Women's Work and Ice Cream

PVFD, Company #8 serves the Philomont Area Neighborhood of around 1450 homes.

Trucks outside and at the ready!

I had a wonderful time this past weekend serving up my homemade Lavender-Honey ice cream at the Philomont Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary Ice Cream Social for the community of Philomont.  This group of women is among the hardest working I've ever come across, from putting on horse shows to making chili suppers to an annual barbecue and Sunday Brunches throughout the year, all in the effort of supporting our wonderful volunteer fire department which, in the past few years, thankfully, has also become a fire company of full time paid firefighters.  Not only are these women hard working, they also put these events on with a cherry attitude and always, always with a smile on their face.

Ladies Auxiliary members, Amanda and Kellie getting into the soda fountain shop spirit.

Pricilla, Alexa and Karen prepping the sundae table. 

The shake and sundae table, all festive and bright. Notice the pile of bananas.

When you don't have a jukebox, make your own and make sure it's colorful. 

We were so fortunate that the heat and humidity actually took a break, if only temporarily, this past Sunday afternoon and the Ladies Auxiliary threw open the doors of Philomont Company #8 and asked the firefighters to move the trucks so they were always at the ready, should they be needed. The ladies then transformed the truck bays into a fifties style soda fountain. Suddenly, a sparkling, sunny party was under way complete with live music, strawberry shakes, chocolate malts, Neapolitan-banana sundaes topped with their own mountains of whipped cream, watermelon snow cones and lot's and lot's of homemade ice cream, not only from me but also from other neighborhood women who brought their culinary talents to the Company #8 at 4pm.

A corner of my Blooming Hill Table.

The homemade ice cream side of the room along with the snow cone machine at the end.  We were ready!

At 4pm, the doors opened and the tasting of or homemade ice cream began.  We only got busier from there!

Homemade ice cream flavors that came from all local ingredients included Peach and Wineberry from Pricilla, Kathy brought Blackberry Sorbet and Alexa, who was the organizer of this particular event found time to make Elberberry Fig Gelato, and then of course, there was me with my Lavender-Honey Ice Cream.  We were lined up and ready for all of the taste testers!  If anyone had any concerns about too much sugar, they sure didn't let on!  The sundae/shake/malt table ran out of ice cream and someone was sent out for more while those of us who brought our own special blends, went home after the event  just about empty-handed, too.  I brought four quarts and left with barely any!  That, as Martha Stewart would say, "is a good thing!"  By the way--Kathy won the taste testing contest for her delicious Blackberry Sorbet--congratulations!

Moon Bounce after ice cream?  Ya gotta be young!

The band dressed appropriately in colorful Hawaiian Shirts--just like the Beach Boys!

No matter how much ice cream there was, snow cones ruled the  day.

From the moon bounce to milkshakes and bananas to neighbors getting together for a good cause, I think everyone had a good time.  And, eventhough my pictures don't reflect the amount of people who did show up, a good time was had by all.  I sort of got a little busy when the place really got going and picture taking had to take a back seat and chill! The entire day was a success for the Philomont Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary who, once again, generously and graciously served up a wonderful time.