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Bake off In Pumkin City

By Paulette D. Marshall

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Chapter One

Juliana put her suitcase in her Subaru SUV. She still had to put a box filled with baking goods into the car too, but first she wanted to double check that she had everything she would need. She went back into the house and looked around her kitchen, making sure that she got everything that she thought she might need.
She looked inside the box again. It looked like she had everything. Juliana had made a list and had checked everything off the list as she put it in the box. She had made a copy of her secret pumpkin pie recipe, and put it in a plastic sleeve before she set it in the box.
She also put her little cookbook in the box too. You never know when you might want to make something and need the recipe. She knew she would forget something, but she hoped that there would be stores that she could go to and get whatever she forgot.
She had a folder with all the information about the bake off in Pumpkin City, along with a map on how to get there.
She was one of a handful of finalists that were competing. She was hoping to win one of the elite spots in the pumpkin pie bake off that would take place in the fall. She was praying that God would help her whether she won or not.
Juliana had rented an Airbnb so that way she would have a kitchen that she could bake in. Pumpkin City was small and there were only a few places to stay in town and she was sure they would fill up fast. She had made arrangements as soon as she found out that she had made it into the bake off.
She had packed a couple of pots, pans, and her spices along with two place settings and utensils since you never know what shape or what the Airbnb would have. It was just safer to take your own things, at least that is what she had been told.
She picked up one of the boxes and took it out to her SUV. This was a little more work than staying at hotel or bed and breakfast, but there was no place for her to bake in those accommodations.
She had a few things from her bakery already packed in her car. Her assistant Selena was running her bakery while she was gone. If she got a spot in the bake off, it would help her bakery with the advertising and should bring in more customers. They were already busy, but more customers would be nice.
Juliana lives in a small town called Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, which is not too far from Pumpkin City. Her bakery is called Ana’s Bakery. She has been running it for a few years now and it is very popular. The bakery is known for delicious pies, especially pumpkin, which sell out quickly, and her scones. But those are just a few things she serves at her bakery. She also serves coffee, tea, cocoa, an array of other pastries and desserts. You can usually find a few customers in her bakery all day long.
Juliana put the kitty box for her cat Cuddles in her car. She was happy to find an Airbnb that would allow cats. She did not want to leave Cuddles home alone for a week unless she had to. She was going over a couple of days early so that she could do some sightseeing and try a new crust idea that she wanted to try.
She had cleaned her house earlier in the week as she did not want to come home to a messy house and she would have to unpack everything. Juliana likes to keep everything neat and clean since her time was so limited. When she has days off, she wants to just enjoy them and work in her garden.
Juliana picked up Cuddles and put her in her pet carrier. She said to Cuddles, “We are going on an adventure Cuddles. You only have to be in the carrier for a short car ride and then I will let you out. You must be on your best behavior.” Cuddles commented back with a meow as she shut the door. She took the carrier out to the car.
She went back inside and grabbed her purse and the papers that she needed with the directions along with the Airbnb confirmation. She locked the front door of her cute little house.
All the houses and the town were built in the 1800’s. Even though it is a small town, it is filled and flourishes with history, which Juliana loves.
Juliana drove slowly away from her home. She loved her little house that her grandmother had left to her when she passed away. Thank goodness it was paid for since she was on a tight budget. Owning a bakery was expensive. She had scrimped and saved enough money to open the bakery.
Juliana does not like to drive too fast on the roads because of the Amish buggies, they all share the road together. There are many Amish farms all around the area, which makes it even more charming. She did not want to scare the horses or the people in the Amish buggies. There have been several very bad accidents that have involved the buggies with cars and it never turned out well for the buggies or the Amish.
Besides, she was in no big hurry either. She wanted to enjoy the drive to Pumpkin City and her day off.
She had worked hard through the years to get where she was today, and she had worked long hours too. Once she could afford help, she cut back her hours a little bit, which allowed her to have a garden, that she loves. But Juliana still manages to work hard.
Maybe that is one reason why she was still single and that she had never found the right man or should she say the right man hasn’t found her yet. She knew that God’s timing was perfect although it may not be her timing. Until she finds the right man she will continue to pray, hope, and dream.
The drive to Pumpkin City was beautiful with everything coming to life. It was spring and the trees were starting to blossom. The Amish could be seen out in their fields cultivating their land, planting their crops and gardens. She had planted seeds and a few plants already in her garden and her neighbor’s son had promised to water it for her while she was gone. She still had a few plants that she had started from seedlings in her house that she would plant when she returned.
Juliana passed by a few Amish buggies along the way. As she passes them, the Amish usually wave, and she waves back. She has a few good friends that are Amish. She also purchases her milk, eggs, and cheese for her bakery from the Amish. She even has a young Amish woman named Sarah, who works part time for her in her bakery. Sarah has even shared a handful of Amish recipes with Juliana.
Juliana drove into Pumpkin City. It is a cute small town that looked a little old fashioned, which she loved. All of the streets have special names that have to do with pumpkins. There is Gourd Street, Vine Street, Seed Street, Orange Avenue, to name just a few. Although there is a Main Street. The bake off will be located in the town square on the lawn. They said they are going to set up ovens and tables for the contestants to work with. Everyone must bring everything they will need to make their pumpkin pies with them.
Juliana grows her own Cinderella pumpkins and some Early Sweet Sugar Pie pumpkins for her pumpkin pies. She likes the combination of the two of them. Although she likes Cinderella pumpkins the best. She also buys pumpkins from a local Amish family. Once she has all the pumpkins, it is time to process them. Juliana cooks and then freezes part of the pumpkins and the other half she pressure cans them. That way she has pumpkin all year long. This year she wants to pressure can more pumpkin than last year. Which means she will have to hire someone to help or ask for help. If she asks, then she will have to get even more so the person who helps her can take a few home with them. Maybe she should can the pumpkins in the bakery this year. She does not have to make that decision just yet since she has until later this year to make it.
Juliana pulled out the directions to the Airbnb. It didn’t take her long until she found the house she had rented for the week. She pulled her SUV into the driveway. It was a cute little house with a garage. It looked like there were rooms above the garage too. ‘Interesting’, she thought.
Juliana walked to the house and put the key they gave her into the lock. The door opened. She walked inside and looked around. It was a nice little house even though it was a little modern for her taste, but it was clean. She looked at the kitchen. She could cook in here without any problems since there was good workspace. It looks just like the pictures on the website.
She went back out to the SUV and picked up Cuddles carrier along with her suitcase. She walked to the bedrooms. There were two bedrooms. Juliana looked at both rooms and then she picked the master bedroom to sleep in since it was the nicer of the two rooms. She put Cuddles carrier down.
Juliana went back to the car and picked up the litterbox. She put it in the master bathroom with a mat underneath it so that kitty litter did not get all over. At least that is what she hoped. She shut the bedroom door first before she let Cuddles out. “You can stay in here while I unload the car. That way I know you will be safe and not escape. Once I unload everything, I will let you out of this room and you can roam around. But you must be a good kitty,” she told Cuddles as she opened the cage for her.
Juliana opened the bedroom door and walked out and quickly shut the door behind her.
Juliana went about unloading her SUV. She stacked the boxes in the kitchen. She was just bringing in the last box when she bumped into something or was it someone?
She looked up and right into a man’s light blue eyes. She was shocked to see him standing there.

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