Calathora New Year's Ball

Bridal Shower Saturday Morning

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

An update on Ball Weekend Fun Happenings: All the Morton ladies are hosting a Bridal Brunch for Miss Bethany Smith on Saturday morning at 8:30 am at Rachel Morton's home at Calathora Farms. If you are here at the time and would like to join us, we would be delighted to have you. Some of you may not know Bethany (if you've met her I'm sure you will remember her delightful personality!) but she and Mr. Danny Lane are very happily bethrothed and are planning a small wedding in Atlanta in late January. We are so happy for her in this special time as she prepares to be Danny's wife and helper. We would love for you to join us and rejoice together. We just wanted to let everyone know about this happy addition to the weekend's activities!
Thanks, and have a blessed day!

Thoughts on the Ball Weekend...

2011-12-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

We were praying for the Ball Weekend the other day. All of our preparations are just a setting for the rich fellowship and we wanted you to know that we are praying for you. We are looking forward to seeing everyone who will be able to join us.

We received a great letter from a ministry we love - they spoke of gatherings and friendships - and it occurred to me that that is exactly what the Ball really is - a time for like-minded believers to meet and build relationships that will flow out and influence communities, families and generations. We'll hear inspiring stories of saints of old, drink some great coffee punch and taste the delicacies of generations of good cooks, visit, laugh and build relationships, dance a few turns and worship together on the first day of the New Year.

'Till then, Michael and Jeanine

Completion of Weekend's Menu

2011-12-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

Good morning, dear friends!

We've finished the menu for the weekend,
however I'll be re-posting what we already
published as well so they can be seen together.
(I'm a visual person who loves all things
list-ish and having things together is good!)

So, here they are:

Friday evening: Taco Soup - bring a
can of something like plain beans,
corn or tomatoes and a topping - some
cheese or sour cream. Also in addition,
families with last names beginning with
A - M bring a bag of chips (frito's, tortilla)
and families with last names beginning
with N-Z, bring a dessert.

Saturday Breakfast: We are having whole
wheat waffles!!
A-M bring some butter, a bottle
of your favorite syrup and some milk.
N-Z bring about a pound of breakfast
meat, some coffee and some honey.

Saturday lunch will be taco soup leftovers.
(More room for the ball hors d'oeuvre s!)

Saturday evening is of course the 1 sweet
and the 1 salty hors d'oeuvre.:

Sunday breakfast, A-M, please bring fruit
and breakfast bread (muffins, bagels, doughnuts,
ect.) and for N-Z, please bring yogurt
(please no nonfat-just whole or low fat)
and toppings for yogurt and breakfast breads.
(cream cheese, sliced cheese, granola, butter,
jellies, ect.)
Sunday lunch we're doing a pizza party.
We'll pass around the hat
and order loads of that yumminess for all to partake of!

I think that's everything. Let us know
if you have any questions.

Looking forward to seeing each of
you, Lord willing, this weekend!

Have a very blessed day,
Adeline

Welcome to the 2011 Calathora New Year's Costume Ball!

2011-12-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

Good evening, dear friends!

Well, here we are with the promised details! (albeit an hour or two late) Before I start on the deluge, we just wanted to say we are so excited about (hopefully) seeing you and your precious family on New Year's. Until then, may ye keep warm, and enjoy this beautiful, beautiful weather!

OK, here goes!

The Overarching Plan:

Many friends come in on Friday evening. This is a weekend long event - just call for a room here at the farm!! They do fill up fast.

Saturday evening, the 2011 New Year's Costume Ball will take place. (which includes feasting, dancing, laughing, singing, and general merriment, filled with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for his goodness!)
The Morton family hopes everyone can stay at their farm for the weekend- do come early, stay late and visit long!

What to bring:

Your dear selves, of course. :)
1 salty and 1 sweet hors d'oeuvre, for Saturday night. Just anything munchie that your heart desires. :) (please no peanut products-we have a dear little friend with serious allergies)

If you are planning on staying the weekend, menu details for Friday, Saturday and Sunday follow. They will be of a simple, yummy, covered-dish style.

Friday evening: Taco Soup - bring a can of something like plain beans, corn or tomatoes and a topping - some cheese or sour cream. Also, families with last names ending with A - M bring a bag of chips: families with last names ending N-Z , bring a dessert.

Saturday breakfast: We are having whole wheat waffles!! A-M bring some butter, a bottle of your favorite syrup and some milk. N-Z bring about a pound of breakfast meat, some coffee and some honey.

Saturday lunch will be taco soup leftovers.
(More room for the ball hors d'oeuvre s!)

Saturday evening is of course the 1 sweet and the 1 salty hors d'oeuvre.

Sunday morning breakfast is not decided yet - check back.
Sunday lunch ditto.

Accommodations:

Please call and we'll put your name on a room. When all of those are filled, we'll start filling up the sofas and floor space, and those who want to can bring on the tents, RVs, pop-ups and any other portable shelters. ;)

When you call, let us know whether you would like for your family to stay together in one room, or if you would like for your girls to join the girls over at Wesley and Rachel's, and your boys to join the guys at the Morton Sr's house. It would be helpful for us to know (in placing people in rooms) whether we are preparing for a couple or a family. Both are wonderful-just let us know your preferences.

Dancing details:

Dances (which are a jolly smorgasbord of genres, but mainly English country dances) are to be danced in family....... Husband/wife, brother/sister, father/daughter, mother/ son.

While sometimes we practice dancing with two girls/two boys, we ask that at the ball, a gentleman dance with a lady, and a lady with a gentleman.

Ah, what fun we'll have! As Jane Austen's William Lucas is reported to have said, "There's nothing like dancing, you know." ;)

Oh, and for dancing instructions, last year we had a dance class an hour or two before the ball started, and this time, hopefully we can do that Friday night.

A wonderful dance caller has kindly been arranged for for Saturday night, so that will be of great help!

Also, for those of you who would prefer not to dance, please come anyway. There are always people not dancing that one can fellowship with and talk to. The dance space cannot accommodate everyone at the same time , so there are lots of folks just watching and visiting.

And, if you were wondering what "in costume with a story to share" means, 'tis this:

We love to see God's mighty hand in history-so, please come as someone from the past (from Adam to present!) and have a little something to say about the person you're representing. It is always so inspiring to hear all the incredible stories of our spiritual fore mothers and fathers! If you are coming as some one and desire to share your story with everyone, please let us know your name before Saturday evening. (we're going to be calling out your name to come up and share)

Babies, sweet babies: just wanted to let all the dear mothers know that the barn suite (that is right next to the dancing room) will be ready for any sleepy babies and nursing mothers. There's also a few places to pitch your play pens as well. Then, too, along the walls we hope to have comfy couches and/or pallets for the children who begin to look cross eyed around 11:00. ;)
Well, I think that's all for now! Do check back once or twice before the ball-One never knows when I'll surprise one with more details!

With much love,

Adeline
for the Morton family

Calathora New Year's Ball 2011

2011-12-18T13:40:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon, dear friends!

We hope you are all doing well and having a fabulous December! We are having a wonderful, very blessed one. The Lord is so gracious and good!

The "menu details and other important information" are forth coming on Monday December 19, by 5:00 pm. (Lord willing)

Hopefully I'll speak with you then!

In Christ's love,

Adeline Morton,
on behalf of my dear family

Dancing Instructions

2010-12-14T11:03:00.000-08:00

Good morning, dear friends!

Below are some videos a dear friend made, and I'm sure you will find them both helpful and delightful. (I can't get over how cute Yerik is, and Rockey's laugh is so wonderful! We all watched them over and over... :)

So, with out further verbiage, I now give you:

The Emma Dance

Mr. Beveridge's Maggot

The Duke of Kent

The Emma Dance or Jenny's Market

2010-12-14T10:32:00.000-08:00

Here is the instuctional for "The Emma Dance" (or Jenny's Market). Then below is Bethany and her (adorable!) little brother dancing it for us.

The Emma Dance or Jenny's Market...

2010-12-14T10:30:00.000-08:00

Danced by Bethany and Sir Yuch-Here it is!

Mr. Beveridge's Maggot

2010-12-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

Go here to watch the dance, then below for instructions...

Oh, and by the way, the title sounded so awful I was compelled to look it up, and found that another meaning for the word maggot is "An extravagant notion; a whim."

Hence fourth, I'll go with that one.

'Tis much better. ;D

Mr. Beveridge's Maggot Teaching Video

2010-12-14T10:09:00.000-08:00

And here they are...

The Duke of Kent

2010-12-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

Now you can go here to watch this dance, and then the video below for instructions.

The Duke of Kent Teaching Video

2010-12-14T09:35:00.000-08:00

And here's the instructionals, mon cheris!

A huge pile of grateful thanks to Bethany Smith and friends for making these wonderful clips. Enjoy, and happy dancing, friends!

Hope you all are having a wonderful Tuesday. We are so excited about seeing you all soon, Lord willing!

Y'all stay warm, now.

Much love,

Adeline

2010 New Year's Ball Invitation, just for the memories

2010-11-11T06:40:00.000-08:00

A few pictures from 2009...

2010-11-10T07:49:00.000-08:00

Menu Plans And Ideas!

2009-12-16T05:32:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!
Several folks have emailed asking about the hors d'oeuvres, so I thought I'd put up some ideas on what people could bring - (remember these are just thoughts and suggestions and please feel free to bring whatever your heart desires, or your family fancies. I would love to see the different family favorites!)

There will be coffee punch. :)

Sweet Ideas:

lemon squares

cream cheese bars

fudge (or other candies or confections)

cookies

mini cup-cakes

Anything you enjoy!

Salty Ideas:

chicken tenders

cheese ball with crackers

dipped pretzels

meat balls

chick fil-a nuggets :)

Please Note: There is a child who we hope will be at the ball who is quite allergic to peanuts, as in, almost life-threatening. Please read your ingredient lists and try not to use peanut anything. (If you do use peanut ingredients, let me know when the food is brought to the kitchen and I will tend to the food with our peanut protocol.) :)

Also Note: If you will be bringing anything that requires oven time or anything of that nature, you can let me know before hand and I will reserve you oven space!

In Addition To Those Notes, Please Also Note: we will have warmers available, lots of refrigerator space and serving dishes! You don't have to pack up your nice dishes.

If you have any questions or comments you can leave a comment on this blog (it will not show up 'till we approve it, that's why it doesn't show up right off) Or you can call us @

229~890~1889
Hope to see you soon!
God Bless You All!

A few pictures from last year...

2009-10-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

We thought y'all might enjoy a few of our favorite pictures from last year's ball-enjoy!

at midnight... ;)

Dancing Program

2008-12-25T07:56:00.000-08:00

These dances are not necessarily in the order in which they will be danced -just wanted to give you an idea of what we're thinking about!

Virgina Reel
Age: any

Duke of Kent
Age: 10-12

The Laendler
Age: any

Sweetheart Promenade
Age: any

The Gay Gordon
Age: 12 and up
Ladies only

The Horah
Age: any
Gentleman only

Alrighty, I think that's it! Oh, and for all the dances, (except the Gay Gorgon and the Horah) one's partner should be (say, for a girl) her husband, father, brother, male cousin, fiance and so on, and then vis-versa for a gentleman. Thus making every couple consisting of a gentleman and a lady of the same family. Also, another thing-for the Duke of Kent, if you're only possible partner is under 10, if he's tall to twirl the lady under his arm {and is mature enough to enjoy this slow paced dance, LOL) then, happy dancing!! Oh, this, too-if costumes have proven impossible to get together , please feel free to come as a prehistoric figure -as one friend put it. "I must come as myself and I haven't made history yet!!" May we encourage you to come as formally dressed as possible, if you do come ' as yourself'. :) What fun we shall have!

Well, we sure are looking to seeing you all on the eve of the new year, Lord willing!

Have a blessed day!

Duke of Kent Waltz

2008-12-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

Dance Ages for this dance are: 10-12 and Up
Dance couples=girl with brother, father, husband, Fiance, cousin, etc.

Formation: Duple Proper Contra.

Men in a line on one side, women in a line across from the men.

Here is the Dance at a look:

Right Hand Star
Left Hand Star
Head couple Sache,
Head couple Sache back, cast off
Right hand balance
Left hand balance
Right hand turn
Left hand turn

Below are more detailed instructions and we hope to include an instructional video soon!

Intro: All bow to partners,
1- 4Head couple and the couple below make a right hand star,
5- 8 Same four left hand star,
9-12 Head Couple (both hands joined), sache, 2 steps down center of set, (inbetween lower couple)

Lower couples take one step up to the side to the head couples position.

13-16 Head Couple sache two steps UP the center, cast off lower couple (slowly)into lower couples previous position.

17-20 All step toward partner,with R hands as they balance together and back, (retain R hand hold) turn the girl under. passing R shoulders, end facing partner.

21-24 Repeat Meas. 17-20 using L hands/passing L shoulders to return to place,

25-28 Join right hand with partner turning all the way around, then repeat with left hand.
Start the dance again with a new couple starting with the right hand star.

Welcome to the Ball

2008-11-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Calathora New Year's Ball Blog!

Herein related are some details that we hope will make the evening pleasant and memorable and run smoothly for everyone.

We are looking forward to bringing in the New Year with you and just enjoying the evening. It is so fun to have a setting in which our children can 'practice' being at a nice event, all dressed up at a party and the whole family can have a good time of fellowship.

As regards the costumes, each family can approach this several ways. You can come as a particular historical figure ( and learn about him/her) or you can dress in a particular period. We do ask , though, that ladies come as female characters and gentlemen come as male characters. Out of deference to others, let's limit ourselves to portraying people and save the veggies and animals for the buffet line.