lovinas amish kitchen

We have been enjoying the last few weeks of beautiful weather. It cools off at nighttime making it great sleeping weather as well. I canned more V-8 last week, but the garden season is slowing down. I have red beets yet to can into pickled beets. Also, another round of tomatoes that I will can into tomato chunks. Hopefully I can make a big pot of vegetable soup to process into jars. That is always an easy meal when you are in a hurry and time is limited. I have lots of big bags of mixed vegetables left in the freezer from daughter Verena’s wedding so that will be a good way to use those up as well. Grandson Denzel, 3, spent the day with me Friday while Dustin, Loretta, Byron, 2, and Kylie, 8 months went to appointments. Denzel was so proud that he could be here alone. He sure was fun to have around. When Grandpa Joe came home he ran out to greet him chattering away. When Dustin and Loretta came back for him, Byron comes running to hug Denzel. So sweet and precious. Last week we were invited to the wedding of Alan and Brianna. We were unable to attend but we wish them many happy, healthy years together. May God bless them richly. Alan is a co-worker to Joe at the metal and truss shop. Yesterday our church had council meeting (rule church) at our neighbors. Little 4-week-old Brooklyn made her first appearance in church. She did very good and seemed to love the singing. She is 7 pounds now and little Sharlene (daughter Susan and Ervin) weighs 10 pounds. Tomorrow daughter Elizabeth is hosting a Pampered Chef Shower for daughter Verena. It will be held in Verena’s “house”. It will be fun to have the babies both there. Niece Emma will probably be there with her baby Micheal as well. Last week all my daughters spent a day at Verena’s to help her clean windows etc. for the upcoming shower. Sister Verena left on Saturday for Hamilton, Indiana to spend some time with sister Liz and Levi. They are moving into their new house since they had their final inspection okayed. I am eager to see where they live now. One of these days we might get around to go see where it is. It is only over an hour from here, but life is so busy it seems. After church services yesterday, Dustin, Loretta and children, Daniel, Lovina and baby Brooklyn, and Daniel Ray and Verena came here for popcorn. They ended up eating supper before heading for home. Kylie is crawling all over so we had to make sure she doesn’t find any popcorn that was dropped on the floor. I remember so well when my children would start crawling that the first thing I did in the mornings before turning them loose was sweep the floors and make sure everything was childproof. It is so funny how they can spot the smallest crumb or toy on the floor. Joe is driving our 2-year-old horse Jett every night he gets a chance. He seems to be getting more used to all the different things beside the road. Joe likes to drive him on different roads to get him used to other areas. One night a dog came running out, scaring Jett and he dived into the ditch. Fortunately, it wasn’t a deep ditch and Joe could drive him out of it and back on the road. On Saturday Joe drove him to daughter Elizabeth and Tim’s house for a longer ride. Cabbage is in abundance now, so I am sharing a delicious soup that calls for cabbage. For more pictures go to my Facebook page, Lovina’s Amish Kitchen.

Twenty years ago, on September 2, our youngest child was born. To celebrate, our whole family came for an outdoor supper. We are now a total of 31. Son-in-law Dustin broasted chicken and made french fries in his double-basket deep fryer. We set up tables in the yard by our walk-out basement and ate out there. We had a campfire going, which felt really good when the sun went down. The children enjoyed gathering sticks and anything they could so they could throw them into the fire. We caught a few using extra napkins just so they could throw it in the fire and watch it burn. Haha! Most of them stayed here for the night, except Daniel Ray and Verena, who left after supper to go to his parents’ for the night. They had plans to gather at Daniel Ray’s uncle and aunt’s on Monday. Joseph and Grace stayed later but then left for home. Of course, Dustin, Daniel, and Lovina are just across the road so that they could go home to their own beds. Denzel and Byron stayed here for the night and slept with Joe and me. Denzel wanted to sleep beside Grandpa. Byron was always moving around, so I moved to the recliner, and he slept much better when he had my space, too. Haha! I’m having pain in my left shoulder and lower back, so the recliner actually feels better after a while. I have an appointment on Friday, and hopefully I can get relief then. I baked a cake for Kevin and it must’ve tasted better than it looked because it was all ate up. I tried my skills at decorating, which I’m not good at.

I should be starting supper but it is so hot and humid again today. I don’t even want to think of cooking. Maybe it’ll cool off when the sun goes down and then I’ll probably make something easy. Today I washed our laundry then also washed Ervin and Susan’s laundry. It is almost dry. I still have a few pieces hanging on the porch. It looked like rain so I didn’t want to take any chances of getting the clothes wet again. 

Today is son Benjamin’s 26th birthday. He is going out to eat with his friends, so I didn’t make a cake for him for supper. I am trying to decide what to make for supper with only Joe and I being here. Kevin went along too. 

I am Lovina’s “English” friend Ruth, and since Lovina is busy with wedding preparations this week and recovering next week, I am filling in for her for the next two columns. This past Saturday the tables and benches were set up in the shed for next Friday’s wedding meals. Then the tablecloths, plates, silverware, cups, etc. were placed and are ready for the first meal serving after the morning wedding. The couple chose an ocean theme so the tablecloths are multicolors of blue which look like beautiful ocean water. Daniel’s family, Verena’s family, sisters Emma and Verena and all the children pitched and made quick work of getting the tables ready. I have known Lovina over 20 years and have attended weddings, funerals and church with her over the years and I am still impressed with how everyone pitches in and works together. If there is complaining I have not heard it. I hear laughter, teasing and even a bit of shenanigans.

We have entered the month of June. Oh goodness I am actually getting nervous with the wedding of daughter Verena and Daniel Ray being in eighteen days. I have not done much grocery shopping yet. I am still working on my list. It takes a lot of brain work to figure out all the ingredients you need for making over one thousand meals for the wedding day. And of course it does not help being another year older. Haha