Lifestyle

The aroma of barbecue is hard to resist and the flavor is even better.

With the holiday coming, we are running with one of Kylee’s columns from 2013, back when it was called “In the Garden.” So many of her older columns are worth reading and still have relevance, so enjoy!

Lovina is taking this week off from the column to rest up after her busy week hosting Verena and Daniel Ray’s wedding. I am her “English” friend Ruth, and I helped Lovina last week by running errands and was able to attend the wedding so I will share a little about that.

Weddings offer an opportunity for happy couples to express their love for one another while showcasing their own personalities. Couples can choose from an assortment of wedding styles when planning their nuptials, and the style they ultimately pick says something about who they are.

It is a nice sunny Sunday afternoon with a pleasant temperature of 75°. It is great porch sitting weather. We attended church services this morning hosted by our neighbors. My cousin Lovina, her husband Pete and some of their families were there. It was good to visit with her again. I was surprised to see her. Their daughter is getting married in July so we both are extra busy in our lives at the moment. I was surprised to hear this is the sixth of her children also getting married. She has eighteen grandchildren. I don’t know why I forget that while our family is growing, others also have children getting married and having children. It’s probably because we don’t often see each other that reality doesn’t sink in right away. Lovina’s Dad Chris was my mother’s only brother. We spent a lot of our childhood days together. We would help each other butcher hogs or cook apple butter in large quantities. Lovina and Pete live on Uncle Chris and Lizzie’s farm. Lots of memories of years gone by. Yesterday was a busy work day here. A lot of jobs were completed for the upcoming wedding of daughter Verena and Daniel Ray. Daniel Ray’s family and all of our family assisted us with our work. The house siding was power washed, the pole barn was washed out well, flower and garden beds weeded, and sidewalks, pavement, cement all power washed. Windows, doors, cabinets, and walls were cleaned in the pole barn as well. Basement and breezeway windows were also cleaned. The younger children scrubbed the porch railings as well. Trimming was done around the fence lines, etc. We sure appreciated all of their help. Joe grilled forty pounds of chicken for lunch. I made creamed potatoes and dinner rolls to go along with that. Desserts were brought in. 

As farmers struggle to finish planting and replanting due to excess rain and cooler temperatures, warmer or hotter summer weather may be coming soon. Farmer’s are facing another challenging year. Some new Ag innovations may soon change how farming is conducted.