It is a foggy Monday morning, but the sun is peeking through. It looks like another nice sunny day. We have been having springlike days with temperatures in the 50s. I’m sure winter isn’t over for us yet, but we will enjoy these days while they last. After all of the cold and snow we have had, it does give a person “Spring fever”!
With the snow melting while the ground is still frozen, it makes a lot more mud around. Our ground is sandy, and that sticks to shoes and gets dragged in the house. Although shoes can be removed at the door, it is difficult for those who depend on mobility scooters. Their wheels pick up sand or mud, and it’s harder to keep their wheels from getting dirty.
We have vinyl floors, so it’s pretty easy to clean up. I decided to wait until today to do my weekly cleaning after I do the laundry. With a lot of activity around here this weekend, I think it would have had to be cleaned again today anyway.
A few women are bringing coffee break tomorrow morning for their daughters, Verena, Loretta, and Lovina, and for me. This way, everything will be cleaner.
Daughter Verena has been very sick for over a week. She finally went to the doctor on Friday and found out it was bronchitis. The antibiotics are helping, and she is on the road to recovery.
Yesterday our church service was held at our neighbors’. It was a baptismal service for two young souls who accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. What a blessing!
Of course, there were many visitors in honor of their baptism. The big pole barn was filled to capacity. Even though some left before lunch, 17 tables were still served lunch. It was a very good church lunch consisting of homemade wheat and white bread, ham, cheese, pickles, red beets, hot peppers, peanut butter spread, strawberry jam, butter, coffee, tea, and a variety of cookies.
I made cookies that were passed around to the young children during the service. Since Valentine’s Day was the day before, I made heart-shaped cookies with pink frosting. I was holding Loretta and Dustin’s little 1-year-old Kylie when the cookies, crackers, and pretzels were passed out during the service. Kylie took her little fingers and picked off the frosting. Haha!
Byron, 2, could see the cookies from where we were seated, and he kept asking for a cookie. When he finally saw the snack container being passed around, he was all smiles, and he finally had his cookie.
Friday night was our “Family Night,” which we have once a month. Daughter Lovina and Daniel held it. I was supposed to take a casserole, but decided to take mashed potatoes and gravy instead.
Daughter Elizabeth and Tim were asked to bring the meat or sandwiches. They brought meatballs, which went well with mashed potatoes and gravy. It takes 10 pounds of potatoes to make mashed potatoes for our family. It is nice when all the food is done when it comes, and we can sit around and visit.
Many different games were played, including Rook, Sorry, Aggravation, Phase 10, and Marble Chase. Marble Chase is a cross between Sorry and Aggravation. It’s played on a homemade board, using marbles and cards instead of dice. There was a lot of laughter and a little family-friendly rivalry.
Daughter Elizabeth brought a cake for Andrea and had her blow out candles. She turned 4 on Saturday, February 14.
Granddaughter Abigail was a happy, excited girl when she saw the books sent to her by many kind readers. She didn’t expect it at all. She wants to thank everyone personally if she has the address. If not, then she says thank you to everyone. She received several sets ofBoxcar Children books, which she will share with her siblings and cousins.
She also received a set of Little House on the Prairie and a set of Anne of Green Gables. How thoughtful of you all.
God’s blessings.
Hamburger vegetable soup
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 cup diced or shredded cabbage
• 1 cup diced celery
• ¼ cup rice or barley
• 1 cup tomato or V8 juice
• 4 cups water
• 4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp. dried basil (1 Tbsp. fresh basil can be substituted)
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary (1½ teaspoon fresh can be substituted)
Fry hamburger with onions and garlic until no longer pink; drain fat. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for one hour. Serves 6.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, “The Cherished Table,” “The Essential Amish Cookbook,” and “Amish Family Recipes,” are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply. Or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.
Dining and Cooking