Found You At Christmas

The Surprise In The Cellar

No one could have predicted what they'd find, a peace treaty , wow,  next something gripping is about to happen. To the core of everyone, a truce has been signed unknowingly.
     Peter suggested to leave it all safely alone , the dowry belonging, to the Amish Village Township, Snow Peace .
      What will happens next , might shock you , or will it?
       The Mennonite Elders will gather as a group to make the decision for us . Voting only among us to make a decision. In this next chapter," The surprise In The Cellar."
     Everyone home enjoying the Fourth of July, farmstead parties, loaded with fun , games good galore . Peter and Clara , along with Caleb and Alice, today at Clara and Alice parents farm during the afternoon, while Peter and Caleb's for supper time  , then plenty of fireworks.
       First and foremost church above all else today , Alice and Clara, Mennonite Church, two hours today . This Mennonite Church let's you sit everyone together not men on one side women on the other.
      Later to meet up with Peter and Caleb. Coming over to stay a gut part of the day celebrating July 4th , festivities and gut food for ya bellies. Decorated red, white and blue for July, big bows nailed to trees . Lots of picnic tables , covered in red and blue table cloths. Center pieces , red roses in a vase.
      Mam and Dat Bontrager, Cousins to Theodore and James Braudaars Isaac and Ferdinand . Cousins Alice , Clara , also Freeman, Ivan and Gabriel Bontrager five children.
     They would be playing Horse shoes and barbecuein hamburgers and hotdogs. The volley ball net up , neighbors playing.
    Clara and Alice made most of the food Mam helped. Potato salad, Cole slaw, macaroni salad, rainbow jello salad. Ham salad sandwiches, chicken salad made into sandwiches, all homemade ground chicken and ground ham and ad salad dressing and pickle relish to taste. Then put between to pieces of homemade bread.
A dozen pies, strawberry, blueberry, Apple, pear, lemon, chocolate, German chocolate, shoofly, raisen, peach , brownie pie. We then slice into pieces to put on serving plates. Big chocolate muffins , pistachio muffins , chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, and sugar.
Our farm house kitchen smelled so gut inside of goodies. Also big jugs of fresh squeezed lemonade, and grape juice, iced tea. The guys took it all outside and set up the serving table a big heavy picnic table.
" I'm very excited Alice, look how pretty it all looks," Clara said . " Yes I do love it , come let's taste test before Peter Esh and Caleb Esh get here to our party.
" I'm having a ham salad sandwich, and sweet pickles all on ice. Clara picked chicken salad and potato chips. Then a glass of sweet lemonade. They walked over and sat under a big apple tree.
     Sounds of laughter , gut fun going on , volley ball game, Horse Shoes, some Mennonite women quilting on a big quilt , Wedding Ring design. Looking around made one feel happy inside , a piece of our Amish Community, there is nothing like it. Belonging to a plain community, beliefs are in our lords hands.
      " Best of all Margret , the goulash someone made at home to bring , take a taste ,"putting a
Taste on her plate. Ashlyn wanted her to try some it was so good.
       " My this is very good tasting , try this potato salad , it's simply amazing. She also have Ashlyn a plastic spoon full. " Yumbly  gut to eat, Ashlyn said fondly .
       Theodore , cut pieces off the hog , roasted all night , James , helped , taking plates of meat and to the serving table, putting on a heating system as not to spoil. James ate some , delicious, melted in his mouth.
      Theodore left where he stood, a plate of meat , added coleslaw, potato salad , strawberry pie, and cold iced tea. Such fun besides eating the best food ever.  Today and always , sharing gut times Among the Amish , Mennonite.
       Mam and Dat, Bontrager, started singing , in the middle of their yard, Amish songs so tried yet true. Alice and Clara , sat watching their parents so in love , soon to be leaving over to Caleb and Peters Parents Farm. They looked forward to going on the date.
    " We'd better not over eat right now," Alice said to Clara. " I'm watching it don't worry Alice." Around mid afternoon, sun beating down , warm out , Dat and our Braudaar put up sun umbrellas to keep out the sun keeping us from getting over heated.
    Caleb and Peter walked up behind them surprising the girls both Alice and Clara. " Surprise Alice." " Surprise Clara."
   Saying goodbye to Mam and Dat , our Braudaars . Left in Peters Truck , Caleb sat up front while Clara and Alice road along sitting in back of the dark blue Ford pickup .
     Off Peter drove , honked the horn , and waving out the rolled down windows. His truck turned around the farmstead making a Horse shoe in the lane heading back out to the oiled dirt road.
      Windows down, as the pickup truck , headed opposite direction toward town and the Sheriff office and jail.   
       Signs read Esh Farmstead one mile mark ahead. All of us hushed for taking in the beauty of the Fourth of July . Love of nature at its best , looking about at flowers, trees , bushes and lake. On the other end of Snow Peace Town.
      Not far from the Esh farm , some German Shepherd Dogs greeted them , wagging tails , barking , almost smiling like showing teeth at them all.
     Peter Esh, stopped and they hopped into the truck , Caleb hollered get in Mia, and Chow Boy. The two Dogs abliged and they drove on home to the farm party .
    Pulling in balloons , plus streamers hung all around," Happy Fourth of July. Peter crept his pickup slowly up the gravel hill , driveway . To the top seeing lots of vehicles and some black buggies. Some more dogs running to greet them , sheep Dogs . Feather one's name and the other , Louis. Happy to see us all.
     They jumped down outa the truck, and held hands as Couples , walking up to the picnic waving to those already there at the Fourth of July Party. All eyes from the Esh party looking out to them, happy as ever to see them.
They joined the others , throwing yard darts , and eating chunks of watermelon, so sweet and good. Then homemade vanilla ice cream, in bowls using plastic spoons. A lot of finger foods , bacon lettuce tomato sandwiches. Pickle pinwheels, bagels and cream cheese, small bags of potato chips, iced colas and bottles water.
Since everyone ate so much elsewhere this afternoon. Tonight a light supper , still lots of food . " I'm glad your hear with me Alice," Caleb told her , looking at her . " I'm so glad to be along on your arm Caleb, I have a full heart for you only.
Caleb and Alice both very nice looking , they have high IQ standards. They are high achievers and are very well received in the community.
Peter held Clara's hand squeezed it gently, winked at her. " I'm so glad I'm your girlfriend." " Forever, no matter what Clara Bontrager."
      A week almost to date , the document, files found in the downstairs, underneath the Ole Mill. Inside our office in the Sheriff's department, this will be The Ghost Hunters , each of them had a desk and computer. Inside an old antique register of Amish plain. " Look how tin like it looks,"'Ashlyn said intrigued by the document itself.
    Theodore, read it aloud in reassurance, that this document becomes a treasured to lay tracks for a foundation brought to our attention, by means of endorsing a division making it possible, for all Amish Societies to relinquish their own standards of living in each Amish Society ."
    " I'm overwhelmed in this doctrine, dated in the past. For a reason we are not sure of yet. This has turned into an investigation, in findings rather , if these were hidden or a mistake to be covered up in a box underneath Ole Mill," James said .
     " So, where do we go from here then, I guess, this is already made a rule, the next thing post it in the Amish new rulings after the Bishop has Oked our newest findings. Then it is on the books, as a rule, Amish can follow for a rule of thumb," Ashlyn said.
    Alice's input is," After living amongst my Mennonite peers all my life, this is just a gift from heaven to me. There is a reason for everything, and I honestly believe Angels led us there. Just the weight of it all is profound yet wholesome for those to live. "
     Clara said," I feel it has come at the right time, Amish, Mennonite. If you are confused by a rule you can't live up to and find other Amish whom feel as you do, you can honor that and write the rules together and make them your Village of Amish. I'm very excited about where this is going, in the right direction. "
     Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created. Esther 4:14
     " What we have found an ultimately much-needed role in the Plain Society, documents have been checked for authenticity and they are aged fifteen years. So you realize this is permanently ours now. And thoughts that there is a lot more to go through yet inside the Ole Mill," Theodore finished up in saying at the end of the day.
      The next day up to Ole Mill once again, once inside, upstairs this time. Thankfully overstuffed chairs up there to set upon. Ashlyn took a box out, spilled it all over the floor, maps, some rolled up and a rubber band others flat in in a wax paper envelope," What are these? James asked aloud, talking about another wow.
    Theodore," These are for our area, it seems to me the treasures found all inside Ole Mill are some artifacts, unusual finds to which have been meant to be so far. And this maps, for? What?
      " Here is another box ," Clara said, pushing it into the middle of the floor. "Let's open it up,
Oh, what in the world? Postcards Amish printed fifty years old, antiques twice over, they
It is very neat, look for yourself. Something neat to enlarge. And hang in the Ole Mill remodel."
    " This too is interesting, what is it? Clara took out a victrola, and records, black thick, wow, Rudy Valley, Roy Rogers, Old Church organ music. This can sit out in the lobby," she said. What another extraordinary find we brought out. We'd have music to play during afternoon visits and tours. "
      They called it a day, going home tired today right after the fourth of July. The home they all went to tonight to sleep so tired, after a long few weeks.
      Warm weather really set in, a haze over the cornfields, if necessary Stay inside and turn your air on today. Amish used generators to start them. Beasts kept watered down, horses inside the barn air on in their. All animals under heat advisory.
     Kinner ( children) inside, cool and well-hydrated, being settled not running around getting overheated.
    Theodore makes sure trees on constant water, so as not to lose Christmas Trees. James helped out having to take frequent brakes as not to be overheated.
      What a heat wave hitting over 100 heat index. Stay cool, drink lots of water, or death could be at your doorstep. Such a frightening experience to happen.
      Clara and Alice, canceled piano lessons for students till heat advisory was over. They worked on embroidery, using an embroidery hoop, and set out to use needlework on tea towels.
    After a time drank glasses of sweet tea on crushed ice so good to taste during a heat wave.
Their place so cozy and nice using air conditioner. " These tea Towels will go into our hope chests, all ready to go and use someday when they are married," Alice said.
    Clara had to agree, because they are still trying to fill each chest full. Sometimes the smallest things purchased belong in my hope chest.