and kindness, hard work made a Peachy.
GrossMama and Grosspapa, live in a Daude house on their farmstead. They are a Peachy family and hard hard-working Mennonite. Retired from farm work. Mater and Fater took over the big farm leaving another
small farm intertwined with this one.
Spring warm breeze blew through the green grass of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Almost seems to say the farm has become an American village.
Black Holstein wandering about one entire pasture, dotted there in Prairie grass. An image never to be forgotten hangs like an oil painting to admire always. There to provide food, work, and joy.
Rows of corn and beans are planted just peaking up out of the black-rich soil. Many acres of sorghum grow along with a gut crop yield. Pretty golden brush rust colored.
Echos, of mules bray, nay, Donkey bray, and Horse whinny. Wonderful sounds to those of us who appreciate them.
The Dogs, German Shepherd have been known for their sweet dispositions and protective features. Fater and his sons trained them to be obedient and stayed in the yard without being told. Pets to the end and gut herder dogs for sure, herding cattle.
Lots of moon cats, inside and outside very well-mannered, meowing enthusiasts for sure.
Singing for their supper. Big, huge barns set on rustic meadows appeared. A gracious addition to views of an awesome god. Who fulfills your dreams of being an artist made by God?
GrossMama fried pancakes, fluffy in a cast iron skillet. Home-made from scratch, maple syrup. Along with scrambled eggs mixed in shredded cheese and Potatoes, and sausage mixed in.
Chloe perked kaffi and poured cups to set at the table settings. Platters of food are passed around to help yourself to it. Fresh squeezed orange juice, glasses of thick creamy milk.
They all bowed their heads in prayer. Then began to eat. The men ate like thrashers, us ladies ate lots till all was gone. Then the men went out to work in the fields and take care of the animals. Women clean off everything with a washcloth, then put clean dishes away.
Afterward, the first one made rolls, Amish Kolaches, wheat, and rye beds. Churned butter and ice cream. Then poured in containers with lids, and sticking in the freezer chest, runoff a gas generator.
Soon the kitchen smelled of the best bakery ever. Then cinnamon rolls, small and plate-sized, gooey toppings drizzled on top with crushed walnuts. Such a delightful treat. Then sugar cookies are rolled out and cut into tulips. Some chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, using an ice cream scoop to put on the baking pan.
What a busy day ahead as usual of course making sure it was all made for an entire week.
Emma is also a blonde close to the color of Chloes. Her eyes are a deep-set green, and a long oval face, the same size as her Schwesters. Here are specialty pies, rolling out dough, then crimping the edges around the pie tin. Cutting a bag of pink lady apples, trimming off the skin, dipped in lemon juice to not turn brown. Taking melted unsalted butter, a small feather spreads the butter all over the crust saving some for last. 1 cup of sugar spread over top, half cup brown sugar. Then cut up pieces of salted stick butter to stick in between Apple slices. Set oven for three fifty Fahrenheit. Last roll out another dough piece to put over top, then with a tiny star cutter cut out three on top. With remaining butter use a feather to wash the top of the pie crust. Brush the top with white sugar.
Stick in the oven on a cookie sheet in case it runs over for two hours. Check it for one hour, then two. Emma then started the next pie. A blueberry, pear, peach pie. Doing the same thing to put it together. Her pies will steal a man's heart Mater said as they both laughed.
Soon a big truck drove into the farmstead, Mater looking out mused aloud. " Oh look a truck from the Horse auction, I wonder what Fater bought from the Horse auction! She was interested in her love of horses instilled since childhood.
Dew droplets on a leaf looked pulchella ( pretty) for a much-needed dry ground thirsty for moisture. Braudar Samual and Braudar Noah, unload A black Mare by the name Shining Star.
Her sunny disposition made it more that she was a good pick for a fater, besides excellent training in caregivers purchased. Much to our delight a very friendly horse, standing fifteen hands high. Nickering softly, bobbing her head up then down. Such a soft nose, then she trotted off showing them how smart she was. Trotting around the arena a few times coming back to them, standing ever so calm. Samuel pets her as other arms from us did. Something called charismatic charm, love at first sight.
A young Mennonite man drove in an open buckboard wagon. Ivan Stoltzfus, his name a full-chested man of twenty-five years old. Brown curly short hair, wearing a straw hat. Handsome as could be. Today Ivan drove as his braudar Almonzo road along next to him. They'd come to buy bails of hay, for the garden. Almonzo twenty-three? Blonde tight curly hair, big blue eyes wearing round wire rim glasses. He is not big like Ivan, smiling and nodding his head hello looking over at Virginia Peachy. Ivan dated Chloe her Schwester.
" Turn in sharp, thataway, back up go at it again," Harley Peachy, giving directions to Benjamin, in the process of cornering the front of our truck to pass through a fence then up out onto a lane leading out of our farm to go on down and sell at market. In the back of a refrigerator truck with " Peachy Farms Produce".
Down the road, it rumbled, nice truck to own. They had to it is required, purchase with cattle sales money paid cash. In the back of the refrigerator truck; blocks of cheese, blocks of butter, blocks of lard, cheese curds, sacks of apples, pears, bacon packaged, and pound packages of steaks, five pounds of ready-made hamburgers.
Next pound bags of raw macaroni noodles, Amish noodles, walnut pieces, cashews, and peanuts. Brach's pic a mix of bagged, peanut clusters, chocolate-covered peanuts, and chocolate stars. Bags of cereal oatmeal, raisin bran, sugar smacks, frosted flakes, oat rings, and fruit rings.
One complete set of pots and pans, cookie sheets, and pizza pans. A cash register there already to use to tally up sales. We brought our plastic bags purchased from Sam's Club.
Harley backed into the roundhouse and turned off the truck leaving the back refrigerator going the entire time. Then unpacked what they wanted customers to see, then put a board up advertising the products sold. Benjamin helping right along with him.
Chloe, Hanah, and Virginia, Emma pulled up in the family station wagon a Ford in gray. Then
Walked inside where the truck backed in. There was a curtain made of tarp material, pushed up then after they were all in the tarp fell behind them. They faced other vendors similar to themselves.
Folks became familiar with the Peachy Store conveniently there to buy from. The Schwesters wore modest clothes, dresses or skirts and blouses, white ankle socks with black flats.
People showed up right away making purchases. Soon much business going on at their counter. While their braudars fetched orders from the refrigerator truck.
The day was a busy one for sure, selling lots of food. Making new customers and meeting new faces. Isaac Mast, there to buy steaks from us. He bought 12 one dozen, Virginia looked at him and smiled. " That will be seventy-two dollars please." He gave her a stack of money creased. She then counted it out in front of him using the counter next to a cash register. Then hit a key amount tender putting in the cash dollar amount. She brought out a refrigerator box of steaks cold from the refrigerator truck on wheels. Gently open a plastic bag with handles and handed it to him.
He had a crush on her, and finally got up enough nerve to ask her to supper. She accepted for the weekend next. Deep down inside they both felt excited, turning to walk back to his buggy and horse tied up to the hitching post. Untied it getting into his buggy to finish his shopping drove onward.
The day went from a cool crisp morning to a warm, sultry afternoon. Plans are to weed our garden, and water by hand. Hannah, Chloe, and Virginia, Emma, are all enjoying God's work. Each had their own basket to put weeds in to later put in the mulch bin. Quietly after a long busy day at the market selling produce. Barefoot and hands in the dark soil, felt gut.
Sunny skies gone down, days longer the clock set ahead. When done poured basket weeds into a barrel. Right then a supper whistle blew. Washing hands off and feet under a water pump, dried on paper towels. Walked up to the farmhouse, single-file into the back porch door straight into the kitchen.
Mater: "Schon, dass du zu, Hauss bits." ( Glad your home.)
" Danke Mater, glad to be home," The Girls said. Helping set up the dishes on top of a dining table. Pretty cream-colored plates warn over time from so much use. Matching drinking glasses, and silverware. Napkins set down in a holder to use when needed, toothpicks, and sugar, creamer. Pots of hot kaffi, pitchers of iced tea, and glass bottle of milk.
Tonight Saturdaag, this night no dates, friends over as usual. Instead family night. Once a month, chosen day by the family. A main dish pot roast, cooked carrots, mashed potatoes. Schnitzel, saurkraut, sweet potatoes in whipped butter. With such a large family lots of prepared food.
Two kinds of homemade bread; Wheat sliced and white sliced up. Your choice of whipped real butter or apple butter. Sweet pickles, coleslaw, Apple salad and hot dishes corn, baked beans. And dessert, Apple pie, cherry pie.
The Boys came in, seated themselves asking how everyone was. Fater next sat at the
Head of our table, pulled out his pocket watch from his bibbed overalls pocket. Yawned ," How are all my gut kinner tonight? Everyone answered," Gut." Mater joined them and sat at the head of the table. "Let's bow our heads in prayer ."