recipes

Lovina’s family grills 1,000 pounds of chicken

It is almost 8:30 on this cool Monday evening. The temperature is already down to 60°. Our house actually feels chilly. A sign that autumn is just around the corner. Today sister Verena helped me can 22 quarts of vegetable juice (V8). We cooked a variety of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onions and garlic together until soft enough to put through my Victoria strainer. Usually I put in celery but I didn’t have any on hand. You can pretty much add whatever you want. I don’t like to add potatoes as I don’t think it’s as good for my husband Joe with him being diabetic. These ingredients already make a good flavor. Saturday was a busy but enjoyable day for our family. Our day started early. We gathered at daughter Loretta and Dustin’s house by 2 a.m. to start grilling a thousand pounds of leg quarters. The chicken was seasoned with a combination of seasonings, then sprayed with a mixture of butter, vinegar and some other ingredients. They mixed it up the night before so I’m not sure what was all in it. No sauce was added but it had a really good flavor. Thirteen grills were set up with Joe and I, son-in-laws Tim, Dustin and Daniel, daughter Verena and Daniel Ray, son Joseph and Grace, and Jake (a brother to Dustin, Daniel and Grace) all helping. We had good teamwork going and less than five hours later we were done. At 7 a.m. son-in-law Ervin, nephew Ben and Crystal, Tim’s sister Dena and Sam came to help deliver the chicken door to door. Daniel Ray and Verena with our friend Jodi also headed out with a cooler of steaming hot freshly grilled chicken to deliver. In three hours the chicken was sold out. This was all for a benefit and donations went to daughter Elizabeth and Tim. Tim and Elizabeth have made living quarters in their garage since they were told by experts to move out of their house. They were all having respiratory issues with Timothy (TJ) needing an inhaler constantly. Since moving out he has rarely needed it. If he goes back into the old house for a few minutes to get something he starts coughing again. Everything they can salvage has to be treated and disinfected a certain way to not drag it into their garage. They weren’t able to keep a lot of their belongings. They had around 5 toxic molds in their house. It’s surprising how fast this mold spreads. We thoroughly cleaned their house for church services one time and a few months later their box spring under their bed was layered with mold. It is nothing fun to deal with. I had no idea what health problems it can cause until seeing this. Tim’s have several air purifiers running in their living quarters now. We have several dehumidifiers in our house run by our solar power. Especially in the basement where it tends to get damp quicker. When the humidity gets high it makes a higher chance of dampness.

Read MoreLovina’s family grills 1,000 pounds of chicken

Welcome Baby Brooklyn and happy 10th anniversary Tim and Elizabeth

Today, August 14, ten years ago, we prepared for our firstborn’s wedding. What a change it was to have the first of our children move away from home. As a mother, I relied a lot on my oldest child, and I could always depend on her. I had a hard time accepting this change. I am truly thankful she married a loving, kind man who has brought her much joy and happiness in the five years they dated and then ten years of marriage. They were blessed with four sweet children, Abigail Elizabeth, age 8 (9 on September 10), Timothy Josiah, age 6, Allison Lovina, age 5, and Andrea Ruby, age 3. Happy anniversary, Tim and Elizabeth! May God grant you many more happy, healthy years together!

Read MoreWelcome Baby Brooklyn and happy 10th anniversary Tim and Elizabeth

Trying to Stay Cool on Hot Humid Days

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. 

Read MoreTrying to Stay Cool on Hot Humid Days

Lovina Welcomes Granddaughter Sharlene Lovina

I am excited to announce the birth of our fourteenth grandchild. Sharlene Lovina Yoder was born to Susan and Ervin on July 17th at 6:13 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds 11.8 ounces and 20 inches long. She is greeted by two sisters and four brothers. Sharlene evens out the grandsons and granddaughters for Joe and I. I went along to the hospital to attend the birth. Once again I am amazed at the miracle of birth and how God created such uniqueness. Mother and baby are doing as well as can be expected. Little Sharlene has already won this grandma’s heart. She’s a precious bundle of joy and has plenty of attention from her six siblings. 

Read MoreLovina Welcomes Granddaughter Sharlene Lovina

Getting to know Verena and Daniel Ray

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.

Read MoreGetting to know Verena and Daniel Ray
rhubarb juice

Wedding Season is in Full Swing in the Community

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

Read MoreWedding Season is in Full Swing in the Community