For this column, I’m going to share some excerpts from my mother, Elizabeth Coblentz’s, columns from November 1994. Joe and I lived in a house trailer across the driveway from Dad and Mom and had only daughter Elizabeth.

It is Monday, and such a nasty wash day. The wash is drying, but the rain made me take some bedding in; but now that the rain has quit, I hung it back outside. So much being on the clothesline. I just hope it dries. It looks dark in the northwest sky again. We are drying some clothes on a rack inside, in front of the Hitzer wood-burning stove. Now would be a good time to throw the wash in a dryer, but that’s life around here... no electricity. But I always think hanging the wash outside makes for such a fresher smell.

Sunday morning, we had breakfast with daughter Lovina and Joe, who is across the driveway from us in a house trailer. I must say it was an enjoyable morning. It was just like going out for breakfast. We had a good breakfast of fried eggs, fresh fried potatoes, bread buns and toast, ham, cheese, butter, jelly, coffee, and rolls. We did the dishes and came back to our house. What a treat to not prepare breakfast in your own kitchen. At noon, we had lunch guests: daughter Lovina and Joe and daughter, son Albert, Sarah Irene and family, and daughter Liz and Levi and family. In the p.m., daughter Leah, Paul, and family gave us a visit. The family had an enjoyable day together. It’s always good to see the children come home. It was such a nice, sunshiny, warm day.

My sciatica gave me another whirl last Wednesday, which kept me from going to help get ready for the wedding of my niece. But at least I made it to the wedding. Such a painful backache when sciatica comes for a visit, but now I feel relief from it. It just strikes all at once.

A cold morning with temperatures at 24 degrees this November 23, the day before Thanksgiving Day. Reckon the rest of the garden goodies look a droopy sight right now. Had most of ours out of the garden, but the lettuce was still so nice and kept growing. Had such nice fall weather.

Thanksgiving Day has appeared on the calendar, and it is here already. What are you all planning for the holiday? We have no plans as yet for what we’ll do. Although, as always, a stuffed turkey was put in the oven early this morning for dinner. Thanksgiving dinner, we usually think of turkey, but some like chicken better, so at times we have both on the Thanksgiving menu. Also, sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and mashed potatoes and gravy are also on the list. I am sure some of the children will stop in.

We have many things to be thankful for this 1994 Thanksgiving Day, for the bounteous harvest, even if we had such dry weathe,r and for the good health God has given us. I often think about how those Pilgrims of many, many years ago must’ve had many struggles. We’ll never know the terrors they braved through. Last Thanksgiving Day, we had what you would call an enjoyable workday with a stuffed turkey on the menu. Son Albert helped Ben and Joe plow our garden with our team of Belgian horses and plow, and they were all here for dinner, and then Ben helped Albert plow his garden. Good to have those gardens plowed in for the spring. Then they hauled a couple of loads of wood up from the woods, which is badly needed for those woodstoves. Some have their Christmas family gatherings on this holiday, and some choose this holiday for their wedding day.

I hope you enjoyed reading my mother’s column from 1994. What great memories I have of the holidays spent together. From our family to yours, have a Happy Thanksgiving, and God bless!

Turkey Burgers

This is a wonderful way to use leftover turkey after a Thanksgiving feast – we finely chop the cooked meat in place of ground turkey.

1 pound ground turkey

2 cups cooked rice

¼ cup chopped onion

¼ cup ketchup

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup ranch dressing (optional)

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Combine the ingredients, mixing well.

Shape into 10 even patties.

Cook over medium-high heat in a hot skillet coated with cooking spray for 10-12 minutes per side.

Recipe from The Cherished Table by Lovina Eicher

• 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.