Church Festival

The Second Sunday in July is our Church Festival! Due to the unfortunate scheduling of July 1st on a Sunday this year, this meant the festival was only 4 days after July 4th. Barely enough time to get ready. 

Thursday I went to the grocery store. I have a terrific pie crust recipe that uses one bag of flour, one can of shortening, 3 1/2 cups of milk, 1 tablespoon of salt and 3 tablespoons of vinegar. It makes the best crust, very flakey; and can be rolled as easy as play dough. Depending on the day, I can get between 15 and 20 crusts from one batch. They keep for up to a week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months frozen. I made two batches and rolled them on waxed paper to save for Saturday. 

Friday we went out of town to check on the progress of my new bedroom set which is being built (very slowly) by the Amish. We also added a second new mattress and springs to our order after experiencing a few nights in our guest room while we painted. After we got home, I baked 6 single layer devil's food cakes as well as 2 dozen cupcakes. 

I got up early on Saturday to bake my first six pies. The first Saturday of the month is my regular lunch date with former co-workers, so I had to step out for an hour or two.  I write the flavor on the toothpick flag to aid the pie ladies when they are slicing. 

Final tally on Saturday night: 18 pies, 6 cakes and 24 cupcakes.  Our festival offers pit BBQ chicken and ham dinners complete with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with onions and bacon, roll and butter and your choice of a slice of homemade pie for the bargain price of $9.00.  And if you eat in our air conditioned hall, we include endless glasses of lemonade and water or coffee.  

We could not have been blessed with a more perfect day. Our church is on a country road and the weather was in the low 80's with a cooling country breeze. 

We have a regulation softball diamond on the property and sponsor both a mens and ladies softball tournament on festival day. You can watch from the bleachers, the picnic tables and we have even have a reconstructed antique barn which is roped off for the over 21's where you can enjoy an adult beverage while you watch the players. 

We have a kiddie tractor pull in front of the church steps. This was my grandson's first year in the 3 and 4 year old division. 

Then it was off to the kid's games and bounce houses. My husband and sons are the dishwashing committee and work 11-1, then 3-9. We had two hours to enjoy the activities before they were free for lunch. 

This two year old was making up her own rules. She had so much fun "winning" tickets that she was passing out post its to her dolls when she got home. 

Finally it was time for lunch. This two year old only wanted a roll and the frosting from his cupcake. 

All of my grandchildren chose a cupcake instead of a slice of pie. What am I doing wrong!

I am chairperson of the dinner ticket sellers so I was back to work myself. The festival does offer more than activities for preschoolers.  We have a large silent auction, a live auction in late afternoon, raffles, concessions, bingo, antique tractor displays, games of chance and even a "hog drop" at the end of the evening. No, we don't drop a hog. We place the hog on a lined bingo board drawn on the grass and wait for the hog to "drop" something. Hopefully on the square that you purchased. 

I am our church's representative on a charitable board that helps local families with emergency housing and utility assistance. At tonight's meeting we received word that due to national coverage of horrible aftermath of the migrant raids in our community, donations have been pouring into funds established to help these families. Many lost their only wage earner and those left behind are struggling with rents, electricity, heat and water, as well as groceries and medications and diapers. At this point the church community has been able to establish a safe system of application with bilingual assistance to enable the survival of these families, many which include American born wives and children. It gives me hope for the future that despite the actions of a powerful few, so many people do care about common decency and behaving like Christians and are willing to donate to help others in need. 

Leviticus 19:34

Leviticus 19:34
But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

This article is from my hometown. It makes me sick to my stomach. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/after-ice-raid-a-12-year-old-us-citizen-adjusts-to-life-without-parents/ar-AAzp5s6?ocid=spartanntp

The trailer park a few blocks from me is eerily quiet. The park which is located between us is normally filled with children playing all summer. When I drive by, it's empty. 

I hear rumors and then find out they are true. One boy quit eating and was taken to the hospital and died. His obituary was in the newspaper, but it did not mention the cause of death.  I heard there was an attempted suicide. People are afraid to call for help. 

I attended a march where a young man about 15 years old spoke. He was born in this country and has lived here all his life. Both of his parents were taken away. He expressed surprise to see people of all ages and races at the rally. He said, "I don't want to be racist or anything, but I thought I would only see Mexicans here, I did not think there would be white people. So many white people yell at me to go back where I come from". He told of a donation made by his teacher so that he could pay for minutes to talk to his mother who is being held at a facility out of state. 

It is the end of the world as we know it

Yesterday I was taking pictures of bird's nests in my yard. Today men in combat gear with stocking masks on their faces invaded my neighborhood and grabbed working mothers, fathers and children. 

An area nursery was raided at the same time as a trailer park a few blocks from my home. Workers were rounded up and tied with twist ties. After a few hours, those who could prove they were American citizens were released. Yes, American citizens were grabbed, yelled at, herded and tied up until they could prove their citizenship. 

Meanwhile the same situation was happening at the trailer park where family members were baby sitting the children of the workers. Children that were playing at the neighborhood park yesterday while I was walking by with my granddaughter in her stroller. Children who are now frightened, hungry, cold and terrified by the loss of their parents who have been taken away without a hug goodbye or even knowledge of where their parents have gone. Since they are not citizens, the government does not have to give any information to the families. 

I cannot believe this is how Jesus wants us to treat fellow human beings. It is like living in a horror movie. I never thought I would see the United States of America become an armed camp of militants. I cannot stop crying. 

The Maternity Ward

While we continue to wait for my Amish friends to build my new bedroom set, I have some announcements here at the Merry homestead. We have opened a Robin Maternity Ward!

This mama robin built her nest only about four and a half feet from the ground in a tree on the border of my play yard and about three feet from my neighbor's driveway. Luckily my preschool grandchildren haven't noticed, but the teenagers next door have been driving her crazy peering in the next every time they leave the house. We have an announcement. It's Twins! I caught them with mouths wide open, waiting for mama to come back with some nice juicy worms. 

I was walking between my house and my apple trees on the opposite side of my yard when a mama robin started flapping and raising a ruckus. Silly girl, that just made me stop and look. Lo and behold another mama had built a nest about five feet from the group. She is very protective and I was lucky to get this photo. 

I think we are expecting a second set of twins! This may be the only photo I get of this nest. She recognizes me now and tries to dive bomb me when I walk anywhere near those trees. 

I had posted the photo with the eggs on Facebook and my neighbor asked if that was the tree between our houses. I went out to look on the third side of our house and another nest in another tree!

This mama robin is more scary than then the mama of nest number two. She would not let me more than four feet from her nest. It is a little higher and I tried to get my husband to come and take a photo in the nest while she stood by threatening us. He refused since she has tried to attack him when he tries to use the side door to the garage! She is very protective!

Meanwhile I did manage another peek at those little babies that had their mouths open a week ago. They have already gained feathers and barely squeeze into the nest. Our evenings are a little cooler this week and they should be nice and warm snuggled in there. 

There you have it! It is a Robin Maternity Ward here at the Merry House!