“About me, you can do it this way,” they say. Instead of “As far as I’m concerned…” or “I like…” as I’ve always heard it before.
“I don’t know did it come down or not,” they say—and they are not asking a question. The words carry the same meaning and inflection as, “I don’t know if it came down or not,” as I’ve always heard it before.
I don’t know is this how all people with a Deutsch background talk or is this unique to Oakland …. I only know I like it. Their voices are warm and friendly. They talk English around me, because I don’t know the German—yet—but their accent is unmistakably Deutsch.
And no, not everyone around here has an Amish or Mennonite background. There are “regular” people, too, but here in Pleasant Valley, you see the unmistakable presence of Anabaptists—the country cafes and fabric-&-notions stores and large gardens and small bakeries and signs advertising eggs. It gives one a feeling of prosperity in a wholesome, country sort of way.
Rusk County was country, too, but rougher around the edges.
In Oakland, I’ve learned to see Gators and tractors and cars parked together at a community event as perfectly normal and to wave at a family riding through town in their tractor without a blink of surprise. I’ve learned to look at an Amish person, not as quaint or isolated—and I know that sounds ironic coming from a conservative Mennonite girl—but as a normal person with a unique perspective on life, like me.
I’ve learned what a moon pie is, and bread soup, and to appreciate home-canned peaches.
I’m feeling quite domestic these days. I like picking bouquets of zinnias from my garden and slicing squash and baking bread. Never thought I’d say this, but there are few pleasures in life as profound as cleaning my house on a Saturday or taking freshly washed sheets from the line.
Isn’t that crazy? I told someone recently that I don’t find my identity in my housework, and I realized after I said it that it’s a lie. I’m just like all those ladies in Keepers at Home whose lives I used to think boring and mundane. I care about a clean house and pretty flowers and hospitality and good cooking. I care about other things, too—but I also care about those things.
I am still amazed that I ended up in Oakland. I thought I’d be starting a halfway house in Rusk County, maybe, or mixing with internationals in a city, or counseling sexual abuse survivors in the North. I still don’t know completely what the future holds, but I do know God understood me better than I understood myself when He planned for me this man, this family, this community.
We fit together.
I love your posts, Lucina! I was raised in Oakland and it doesn’t matter how far across the ocean you go or how long its been since you’ve been back to visit… I still love Oakland and its people!! Keep writing and posting pictures… I love it!
Love the glimpse into your life. It makes me want to share a cup of coffee with you…I love that you are so genuine…looking forward to your next post. Have a blessed day. 💕☕️☕️💕
I would totally take you up on that cup of coffee! If you’re ever through Oakland, stop in an have one with me.
You have such a good way with words. Takes me back to our first year(s) of marriage!
Wonderful to hear, Lucinda! I’ve followed your blog since I read your book ‘Anything But Simple’.
I’m glad you fit!
This reminds me of my experience, though I was only eighteen when I married.
In girlhood, I was a tomboy, my dad’s right hand. I hated housework and never grew weary of the girls my age always wanting to hold babies when we were together. Can’t we just play?
I was a dreamer, a poet, a dawdler. And I’m just glad that no one told me I could choose to be whatever gender I wanted, for I am pretty sure I would have chosen to be a boy.
When I married, that all changed! I LOVED caring for my house, cooking beautiful and tasty meals.I loved being a wife and a homemaker and I took to motherhood like a duck to water.
Now that my children are grown, I’m taking up the causes I might have taken up had I remained single. Advocacy, writing, and speaking for women, among other things. I still love my home, but it isn’t my central passion as in my youth. But always, I am glad I am woman.
This post makes me really happy, and keeps my faith in the power and resilience of womanhood strong. Thanks, Lucinda
God bless your home and raise you up, a mother in Israel!
Thank you, Gwen. That’s a beautiful blessing. And I love that you are now taking up the causes you didn’t have a chance to when the children were young. That’s wonderful and keeps MY faith in the power and resilience of womanhood strong.
I can identify with some of the things you said because I was raised in Penna with Mennonites and when I married 54 yrs ago I moved South where my husband lived. His parents were early missionaries who came South to do VBS in 1949. I came to B-Ham AL in 1964 and lived in a VS. unit there and worked as an LPN nurse in a hospital in B-Ham.
Since there were no Menn. churches in B-Ham at the time we visited other denomination churches in B-Ham and sometimes we drove 45 minutes to St. Mt Mennonite church where my hubby attended church. We married two years later in 1966. Wedding at Lancaster Mennonite School where I graduated from and set up housekeeping in South ALabama.
I find myself saying things like “bless your heart” (it has a variety of meanings depends the tone of voice you say it in :)”
Also I say “yes, mam & yes, sir” etc. Each culture has it’s own language :) Our grandson in Ohio thinks it is funny that I say “Bless your heart” so often. :)
Keep writing…..I enjoy what you write about.,
I also enjoy baking homemade bread…..just pulled 4 fresh loaves out of the oven…I also enjoy cooking and hanging my laundry outside on the line which is so very foreign to my neighbors and people here in the South !!
Need to get busy and wash Scuppernongs (a Southern grape) to cook and can the juice……
I love the southern “Bless your heart.” :)
And 1964 in Birmingham, Alabama! What a very interesting and vital time to be there. Did you see anything of or participate in the Civil Rights movements happening around that time?
I forgot to ask…….what is the recipe for moon pies?? they looked so good :)
I’ve never made them, only bought them…but I will try to get the recipe and share it in a future post. :)
“You don’t have to about me” still has my husband shaking his head. When I’ve been back home to Garrett County, I come back talking like it. My kids always said they could tell I’d been back home because I slipped back into that dialect.
Very cool. :)
Did you purposely retain and post the license plate of that closest vehicle? I wonder why Google Street view always blurs out that kind of interesting detail.
You know, I never once noticed the license plate…I guess my attention was taken by the Gators and tractors in the line up.
What’s the recipe for bread soup? When I was growing up, we sometimes had what we called (in Pennsylvania Dutch) kalde milich sup – cold milk soup – for summer suppers. It was made with sweetened milk, bread cubes, and fresh fruit in season. I’m curious if it’s the same thing as your bread soup.
My mom taught me to do cold bread soup like that! She had it as an occasional snack, and I liked to fix a bowl for myself, too. This bread soup is a warm bread soup. I will try to get the recipe and share it in a future post.
Thanks – I’ll look forward to seeing the recipe when it’s handy for you to share it.
This is a beautiful picture of the two of you, beaming with sunshine and happiness. And yes, I too have found much more contentment in being pretty much a homemaker, so to speak, here in retirement. At this point I don’t have any major volunteer commitments other than some with and for the church, and occasional things with our Lions Club, but I enjoy our house, cleaning and certainly gardening (well, I get tired and worn out too especially on the hot days). I love arranging flowers, but don’t have anyone to take them to just now, with all the nursing homes etc. closed to visitors. I like your reflections on the differences you are finding between yourselves and these German-speaking Anabaptists. Is it real German, or Penn. Dutch. ?? Anyway, I think we were able to get together about 3 years ago when you passed through Harrisonburg. Keeping you in mind if we get up in Western Maryland with extra time.
It’s Pennsylvania Dutch, not real German. I should have clarified that. I would love to get together with you one of these days. Do let us know if you have an opportunity.
I love the photos and the sentiment here. You sound so content.
By the way, you can come clean my house any day of the week, except Sunday, of course. And about the photo with the feet: I’d be afraid you’d get ouchies, walking in the field with sandals like that! :-D
I only like cleaning my house, Marian. Not other people’s. 😅 Never once thought of being scared of ouchies! But then I was on a path and just stepped off.
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