—Lancaster Firming, Saturday, December 3,1977
42
is a Brenneman family affair
Staff correspondent
MOUNT JOY - Marian Brenneman’s house is beginning
to look a lot like Christinas - there are small piles of
cording and ribbon which are being used to make tree
decorations, and there’s several braided calico wreathes
in various stages of completion.
Marian, who lives on Donegal Springs Road, Mount Joy,
with her husband Elvin and their three children, prepares
for the holidays just as she does for all her many activities
-completely.
Marian enjoys being busy but makes it clear that her
family is most important to her. “Without your family
what do you have?” she asks. Because she enjoys her
family, she says, “I like going into details with things. I
get self-satisfaction from that.” That attitude explains all
the creative ideas she’s making for her tree and for gifts
for friends - lucky friends.
Decorations for the tree are a family affair with the
Brennemans’ three children - LuAnn, 16, JoAnn, 14, and
Roger, 8 - all contributing to the work. This year there will
be clusters of “lollipops” which the family is creating
from yards of rope cording and velvet ribbon. They wind
the two together, pasting as they go, then stitch on a part
of a drinking straw as a stick. A tiny velvet bow adds a
finishing touch.
For gifts this year, Marian is making braided wreaths
from calico strips to be placed around a hurricane globe
and candle. She has many wreaths begun and purchased
the hurricane lamps on a recent trip to Williamsburg
pottery.
This writer was fortunate enough to be at Marian’s
home the day before Thanksgiving, and touches of
Marian’s creativity were in evidence for the big day. The
most eye-catching - and palate pleasing - was a huge roast
turkey which was to be used as an edible centerpiece. The
Christmas gift creating
By SALLY BAIR
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A fruit tree makes an unusual way to serve appetizers. . , a wei
lositioned in a clay flower pot with a styrofoam bail which is covered with
larsley.
breast pieces had been uniformly sliced, and olives,
shrimp, parsley and celery stalks were added. At the base
of the bird was a lace trim in which red beet eggs nested.
This is sure to be a crowd pleaser for any holiday activity.
As appetizers for her family dinner, Marian had just
completed a “fruit tree” with pinneapple chunks and
cherries. The “tree” was a dowel rod firmly implanted in
a clay flower pot with a styrofoam ball at the top. The pot
was filled with real grapes, and the ball was covered
completely with parsley. The fruit was added on tooth
picks. Marian mentioned that the same idea can be used
with raw vegetables on-toothpicks to be eaten with a dip.
She said she will sprinkle her parsley ball with water and
keep it in a cool room so she can use it for the Christmas
and New Year festivities.
Marian readily admits that all her ideas for decorating
and for crafts come from Mends.
“I pick up ideas from someone, and then I like to get
together with Mends to make crafts. It is fun to get
together with other girls, and we will often have a pot luck
supper. It's really fun making things for Christmas,” she
declares.
As an understatement, Marian adds, “Friends are
really important to me.”
Marian is very involved in the community around her.
In fact, if you’ve ever been to an event sponsored by the
Lancaster County Farmers Association, chances are
you’ve met her. Or perhaps you’ve eaten at Betty Groff’s
Farm Restaurant and Marian has served you. If you have
visited Donegal Mills Plantation, you may have seen her
baking bread. Or you may know her as a 4-H leader.
She has completed two years as chairman of the
women’s committee of the Lancaster County Fanners
Association and says she really liked the experience.
(Continued on Page 46)