I am so LUCKY and BLESSED!!! I had a great experience today! I have been looking forward to this day since last week. My sister-in-law Diane, who is an avid Quilter like me has made a friend through her work - Nancy Good. Nancy invited Diane to come and bring some friends (I am lucky enough to be one) to her home for a fabulous brunch to visit with Nancy and her relatives.
Nancy Good is a FANTASTIC cook. The brunch was so delicious and amazing!! Aunt Mary also made a sausage breakfast cup that was wonderful- I will get the recipe and post it for all. Besides Nancy and her relatives - Diane and her Mom, Joy attended along with Diane's co-worker DeAnne, Myself and My Mom, LaNae and my daughters - Danielle and Kimberlee. Nancy is amazing - she went through all of our names and remembered all the names after only being introduced once. She is a vibrant, fun and a free spirit (as she puts it). My regret is that she is leaving in a month for Texas. She and her husband travel frequently with their job. They have been in Utah for a year and their job is almost complete.
Nancy was raised Amish and had her Uncle Alvin and Aunt Mary Ebersol come out to visit her from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Ebersol's are true Amish and were so delightful to visit with. They traveled by train and will be in Utah for 8 days. Uncle Alvin owns a carpentry shop and builds furniture for a living. Ebersol chairs. I told him I would like to buy a chair - He said I will need to hurry as he hopes to retire in the next year or so. Alvin also has a side business where he builds coffins for the Amish. They live their lives very simply. The coffins are just plain wood boxes. Very unlike the traditional coffins that are mostly used today. Alvin also builds wood vaults for the coffins to sit in (similar to the cement vaults that we use).
Nancy Good is a FANTASTIC cook. The brunch was so delicious and amazing!! Aunt Mary also made a sausage breakfast cup that was wonderful- I will get the recipe and post it for all. Besides Nancy and her relatives - Diane and her Mom, Joy attended along with Diane's co-worker DeAnne, Myself and My Mom, LaNae and my daughters - Danielle and Kimberlee. Nancy is amazing - she went through all of our names and remembered all the names after only being introduced once. She is a vibrant, fun and a free spirit (as she puts it). My regret is that she is leaving in a month for Texas. She and her husband travel frequently with their job. They have been in Utah for a year and their job is almost complete.
Nancy was raised Amish and had her Uncle Alvin and Aunt Mary Ebersol come out to visit her from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Ebersol's are true Amish and were so delightful to visit with. They traveled by train and will be in Utah for 8 days. Uncle Alvin owns a carpentry shop and builds furniture for a living. Ebersol chairs. I told him I would like to buy a chair - He said I will need to hurry as he hopes to retire in the next year or so. Alvin also has a side business where he builds coffins for the Amish. They live their lives very simply. The coffins are just plain wood boxes. Very unlike the traditional coffins that are mostly used today. Alvin also builds wood vaults for the coffins to sit in (similar to the cement vaults that we use).
Alvin said that this spring on the History channel will be a show about the History of Abraham Lincoln. They came and filmed one of the coffins that he built and it will be shown on this feature. The coffin is the same type as what President Lincoln was buried in. (Did you know that Lincoln was buried 6 times?) It will be explained on the show.
The Ebersols were in traditional Amish dress. Alvin was wearing Black slacks and a longsleeved simple green shirt. He had a long beard underneath his chin with the front of his face clean shaved and his hair combed straight. Mary was in a long solid green dress with a black long apron. She had a white amish hat with a ribbon that hung down over each ear. They mostly speak Pennsylvania Dutch when they are at home which is close to the Swiss German language.
Aunt Mary also has a business. She is a seamstress who makes coats, jackets, vests and slacks. She mostly makes them to order for the Amish, but takes orders from others as well. She was working on slacks and a Jacket as we visited. She uses an electric sewing machine for most of it, but it is powered by a battery and sometimes by solar power. They do not use electricity - not because of a religious belief but because it is tradition to live as simply as possible. Mary also likes to quilt but doesn't have as much time for it as she used to, as her business keeps her quite busy. She is a beautiful Seamstress. Mary also taught DeAnne how to crochet and showed us some of the crocheted items that she has been working on.
Horses are a something that Mary really enjoys also, although Alvin does not like her main driving horse much. Mary does not like to pull to the side of the road when there is traffic so she keeps her spot on the road in her horse and buggy. Although, sometimes her horse gets frightened by the big trucks. If I ever can make it to Pennsylvania again, Mary said she would take me for a ride in her horse and buggy and take me to the best quilt shop in the area. I hope to be able to go there and visit her someday soon.
Besides brunch and visiting - Diane brought a few quilts to show that she is working on. I also brought several quilts that I am working on to show. The favorite seemed to be my modified Amish 9 patch (the brights in it aren't true solids - they were batiks along with the traditional black fabric) Mary also quite liked an applique quilt I had - I will get the pattern to send to her.
There was also a puzzle set up that we all worked on as we visited - that was nice also - very relaxing.
The children attend school through the 8th grade and then usually get jobs working in the village shops or restraunts or learn a trade such as carpentry and also work on their farms. There is plenty of land for the children to live their lives on as well.
There was also a moment for tears for all of us. Conversation went to schools and then to a tragedy. Two Years ago the tragic shooting of all the little girls in the Amish schoolhouse in Lancaster was where these sweet folks live. 6 little girls were killed and several others left seriously wounded. The Ebersols know all of the families and the children that this horrible tragedy happened to - the wounds are still so raw and emotional. These are their friends and family. They said that it really affected all of Pennsylvania - we told them that it affected the whole world and we gave our sympathy and love to them and all of the families. Also we talked about how wonderful their example of forgiveness was - to all the world. It was so sad what they all went through.
The Ebersols said that the outpouring of love from around the world was astonishing. There was a very very poor congregation from another country that sent a $1 donation from each person in their congregation - this was a huge huge amount of money for those people, as they all live in severe poverty. The money was given to the Amish families whose children were killed and injured. The Amish families in turn gave most of the money to the widow and children of the gunman who commited this serious act. This reminded me of the story of the Widow's mite in the scriptures.
Nancy, Alvin and Mary were all so kind and generous of their time and friendship. I had such a wonderful day. I only regret that I hadn't met Nancy a year ago when she moved here. I hope that I can see them all again or at least keep in contact with them. I could have sat and visited for many more hours. We all hugged as if we were longtime friends. They are wonderful people and my life is better because I was able to have met them all! Also, Thanks Diane, for thinking of me with your invitation. What a treat!! What a Great day.
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