Neighborly

Ross County, Ohio, boasts quite a large farming community, especially here in Buckskin Township. Over the last 10-15 years, a significant number of farms around us have been bought by Mennonites coming from their very crowded region of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. A more neighborly group of folks you will never meet. Cordial, kind, considerate, resourceful, helpful, and giving - they demonstrate their simple ways in every encounter I've ever had with them.

We have come to know them pretty well because DH drives their children to and from school (our group is a horse-and-buggy group). I have been asked on occasion to drive a neighbor woman, Kathaleen,  to her job when her regular ride is unavailable. I love doing it, and look forward to visiting with her on our short ride to Frankfort - about 6-7 miles. Sometimes I get the bonus of her sister Betty needing a ride, too, which doubles the fun. Just for the summer, I am driving Kathaleen to work every Thursday morning.

I offer all these details as background for you to properly understand the tale I am about to tell. The neighborly nature of these folks can be summed up with the following little story.

A week before the Frienzies luncheon, I mentioned to Kathaleen that I would like to put in an order for 4 quarts of strawberries from her parents' berry patch, to be picked up the morning of the luncheon. She said she would be sure to make note of it. I also asked if I could pop in to the market where she works (The Old Homeplace) and buy an angel food cake to serve at the luncheon with the berries.

Problem! She wasn't going to need a ride on that particular morning, as she'd taken the day off for the Ascension services at their church. She had a solution, though, for a way I could get a cake - she would bring one home with her on Wednesday and it would be at her parents' house (across the road) when I picked up the strawberries.

Perfect!! Thank you! I was set for getting my berries and cake - dessert for the Frienzies.

I drove over early Thursday - they live just about a mile from us - and gathered up the berries and cake. A younger sister brought this gorgeous cake out of the house - it was the tallest angel food cake I have ever seen! While I paid for the items we made small talk, and I ended by saying to be sure to give Kathaleen my thanks for delivering the cake. The sister said, hesitating, there was a little story behind that. It seems Kathaleen had forgotten to bring a cake with her after work as she'd planned! When she realized it and told her mother the dilemma, the only solution they could come up with was to head to the kitchen and make me a cake!

Look at the height of that cake! Kathaleen's mother made it and oh-my-gosh! That cake was heavenly! I cannot even imagine thinking I could make an angel food cake. And for Mrs. Rhodes to go to the trouble of making it! I could have easily popped over to the store that morning to get one. For her to take the time and effort, when she surely had a thousand other things to do, was totally unnecessary, and so very much appreciated. It was definitely as delicious as it looks - and a huge hit with the Frienzies.

I am grateful for such kind and thoughtful neighbors as these. I hope I am as good a neighbor to them as they are to me.

A related post: Kathaleen and Betty shared some of their quilts.

I have been sewing! And I have a quilt on the long arm machine, too! Whoo-hoo! You know that is big news! I have plenty to gab about in upcoming posts - hope you'll come back tomorrow!

Happy Quilting, Friends!