This week on Jean: Baseball and the old order Mennonites.

Jean is old order Mennonite from New York State.Jean and her husband David and family live on a dairy farm, and travel their community using horse and buggy. She tells her story exclusively on Amish Stories. Richard asked if we play baseball. The Old Order Mennonite most common sports are baseball and volleyball. The children usually learn to play baseball during their school years. Baseball is played at recess a lot in the Fall and Spring. Of course there are exception’s to that rule. Now that David Jr. has learned to walk-Dad David wants to buy him a plastic baseball bat and ball this Spring. Not to far from our house is a field and lots of times young folks play baseball there. Many times folks get together and play ball at someones home. Michael goes to Martha’s house to play baseball. Of course with nine children Martha has her own team. LOL- We don’t play baseball at our house too often after the girl hit the baseball through our bedroom window. There really isn’t that much room! Adults also play baseball, every year at the end of school there is a baseball game where the boy students play their Fathers. The ladies usually sit, talk and cheer on the teams, girls play as well as boys. We have a few girls and ladies that hit better than some boys or men. If a team is short a person or two, I have been called into play. I am not a hitter, but I am a runner. I remember when we were courting and I couldn’t hit a baseball-when it came my turn to hit David stood behind and he hit it. I ran the bases. That’s been years ago and I never forgot that. Men and young folks also like the baseball teams, Michael and David like the New York Yankees. Although we don’t sit and watch baseball on TV, the men get the scores. Sometimes Michael will see a game at a friends house. The Firehouse has a room where the fellows can rest after they get back from a fire and that has a television in it and if a baseball game is on-they watch it. Also many stores and restaurants have televisions in them. Michael would like to go to Yankee Stadium and see them play live with David. For Old Order Mennonites that is unusual, so  David is trying to justify the cost for that trip. They would both have to have bus fair and maybe a hotel room, meals, game cost and more. There is that cost, but with all the expenses we found out about after the fire-David is thinking. We have spoken to our meeting (church) about it and due to Michael not being Old Order Mennonite it was OK for both of them to go at some point, David thought maybe an early gift for Michael’s birthday-we’ll see how finances are then. It would be a one time experience because we would not do it again. Be With God. Jean

Hot Potato Salad with Bacon Specks (Mennonite) recipe. From Recipe goldmine.

4 slices lean bacon

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup hot water

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoon Boiled Dressing

1 tablespoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 cups diced, hot, boiled potatoes

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon finely chopped chives

Additional heavy cream (optional)

2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove and crumble. Drain off all fat except 1 tablespoon, return to medium heat, add onions and celery. Stir in flour to coat the vegetables. Add water, stir and cook till thickened. Remove from the heat and blend in the cream, boiled dressing, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour over the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the parsley and chives. Mix well to blend flavors. Add more cream if desired, taste, add salt if desired. Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top and garnish with the sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Boiled Dressing:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 cup vinegar

2 eggs, well beaten

1 tablespoon butter

Combine sugar, salt, and mustard in the top of a double boiler. Add vinegar. Stir to combine. Add well-beaten eggs. Place over moderately boiling water. Stir until the mixture is creamy about the consistency of custard. Beat in the butter. Cool. This dressing may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator, and will keep up to two weeks. From www.Recipegoldmine.com

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