It is July 3 and 2013 is half-over already. We have been having lots of rain. Last week, we had a total of 8 inches. Some report more, some less.
All is still quiet around the house this morning, so I decided to get up earlier than the rest to write this column. With this being vacation week for my husband, Joe, and daughter, Elizabeth, we have been sleeping in longer. Bedtime is also later with not having to set an alarm. Such nice family time together and memories made.
Sunday evening, we took supper to Jacob and Emma's house. We then went to see how their daughter Elizabeth is faring since her surgery on Thursday. She is doing as well as can be expected. The men and boys played croquet while the rest of us visited. The eight-player croquet set was a Father's Day gift to Joe and has been played many times since.
Corn de-tasseling should be starting any day. Daughters Susan and Verena went to help rogue the corn on Saturday. If I understand correctly, to "rogue" the corn is to take out the tall unwanted cornstalks out of the cornfields. This is done before the corn is de-tasseled. The fields were over a mile long and each person takes 12 rows at a time. After all this rain, it made for some tough walking. Their shoes were caked with mud when they came home.
On Friday, we enjoyed a fish fry at Timothy's house. Timothy and Elizabeth cooked supper outdoors. It was very enjoyable to relax and not have to cook.
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Elizabeth and Loretta went to clean Timothy's house on Saturday. I told Elizabeth to bring his laundry here to wash on Monday. She bought his curtains, extra bedding, etc to wash as well. Using our spinner, our laundry and his dried really fast on the lines. With Timothy working long hours, it's hard for him to keep up with the housework all the time.
Last week, we made quite a few batches of strawberry freezer jam. My rhubarbs are looking very nice since the rains, so I want to make one more batch of juice.
We are enjoying red potatoes, peas, green peppers and hot peppers from the garden. Have small zucchinis almost ready to pick. Red beets are ready to use but I am leaving them to get bigger to pack pickled beets.
The tomato plants are loaded with tomatoes and corn is looking nice again. Our sweet onions are getting very big and doing extra well. The cooking onions I store over the winter are doing great as well. Meal planning is so much easier with the garden goodies. Joe planted another patch of sweet corn yesterday for later use.
Son Kevin, 7, does not get along with our rooster. He usually gathers the eggs and has had a few surprises from behind from that rooster. We also have a hen with a bad attitude. Daughter Susan came out to the barn and heard this hen really squawking. She could not keep from laughing when she saw Kevin and the hen face-to-face and the hen's feathers were all raised. Kevin had an egg aimed to throw at the hen for his protection.
Kevin keeps us all laughing. He wanted to help me mix Loretta's birthday cake but after cracking the first egg too hard it fell on the countertop. He did manage to get the others in the bowl. We a made the cake while Loretta was outside sitting on the swing. We hid it until supper time so Loretta could be surprised. God's blessings.
Try this salad with your garden lettuce.
The Amish Cook is a weekly column written by Lovina Eicher, an Old Order Amish woman who lives in Michigan. To comment, send mail to Lovina Eicher at P.O. Box 2144, Middletown, OH 45042.
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1 head iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce
1/2 pound shredded Cheddar cheese
1 pound bacon, fried and crumbled
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2-1/2 cups corn chips, crushed
1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing
2 tablespoons vinegar
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1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
Toss together lettuce, cheese, bacon, and eggs. Mix together salad dressing, vinegar, milk and sugar and toss with lettuce mixture. Add in corn chips and toss just before serving.
