Pies Galore, Pottery of the Past, Heritage Craft Skills

Backyard Treasure Hunt

Hello Folks, Aunt Eunice here! In our neck of the woods and many other parts of the country, we are just coming out of a particularly nasty hot spell. High temperatures are not something for which anyone wants to hold a record! This week is starting off a little more reasonably. This is the time of year to head down to the swimming hole and cool off. If you don’t have a pond, walking in the creek can be a nice alternative. My grandchildren and I were in the creek a few weeks ago wading and splashing around. I told them to look for light colored stones in the creek bed because sometimes they are pieces of old pottery. It turned into a treasure hunt after the first piece we picked up was a lovely chunk of a white plate with little blue flowers on it. Our house was built in the 1860s and the stream is only about 100 feet behind it. These are remnants from the folks who started my farm. At this point we have a basket full of pottery and china shards. What fun! Remember to have someone with you if you are playing near or in the water.

Heritage Craft Day

With August on the horizon I am beginning to make plans for Quiet Valley’s Heritage Craft Day on August 10th. Various heritage craftspeople will be out to demonstrate their specialties, things such as spinning, weaving, paper crafts, hay fork making and more. This event offers a chance for visitors to try some crafts out for themselves. There is also an area for children to try out some crafts. I am also thinking ahead to the Pocono State Craft Festival which is August 24th and 25th. This is the time to come if you like shopping for fine art and craft pieces, watching demonstrations, listening to live music and enjoying open house tours of the historic buildings. There will also be an artisanal bread sale, one room school presentations and wagon rides. There will also be baked goods to buy. All funds raised support three fine non-profits, the Pocono Arts Council, the Pocono Chapter of PA Guild of Craftsmen and Quiet Valley. 

Pie, Pie, Me Oh My!

I am planning what pies I will make for the bake sale. Cherry crumb pie and fresh peach pie with a lattice top crust always do well. Lemon sponge is old fashioned and yet still a favorite as is buttermilk pie. There is a saying “Easy as pie” which means something is simple to do. I am not sure folks today think making a pie is easy, but in the past all young ladies learned how to make a good pie and a tasty cake. Today, it should be a “piece of cake” to make a pie as you can buy a ready-made crust to speed things along. Making pie can be very satisfying and gifting people with a homemade one is a sure way to make a friend. Try our recipe below and you may become a pie making fanatic!