Charcuterie Summer

It was a lovely spread of a summer - a delightful array of sweet and savory bites of life to enjoy over the past several months. Following is a collection of photos and words descibing some of those morsels.

The annual Martin Family Camping event, held the first weekend in June, is a weekend full of good food and fellowship with the relatives. The Saturday afternoon corn hole tournament has become a favorite tradition in recent years.  

                                                                    📷 ~ Kerra Martin

A four-generation picture, taken during Martin Camping. L to R: Ken's parents, Florence & Leighton Martin; Carlin, Eva, Kayleen and Eleanor Atkinson; Ken & Danette

                                                                      📷 ~ Keith Frey

For me, another much-anticipated annual event is a Garden Party that my friend Delphine hosts every summer. She invites this fun bunch to gather in her yard which is a gorgeous park all on its own. There's always plenty of laughter - and sometimes tears - as we catch up on each others' lives. In the photo, L to R: Karen Brubacher, Joanne Shantz, Bonnie Bauman, Elaine Brubacher, Rose Martin, Yours Truly, Delphine Frey

When Ken goes to his IGo Board meeting in Denver, Pennsylvania, I'm often privileged to accompany him. We stay in one of those dwellings that PA people refer to as a cabin, but I tend to think of as a mansion. I love hanging out with the board wives (we can hardly be bored wives with this group!), some of whom are looking after young children, which makes the event more interesting. Here some of us were on the porch inspecting and exclaiming over a nest of baby finches in a hanging planter of geraniums.

We took several trips to the Atkinson home, our favorite spot in Guys Mills, PA. Every time we are with these munchkin granddaughters and see their latest developments, I marvel at how far they've come since their birth. Here they were demonstrating their peek-a-boo playing skills with Grandpa and me.  

Hosting overnight guests is often one of our activities in the summer, and this year was no exception. It was a delight to have my cousin Gerald and Trish Schrock at our place for one night when they came into our area for a funeral. I hope they come again soon and stay longer; we could have used more time for catch-up visiting and for exploring the orchards and apple packing that goes on around here. 

                                                                                            📷 ~ Chris Guevara

For my birthday, Chris and Ruben (Ken's "brother") offered us their 5-star hospitality in a party for four on their front porch. A summer sunset that evening made a most gorgeous backdrop. 

We3@home ate strawberry shortcake out at the patio table on July 1. How fitting to have a red and white dessert on Canada Day!

This year, it was our turn to host the bi-annual Tribe of Dan Reunion, which we chose to have at a campground in orchard country near the shores of Lake Erie. My parents, all of my siblings but one (we missed you, Tom and Danae!), and most of my nieces and nephews were able to attend the four-day event. One highlight of our time together was visiting some of Martin's orchards, with Ken as bus driver and tour director. 

The meals at the ToD Reunion are always ample and delicious. In the photo, Ken is helping my bro-in-law Leroy and his daughter Kate to prepare strawberries for yogurt parfaits. Behind them, my sister Faye and her daughter Becca are furthering the breakfast preparations on the last morning the Tribe was together.

Here are Mom and Dad Schrock hanging out with their grandson Jordan (my bro Eric & Julia's youngest son) after a meal at the Reunion. This is a very typical scene depicting the interest my parents take in their grandchildren. During the time of sharing memories and blessing Mom & Dad at their birthday party*, many of the grandchildren attested to this fact! 

                                     📷 ~ Kerra Martin

It was sad that Kayleen & Carlin couldn't come to the Reunion because the twins were recovering from Hand, Foot, & Mouth disease. We were so happy that it worked out for their family to come to our house for a few days afterward, though. My parents and some of my twin's family were staying here at the same time. It was a lovely mini after-reunion. In the twins-with-twins photo, Eva is sitting in front of Great-aunt Annette, and Eleanor is in front of Grandma Danette.

We had the pleasure of hosting my mom and dad several times over the summer. They stayed with us for a time both before and after the Tribe of Dan Reunion. Mom helped me "bake up a storm" in the kitchen as we prepared reunion food, and she & Dad helped me get ready for the event in numerous other ways. Honestly, I don't know how I would've gotten ready for the reunion in time without them. (and it wouldn't have been nearly as fun!)

It was a special treat to be invited to our friends Gerald & Verna Martin's house for supper one evening while Mom and Dad were around. A bonus of the visit was having the opportunity to interact with Judy Martin (Gerald's sister) again. 

Some observations about Church Camping Weekend this year: 

1. Since Ken and I are the senior couple on the Oasis Social Committee, we had some significant responsibility in hosting this event, which was our third time this summer to fill a similar role. (It had also been our turn to host Martin Camping and the Schrock Reunion; in the future, we may refer back to 2024 as the Year of Host the Most) 

2. It was sad that some of our good friends and family members were missing from our church group this year. Some had moved away, and others (including our son and his small tribe) had left Oasis in search of another church home. 

3. Games are a staple at Oasis Camping. (see the above pic)

4. Sharing "a page or a paragraph" of inspiration with others around the campfire circle is a meaningful exercise at Church Camping. 

5. Sharing a "low country boil" around the table is a tasty tradition at Church Camping.

Some of my flowers and garden produce went nuts this year! 

Over the summer, I did a number of fun mother-daughter things with Kerra, including picking blueberries in a pick-your-own patch near Lake Erie.  The patch is in the same area as Martin's orchards (near Vienna, Ontario); we met up with Ken at his work place after we were done picking berries, and he took us out for lunch - a tasty fish dinner - in nearby Port Burwell. Yum!

Ken's sister Laurel Yoder and some of her children were in our area during Music Camp Week. We enjoyed sharing an outdoor supper with them on our patio one evening.

                                     📷 ~ Steve Martin

Also, while Laurel was around, the Martin Ladies got together at my SIL Rose's house for a birthday party. We celebrated Laurel's March birthday and my June birthday at the end of July, and it worked just fine. Rose's hospitality and artful decorating, the beautiful food (all of my SILs are amazing cooks), the outdoor setting, a lovely assortment of gifts, and lively conversation all came togther to create a memorable gathering. Photo, L to R: Marge, Chris, Janet, Colleen, Sharon, Laurel, Danette, Mom, Rose

At the end of July, Ken and I traveled to Ohio to attend the memorial service of Joshua Bechtel, a young 40-something man who passed away suddenly from a heart aneurysm. Our main purpose in going to the funeral was to show our support for my twin and her husband Nolan, who is Josh's brother by adoption. We had personally known Josh, too, mainly through some interesting and meaningful interactions on social media. I felt like I got to know him a little better through the memories that people shared at his farewell service. He was unique, thought-full, and artistic; a man who left a significant impact on those in his sphere of influence. 

For our Kenites cottage time this year, we gathered for a few days at an Airbnb in the Niagara-on-the-Lake region. The house was located in the middle of a peach orchard, and we were allowed to help ourselves to the ripe fruit. We could just reach out the window (not quite true!) to pick and eat peaches any time we wanted. Which happened to be not very often, since occupying one five-year-old and five one-year-olds takes up all of the time (not quite true!) when you're at the cottage. 

We tried to follow our custom of taking the Kenites to Walker's Market for peach ice cream when we are in peach country, but it's pretty hard to keep the tradition (and not to mention, disappointing) when they don't have peach ice cream on hand. We did get other kinds of ice cream though. Which did not disappoint. 

In August, we were privileged to attend the wedding of our nephew Wyn Yoder & Erika Coblentz in Greeneville, Tennessee. It was a beautiful wedding in every way! Perhaps it included more tears than some, because of the numerous references to the memory of Verlynn (the groom's late father), but I thought that the blend of joy and sorrow brought a special richness to the day. Photos: the brand-new couple, and the groom with his mother Laurel

On our way home from the wedding in Tennessee, we made a last-minute decision to swing around by Guys Mills, PA and surprise Carlins by dropping in at their place unannounced. Our surprise worked! We spent a fun couple of hours with their little family before heading home. We would've stayed longer, but we had to be back home in decent time for VBS starting the next morning.

For our church's biking social in August, we biked on a section of an old rail trail between two Ontario cities, Cambridge and Paris. After a morning of thunderstorms, the weather broke, and we had a beautiful afternoon for our bike ride along the Grand River. 

Following the biking aspect of the social, we met at a park for a potluck picnic supper. Our pastor Richard & Corleen Bean and family joined the group for the meal and the after-fellowship. With great pleasure, we welcomed them back from Thailand, where they had been living for the last year. The photo above shows them getting reacquainted with Clint Horst, only one of the many people who are glad to have the "transplanted Beans" back home. 

                                                    📷 ~ Ken Martin

On August 22, Ken reached the half-way point, our antipode, in his walk around the world. A location's antipode is its very opposite place on the globe. Ours is somewhere southwest of Australia, deep in the Indian Ocean. (no, that is not the ocean behind Ken in the photo, it is the waters of Lake Erie) He is planning to walk the distance equivalent to walking around the world (24,901 miles/40,075 kilometers) in ten years, and now he has gone half the distance in a little over five years. I'm proud of my man's accomplishment of keeping on track with his walking goals. 

We traveled to the States for another wedding, only two weeks after Wyn & Erika's. This time, we were privileged to attend Kenton Shantz & Callie Shenk's wedding in Harrison, Arkansas. Kenton is a fine young man from our church, and we are delighted that he and his lovely bride are making their home in this area. 

Ken & I and Kerra loved having church friends to travel with and hang out with in Arkansas. Rich and Cor Bean and Jacie Horst went with us to Kenton & Callie's wedding. We stayed at a very nice cabin and had lots of great conversations - during our watermelon party, and otherwise.

                                                                    📷 ~ Jacie Horst

We had time to do a bit of hiking in the Harrison, Arkansas area before attending the wedding. Since I taught school in Mountain View, Arkansas, back in the '80's, it was very nostalgic for me to visit Ozark country again, after all these years. 

I never tire of viewing harvest scenes around here this time of year!

* Dad is turning 80 and Mom is turning 70 in December, so we celebrated their birthdays early while the family was together for the ToD Reunion. At the celebration, everyone had a chance to share a memory, words of appreciation, and/or a blessing for Mom and Dad. We gave them a gift of money to use for purchasing outdoor plants and flowerbed accessories. My sister-in-law Margie did the party decorations with the most gorgeous flower arrangements. For the refreshments, my sister Faye had the splendid idea to do a charcuterie board, to which we would all contribute. The end result of this plan was the largest, most diverse charcuterie spread I've ever laid eyes or mouth upon. It was amazing! (as you may have noticed in the very first photo of the lineup) Remembering the fun of helping to plan, assemble, and partake of the charcuterie spread is what gave me the idea for this blog post.

What's the tastiest item from your summer charcuterie board? 

What Might Happen When You Teach a Week of VBS

You become adept at juggling your summer schedule. When you3@home are at your nephew's wedding in Tennessee and the relatives are standing around afterward, comparing heading-back-home times, or the locals are asking how long you're sticking around, you overhear your husband explaining more than once that you're starting for home already the next morning and doing the trip all in one shot because his wife and daughter need to be home for teaching VBS on Monday morning.

The main VBS teacher that you are assisting in the Preschool Class has asked you to look after the crafts aspect of the daily lesson, and you consent because it is something you love, and not because you have all the time in the world these weeks to gather ideas and materials. So you snatch the moments that you can, for preparing five different crafts that coincide with the five Bible stories that the main teacher has selected from the ten-lesson book. This means that, while you ride in the van on the route to Tennessee, you cut out Days of Creation strips (to eventually feed through slots on paper plates like a film strip) and divide sheets of animal and flower stickers into smaller sections for kindergarteners to select with (hopefully) less reason to fight over.

You develop a special interest in Pinterest, and gratefully harvest from idea fields in which you have neither planted nor watered.

Sheets of construction paper, scissors, glue stick, markers, templates, cardstock, yarn, staples, craft demos, to-do lists, foamies (yeah, I didn't know that's what thin, rubbery sheets of craft foam are called, either), paper scraps, and metal paper fasteners accumulate on your dining toom table. You won't be able to see the entire wood of the tabletop for at least a week.

One day on the way home from Bible School you remember how barren of lunch items your fridge is becoming and you decide to swing in at Arby's for a beef-n-cheddar copout (otherwise known as combo) for yourself and one for your co-teacher daughter, who is as pleased with the decision as you are.

While traveling to and from the church, you play silly games that your five-year-old grandson instigates. "Let's tell jokes," he'll say. He'll opt to be the joker, so he can ask either his auntie or you a strange question, fully expecting a crazy response in return. Whoever answers correctly (according to him) gets to be the joker next. "Grandma," he might say, "What did the dump truck use to get rid of its load?" You guess something off the wall like "Curtains!" and he'll tell you whether you're right or wrong, or if your guess is close. (you'll probably be wrong; curtains are too far removed from pancake turners to count...forks would have been closer) The grandson's answers could end up being as entertaining as his joke questions. (Like the time he answered his auntie's question "Why did the farmer plant eggs in his field?" with "Because his chickens couldn't plant them!")

During snack time at Bible School, you look around the circle of preschoolers licking melty popsicles and you do the grandma thing of providing wet wipes and hope that no one catches on that the real reason you vounteer for Clean-up Duty is not having to participate in any recess activities. In other words, you don't need to creak your knobby knees up and down in Duck, Duck, Goose, sneak and dart around the building in Peek Around the Corner, or outrace runners in a dizzying circle of preschoolers in Too Late For Supper.

Watching the children experiencing VBS reminds you of your own student days at Summer Bible School. Lining up in rows according to age and grade outside the front doors of a little white church tucked among the pines and birches of Northwoods Beach. Filing inside (bare feet across the scratchy entry mat) while singing "Come to Bible School" and sitting on the wooden benches of the auditorium for assembly, hoping the leader has something in a brown paper bag he's going to use for an illustration. Listening with anticipation to the superintendent's announcement of the attendance number and offering amount and getting so excited when it's higher than the day before. Adoring your teacher, especially the one who remembered you and your twin's birthday that week and brought in a homemade treat to celebrate, each student in the class receiving a large cookie with his/her name written on top in blue frosting. Fifty children belting out favorite songs and memory verses during whole-school practice for the program given to parents and friends on the last Friday night of Bible School. 

You notice that the various personalities exhibited by the youngsters in craft class are not all that different from those you might find in a group of adults, really. There's the kindergartener who amasses ridges of glue on the page but then begs to go wash her hands because she can't stand the excess stickiness on her fingers. And the precise chap who takes longer than all the rest to write his name because he's putting curlicues on the tails of his initials. There's also the one who can multi-task already at five years old - humming a tune while coloring his baby basket for Moses a startling blue. (Do you know what song that is? he stops the humming to ask his teacher, and supplies the answer when she doesn't know: "What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor?")

During assembly, you get a certain lump in your throat at hearing a chorus of young voices earnestly singing "I am a Christian and my name is Pilgrim; I'm on a journey but I'm not alone..." and reciting the week's memory verse, "He looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." (Hebrews 11:10) That certain feeling, probably brought on by wonder overload, comes also when you see a student allowing another classmate to go first or sharing a coveted marker, or when you watch staff members going out of their way to entertain a student with special needs. 

Throughout the whole week of VBS, you get reminders, both large and small, of how truly awesome our God is. 

What are your memories of attending (or teaching) VBS?

  

Week Four of A Series in May: Recognizing His Ways

This blog post is the fourth and last in a series of some God-discoveries I made during the month of May. To go back and read previous posts, click here for #1, here for #2, and here for #3 in the series. 

Day Twenty-two:

In Walmart today, I observed a Mennonite mother shopping with her two young boys. The mom used one arm to push a grocery cart while she jostled her fussing baby on her other arm, and the preschooler tagged along beside. Later, I heard the baby wailing at different times as the mom made her way throughout the store. She and I ended up beside each other at the self-checkouts then, and I promised myself that I'd give her a hand as soon as I had rung all of my items through. But before that could happen, another customer - a pleasant-faced, stocky man who looked to be in his 60's - came by and asked if he could help her. Well, she didn't know...for half a minute she hesitated, but then...the things at the bottom of my cart are kind of heavy, she conceded... And immediately the man came around to her checkout counter and began lifting the heavy things, scanning the items, entertaining the 4-yr-old, packing the bags, and arranging the entire grocery lot back into her cart. When I was fixing to leave the store, the mom was paying for her items while he waited by the loaded cart, having indicated to her beforehand that he would also push the full cart out to the parking lot and unload the bags into her vehicle. 

Today, when I watched a stranger help the mom who had her arms full (literally!), I caught a glimpse of God. 

He notices a need, and makes full provision for it. 

Day Twenty-three:

Tonight Ken and I got to spend some time with two other couples who have been our friends for years. At these gatherings, each of us ladies supplies a main dish, a salad, or a dessert for our shared meal, and then we rave about each other's food, ask about the recipes, and go back for seconds. The six of us gab almost non-stop. We hardly have enough time to catch up on news of our families and our communities. And there are always reminisces to dig up from past gatherings, to exclaim or to re-laugh over. Times with old friends are a treasured gift, I thought, as we pulled ourselves away from the cozy circle around the campfire to head home. 

Today, when relaxing the company of comfortable people, I caught a glimpse of God.

He allows us to grow old with friends.

Day Twenty-four:

I love when Kerra shares with Ken and me some little tidbit of her school life. It sparks delight into my day to hear of the humor that Grade Two students can generate. Such as the time one of them asked their teacher when they're going to do "the cattail tests". (I can easily see how that happened...those imposing Canadian Achievement Tests have CAT right in their name!). And when you can't think of the word "airport" while telling the story of a friend's flight delay, you can always substitute with "plane station". (I mean - train station, plane station - why not?😊) 

Today, when hearing the humorous sayings of children, I caught a glimpse of God. 

He gives us a different perspective on things in life, through little people.

Day Twenty-five:

I joined Ken on his walk this afternoon. We went on the paved RIM Park trail which meanders through swamp land and wooded area bordering the Grand River. Part way into our walk, I suggested that we could go our separate ways for a while, to benefit us both. He could go to the end of the trail at the speed he normally uses for his daily walks and I wouldn't slow him down. I could turn around and go back along the trail at a speed more conducive to photo-taking and he could catch up to me on his return trip, making it possible for us to finish the walk together. At one point after I was on the trail alone, the sun broke out of a sky that had been heavy with rain clouds all day. The section of the path ahead of me was bathed in light and I walked into it, feeling so noticed and cared for. 

Today, when I entered the sunlit stretch of trail, I caught a glimpse of God.

He lights and warms my way with His love.

Day Twenty-six:

Some of the peace-themed songs we sang during worship time at church tend to stir up poignant memories for me. "Peace, Perfect Peace" takes me right back to the graveside service in which we buried our too-tiny baby Randy. "Perfect peace, really? Even with death shadowing us and ours? Yes, Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers!" Singing "Like a River, Glorious" makes me think of hearing it for the first time during prayer meeting at Northwoods the week Ken and I got married. I was quite stressed out at times those days, and the song brought such good, calming reminders. "Stayed upon Jehovah, not a surge of worry, shade of care or blast of hurry can touch my spirit." The looking back during worship time this morning somehow helped to bring assurance of peace in Jesus as I look ahead. 

This morning, when I sang with my Oasis Church family, I caught a glimpse of God. 

He is my Prince of Peace.

Day Twenty-seven: 

I had a lovely evening with my mom-in-law and sisters-in-law celebrating the two ladies among us who have birthdays this month. We went to a fancy restaurant for dinner, and enjoyed tasty entrees and dessert and pleasant conversation while seated in comfortable, padded wooden chairs around a large table. Near the end of meal, one of the ladies got up to leave the table for a washroom break. She gasped in astonishment and held up a round metal waiter's tray to show the rest of us. "I was sitting on this the whole time!" she chortled. What?? How could she have not known it? Not felt the 3/4-inch-high lip on the tray? The whole time!! She was such a good sport, but this was just too funny. We all sat there and howled with incredulous laughter. 

Tonight, when my in-laws and I "lost it" laughing, I caught a glimpse of God. 

He uses humor to refresh us. 

Day Twenty-eight:

During my quiet time this morning, I pondered the lyrics to the song "Near to the Heart of God", not knowing that I would see its theme illustrated later on in the day. I got a call from our son (the triplet-dad) asking if he could bring Piper over to stay with me while he takes Jude in to the ER to get checked out for respiratory problems. Jude's symptoms were similar to the ones for which his brother Quinn was admitted to the hospital yesterday. I said of course Piper could come. She has a cold too, but it hasn't gotten as bad as her siblings' illness, thankfully. She played quite contentedly, but at nap time she got restless and wasn't able to settle. I couldn't blame her for crying, knowing she was in a rather strange place and placed in a pack-n-play instead of her own bed to try to fall asleep in. And her mom and dad were gone, caring for her brothers who were both hospitalized with a nasty respiratory virus. When I picked her up, I was surprised that she clung to me, because she's been known to act more delighted when I leave than when I come to their house! (since I'm not her mom) I guess because I was the only adult available today, Piper nestled in my arms, laid her head on my chest, and fell asleep. I think God wanted to show me what it could look like to take my cares and worries of the day to Him, nestle down near to His heart, and rest.

Today, when I cuddled Piper on the couch (and eventually we both fell asleep), I caught a glimpse of God.

He offers a place of quiet rest near to His heart.

Day Twenty-nine:

I had a different outlook on life today than I had yesterday. My sick grandsons made great strides toward better health. Jude got to go home from the hospital already, and Quinn was so much better that Joy thinks he will surely get discharged tomorrow morning. The triplets' other grandma was on babysitting duty, so I was free to go and do the big shopping trip necessary for heading up the Martin Family Camping event this coming weekend. I even had time to visit my elderly friend in the hospital tonight, and while I was there, I popped in for a quick chat with Joy and Quinn in the pediatric unit. It was delightful to see that the Quinn-grin is back in working order. Thank you, Jesus! Then I came home so upbeat in spirit that I went and ate too many snacks and scrolled too much Facebook. The result was regret and guilt. Why can't I allow both sorrow and joy to draw me to the heart of God?

Tonight, when I thought about the contrast in my moods between yesterday and today, I caught a glimpse of God.

He reminds me that only He can truly satisfy. 

Day Thirty:

I finished the book that Sarah J. Martin wrote about lessons she's learning from seven teachers - her children. She ends the book with a very fitting story of her young daughter wanting to be carried "until they were home" even though the distance was only to the house from the trampoline in the back yard, and she was getting almost too big to be carried. Reading about it reminded me of how touching I found the song "Jesus Led Me All the Way", when our friend Bear sang it in his deep, expressive voice. I know that when I get to heaven and meet Jesus face to face, I will testify that I'm here only because He led me all the way. And I shall thank Him especially for the times He picked me up when I, like Sarah's daughter in her book, wanted Him to be the One to carry me until we're Home. 

Today, when I read about Jayna wanting her mom to carry her all the way home, I caught a glimpse of God. 

He'll be with me all the way.

Day Thirty-one:

Since Carlin and Kayleen and the twins arrived here last night, my daughter was present on The Day Of in the lineup of preparing-and-packing days for Martin Family Camping. Kayleen offered to help me in the kitchen during the twins' nap times. She helped me "pull" the pork for the Sunday lunch our family was designated to supply, taste-tested the homemade BBQ sauce and assisted me in deciding how wet to make the pork with said sauce. She diced the red bell peppers for the pineapple salsa. She shredded the cabbage and carrots for the coleslaw - enough to stuff a fix-n-mix bowl tight full - and confirmed that the amount would suffice as a side dish for feeding 70+ people. Then she did up the dishes and wiped the counters. Every time, I am amazed anew at just how much can be accomplished by partnership with my girls in the kitchen.

Today, while working with Kayleen on Camping preparations, I caught a glimpse of God.

He astonishes me with His help.

Reflections, in closing: I started out this series with a desire to know God in deeper, richer ways. Now, at the end of this discovery month, I can't say that I know God fully. (Can we ever say that?) But He has opened my eyes and heart to Him, and I am so grateful for all the daily glimpses. I want to keep getting a fuller picture of who He is, in the months and years to come. 

How has God been showing Himself to you lately?