Church Harvest Party

Everyone is all tucked into bed after a pretty busy day. Even John went up earlier than usual this evenin'.  I am finally going to write down my remembrance of last Sunday at church and the harvest party before I forget the details!

After Lila left I waited until John and I had a few minutes of quiet. The children had their lunch and were being entertained with a radio show so I made a nice pot of coffee and John and I had a tasty slice of pie with it on the porch.  I told him of Lila's invitation and he sat quiet for what seemed like an eternity!  Finally , he said he 'sposed there would be no reason to refuse the invite, might prove right fun for the children and we maybe ought to be thinkin' of getting the children to church. I was hoping he would feel this way!

We told the children of the following day's plans and they just about jumped out of thier britches with excitement. Soon as I cleared the snack away I went into the house to make preparations. John came in and said we ought to attend the service, didn't seem quite right to just show up for a party. Oh boy!!!  I set about getting a nice little dress and socks ready for Ruth Ann and the best pants and shirts for my boys.  For John I set about putting his good shirt and trousers out and spot shined his shoes. They were a bit old and worn , but they would have to do. Money was still scarce, but maybe by Christmas new shoes for this family can be bought, well, I hope anyway.  My dark voile dress would have to do, but I was planning on finishing up my new dress I cut out last week. Oh, such a pretty pattern of violets on it, but that would just have to wait. 

I also knew I couldn't go empty handed to the potluck so I fried up a double batch of chicken, one for that night's sup and the rest to take with us. I made a potato salad with a vinegar dressing and went down to the cellar to get a couple jars of my homemade pickles. 

The old picnic hamper hadn't been used in ages so I washed that and the pie basket and was packing a few linen things just in case when I recalled that Lila said the children would be bobbin' for apples. I had the children get two baskets of our finest rambo's together and set that on the porch to take--oh, I declare they were greatly appreciated and I think I may have drummed up a bit of business for our orchard.

The children didn't know what to expect at a church service ,but they sat in the old wooden pew just as quiet as church mice and took it all in. It was a very interesting sermon. The pastor talked about how our sins could be forgiven and a new start made if we just accepted Jesus as Lord of our life. Each of the children got a Bible to take home too!  John even sang the old hymns! My what a voice he had, I had almost forgotten how deep and peaceful sounding his baritone was.

We met so many nice families and elderly folks that day. I was thankful to have brought my hamper of chicken and fixins'. Lila told me over and over how wonderful my fried chicken and pickles were and another lady asked for my potato salad recipe! I loved seeing how the ladies all worked together at getting the lunch set out while the menfolk helped the children stuff shirts and old trousers to make scarecrows for the fields.

After lunch the children bobbed for apples and little Jim was the winner! He got himself a blue riboon for best apple bobber! He had a smile a mile wide all afternoon. Ruth Ann had a wonderful time playing jacks and paper dolls with the little girls. And Bobby was just as happy as a clam jumping hay bales that had been set up as a maze for the youngins. 

After dessert  they judged the best scarecrow and a little boy of about 12 won that contest.  He said his was named Paul Bunyan and he did look the part. Those church ladies know how to bake, why I am  an amateur compared to them!   Of course, John said the only pie he had eyes for was mine, sweet man.  Such delicious pumpkin and squash pies, mincemeat squares, apple tarts and blueberry buckle--everything was all too tasty!

When we were leaving people were so gracious, hoping we would come again, inviting the children to their Sunday School classes and just being right neighborly in general. 

 On the ride home John commented that he couldn't remember having such a fun day in many years and I heartily agreed. Of course, the children were already full of questions about when we could go back to church again. I am prayin' John suggests we go back this Sunday. 

Well now off to bed with me too! Tomorrow I got  to get all my pumpkins and squash canned so I will have a good supply for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am looking forward to making the holidays memorable this year. I even have a doll I am sewing for Ruth Ann and new hats, scarves and mittens knitted up for the boys.  But I will write about that later....