If there’s any spot that symbolizes to me the country community near Oakland, Maryland, it’s Saffiticker’s Ice Cream, just down the road from our farm.
To celebrate milestones–the end of haying, say, or 80 jars of pears put away–we take our golf cart across 219–a busy highway quieted by darkness–to the hayfield just across the road. We zoom down field paths, night wind whipping our faces. Rare luxury to me, this traversing of neighbors’ fields without permission, and perfectly normal to Ivan. The New Order Amish around here use field borders as roads for their Gators and four wheelers, and everyone thinks it is normal.
We cross several hayfields, pass a brown wall of corn and a herd of Holsteins, crest a hill and a particularly deep rut at the bottom of it, and pull up just across from the ice cream stand. We wait in line—there is always a line at Saffiticker’s—and order a soft serve or banana boat or perhaps the fall specialty advertised on star-shaped fluorescent cardstock: a pecan pie flurry. Cash or Check, says a handwritten sign in the window. It is illustrated with a colored-marker drawing of a green dollar bill and a check signed by Bob of 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney. (Recognize the address, anyone?)
Saffiticker’s symbolizes to me the idyllic country life of Pleasant Valley, with its rural bakeries and cafes, its bearded farmers and friendly, hardworking farmwives, while 219 represents the bustling urban centers to the north and east that help to support it. An ice cream store out in the country just wasn’t done in the forgotten spot of the world where I was born. There weren’t enough people to keep it in business.
Some customers sit at picnic tables to eat, but we return to our golf cart to lick our ice cream in some farmer’s star-lined field, away from the streaming gray ribbon of 219.
You two look so happy; you even smile alike.
One strong memory of my growing up Mennonite is all the last names with 4-5 syllables: Raffensberger, Diffenderfer, Stonesifer, and Emenheiser. The mention of Saffiticker’s Ice Cream reminded me of those familiar names in PA Dutch country.
This is interesting Marian. I hadn’t thought of Saffitickers as a Mennonite name, but maybe it does have the same roots.
Thanks for sharing about crossing the neighbors fields without permission. That was interesting !!
80 jars of pears put away………I assume that is pt jars not qt jars. :)
I also assume you had some help :)
I enjoy reading what you write…….keep writing !!
It was 80 quarts, for us and Ivan’s parents. :) We did have help.
I am far from home at the moment, so your post brought a huge smile to my face! No place like Pleasant Valley! :)
Glad to bring some joy to your day. :)
Oh, Luci! They say the longer you are married to someone, the more you resemble each other. This picture makes it look like you two have it mastered already, and it looks good!
:) good to hear.
You live near my Great Aunt Susie! The way you describe your community does indeed match with the little that I have seen of it when stopped by to visit Aunt Susie and Clarence.
You live near my Great Aunt Susie! The way you describe your community does indeed match with the little that I have seen of it when stopped by to visit Aunt Susie and Clarence. You make it sound like a delightful place!