Bernhard Martens was born to Anna Anke Mena de Vries and Ewart Martens.
Bernhard married Harmine (Mine) Fecht.
Bernhard was a butcher and he and Mine lived on a small farm.
Lena de Vries Bethke stayed with them in 1961, which was her last trip to Germany.
They had four children:
Bernhard and Mine traveled to the US and stayed with Ray and Hilda in September 1990.
Four of five children of Anna Anka Mena de Vries and Ewart Martens.
Evert on far left, Bernhard (3rd from left), Leni, Ewaldine (7th from left), Hans-Jorg (son of Bernhard), Mine.
Excerpts:
My husband Bernhard is a butcher. He is making Supervision in the butcher shop.
I am a housewife and a little farmer. I have ten sows, and they have little pigs. When they are 40 pounds, we sell them. We have one sheep, two goose, sixteen hens and a lot of birds.
Mine Martens
Hallo Hilda! Hallo Ray!
Hans-Jorg and Meike have got her baby. He’s a boy. His name is Jonathan. He is very tall.
It’s very nice that your family likes the feathers from our peacock, a little memory to us. The peacock has got three babies. One turkey has got nine and one has got eight babies. They are altogether in one stable and so the two mothers take care of all the seventeen babies.
On August 22, we had my birthday party and all the relatives were with us. I think they were a little jealous of us because we had the visitors from Baltimore.
It was really a wonderful time with you. It was great! I hope it is possible for us to go to USA again.
It is Sunday, we have tea and a piece of cake. Do you remember the blackberries at the big green fence in the back of the house? The berries are ripe now. I will put them on my fruitcake,
In my free time I do (häkeln) crochet. It is the kind of needlework like your present for us. Yesterday I finished a curtain for the little window in the kitchen and I did also a curtain for Meike’s cupboard (in the hall).
On Thursday we get visitors: Hans-Jorge, Meike and Jonathan! We are so happy about so much happiness!
All the best for you and for Ray.
Mine, Bernhard, Michael, Anja
Excerpts:
Ewart is in Mexico for six months. He writes many long letters when he misses us.
Hans-Jorge works on a farm where disabled children can come for holiday, until August. After that he tries to go to school. Michael too.
Anja has to go to school for another year.
Bernhard and I speak so much time about you. Our visit in the USA is unforgettable.
I can’t forget to tell you about Bernhard’s ducks. The mother duck puts seventeen eggs into a nest and then she was sitting down for brood. In the end she comes with seventeen live ducks out of the nest. It’s so beautiful. Bernhard likes it very much, to do some things with his animals.
Mine, Bernhard, Michael, Anja
Für Hilda von Mine (To Hilda from Mine)
Heat the teapot and put in as many teaspoons as you want cups. Then add another spoon tea.
Then pour some boiling water into the pot until the tea leaves are just covered.
Let the tea draw on the water kettle or on a teapot warmer for 3 – 5 minutes. Then add boiling water according to the number of cups.
After that pour the tea through a strainer (sieve) into another heated pot.
Put 1 or 2 pieces of Kluntje (sugar) into each cup and pour the hot tea on it.
Add 1 teaspoon cream very carefully.
Don’t stir the tea. The Kluntje dissolves quite slowly and will be enough for several cups of tea.
Guten Appetit
