It is a dreary Monday morning with light rain. We do need this rain. The breeze feels good coming in the windows. We appreciate it even more after a few weeks of hot, humid weather.
My husband Joe went back to work this morning after having four days off over the July 4 holiday. We didn’t do anything special but just slowed down our normal pace. We slept later each morning and took life easy. On his days off, Joe weeded all the garden beds. Everything is growing really well, and Joe is watching for that first tomato. Yummy! All the garden goodies will be ready soon.
Daniel Ray and Verena are gradually getting settled in. They will keep extra things they don’t need for now in her bedroom upstairs. Daniel Ray and our son Benjamin are off from the RV factory this week.
Today, daughter Loretta and Dustin’s three little ones are here while they go to Dustin’s doctor’s appointment in town. They were here for a half-hour, then Verena came over to take them to their place. She knew I needed to write the column and wanted to give me a little quiet time. She can handle those three better than this grandma. Ha, ha!
Denzel will have his third birthday July 10. Daughter Loretta turned 25 on July 1. For two weeks, she and our son Benjamin are the same age. Benjamin will turn 26 on July 14. On July 15, Joe and I will be married for 32 years. July 15 also was brother Albert’s birthday. Rest in peace, dear brother.
I am alone in the house this morning since Joe left for work, with the exception of the children being here. Sons Benjamin and Kevin spent the night at a friend’s house and aren’t home yet. It is nice to have some alone time, although I wouldn’t want it all the time. My sister Verena thinks differently about having too much alone time. She has been spending time with our sister Emma the past few days.
Last week, I actually had time to get back to my sewing. It seemed like the busyness of the wedding filled up my days. We have four wedding invitations for the next few months. We regret that we couldn’t attend the recent wedding of my cousin’s son Joe and Marianna. We wish them many happy, healthy years together.
On Friday, July 4, Joe and I, Loretta, Dustin and the children decided to go to our daughter Lovina and Daniel’s house to spend the evening. We enjoyed an outdoor supper consisting of grilled hamburgers with all the trimmings, French fries, sweet corn and watermelon. It was a lovely night to sit outside. Our way home went pretty fast, with the horses being scared of the loud fireworks and firecrackers. They wanted to run!
Daughter Elizabeth and Tim will be hosting church services next Sunday, Lord willing. Our family, nephew Ben, Tim’s brother Mervin and his three sons assisted Tim with their work one Saturday. The men put new metal on the garage that they made into living quarters. The women washed windows, etc. My husband Joe grilled chicken for lunch. I took potatoes leftover from the wedding and made mashed potatoes and gravy and mixed vegetables to go along with the chicken and dinner rolls.
My prayers and sympathy go out to a dear friend, Linda, age 89. She and her husband, Raymond, attended most of our daughters’ weddings. The night before Daniel Ray and Verena’s wedding, Raymond, age 90, was killed while riding his bike. We were unable to make it to Nappanee, Indiana, for the funeral. My prayers also go out to all the families who have lost loved ones in the horrible flood in Texas. I cannot imagine what the people in the flood went through. May God help all of them through this time and always!
I will share my pie dough recipe that we used for the wedding. God bless!
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Pie Dough
6 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups lard
2 eggs
⅔ cup water
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add lard and cut with a fork until crumbs are formed. It’s best if the crumbs are quite moist. Add a little more lard if necessary.
Beat together eggs, water and vinegar and pour over the crumb mixture. Mix with a fork until the right consistency. Do not overmix.
Makes six pie crusts (for three pies with top and bottom crusts or six single crusts).
• Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, an 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, P.O. 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.