Hello, this is Lovina’s daughter Verena writing. I was in one of those writing moods, and I heard Mom saying that she wished someone would write the column for her, so here I am.
Today, eight years ago, my sister Susan married Mose. They had two children together. I moved in with Susan for two years after Mose passed. It was very heartbreaking to watch Susan struggle with her loss. I remember staying up with her most nights just talking because she could not sleep. Susan married Ervin, who had three children and had lost his wife to cancer. Ervin and Susan could feel for each other and understand each other, and that brought a connection between them. I am thankful that God blessed us with Ervin and his three children that we consider family now.
On July 19, my boyfriend Daniel and I decided to have a campout with my nieces and nephews and his younger siblings. There were five of his siblings: Andrew, 14, Anna, 12, Kenneth, 11, William, 7, and Alvin, 5. My sister Liz’s children Abigail, 7, T.J., 5, and Allison, 4. Also, sister Susan’s children Kaitlyn, 7, Jennifer, 6, Isaiah, 6, Ryan, 5, and Curtis, 4. My sister Liz and her husband Tim were kind enough to let us have it there. We put up two big tents and one small tent. Everyone brought snacks, hot dogs, and hot dog buns. I brought the drinks and everything that goes with the hot dogs. Two small pools were set up along with my inflatable slide pool. The night started out with a water balloon fight. We needed to dry off, so we played kickball. It was pretty funny watching the 4–6-year-olds learn to play. Ryan always ran like he was told but never to the correct base. By the end of the game, they had it figured out.
We ended the night with stories around the campfire and s’mores. Tim and Liz ended up joining us with their daughter Andrea, who is two years old. They helped along with the stories, and it made the night a lot more interesting.
I always enjoy sitting around the campfire and eating campfire food. Hobo suppers over the campfire are one of my favorite meals, and Daniel and I made them for my family one evening. On Saturday evening, Daniel and I brought supper over to Daniel’s parents’ place. We made hobos and put them on the campfire once we got there. This was the first time Daniel’s family had any. Thankfully, they all loved it. We had plenty leftover that we could put into a casserole dish and have for lunch the next day. Daniel has seven brothers and two sisters; none of them are married yet.
I moved back home in January after three years of not living here. It feels so good to be back. I love that I have so much less responsibility than I did when I lived alone. Although, I sure enjoyed the experience.
My sister Loretta and her husband live across the road from Dad and Mom. Every morning that Dustin goes to work, I get up at 3:50 a.m. and head over there to stay with Loretta and her two boys, Denzel, 2, and Byron (turning 1 on August 7).
Byron is awake most mornings when I get there. Loretta or I will change his diaper and then lay him back in his crib. The boys wake up at around 8 or 9 a.m. Loretta and I don’t get up until they do. Our excuse is that we don’t want to get up before the boys, or we might accidentally wake them. Haha.
Loretta and I stay busy looking after the boys and getting their meals. One of us will wash the dishes while the other sweeps the floors. We like to mop the floors at least one day a week. Unless the boys decide to destroy the house and make us mop more than we like to. Haha. There’s also always laundry. Dustin most times will wash it, but he doesn’t offer to fold it. Ha. Loretta and I are both in a mobility scooter. We have Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. I know that a lot of people doubt what we can accomplish, but when we work together, we get a lot done. Our disability does not define us. We are blessed.
I will share the hobo supper recipe, and I hope you’ll all get a chance to try it. It is very tasty. This recipe is from my mom’s cookbook, The Essential Amish Cookbook. You all take care, and God bless.
Hobo Suppers
10 red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
2 cups carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 (16-ounce) package smoky links, cut into pieces; or 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper, as desired
Cheese, sliced
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together except the cheese. Divide the mixture into the amount you want for each serving, placing individual servings on sheets of aluminum foil. Fold foil over, wrapping tight, and set on grill for 10 minutes on each side.
Open up foil; if potatoes are soft, add a slice of cheese. (If potatoes need more time to cook, close pouches and return to grill before adding cheese.) Re-wrap and grill a few more minutes until cheese is melted.
Alternatively, can be cooked in oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then turned over and cooked for 10 additional minutes. Check doneness of potatoes before adding cheese.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, 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, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email LovinasAmishKitchen@MennoMedia.org and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.
It looks like you and the children had lots of fun,wish we could have been there.If I had small children I would stay in bed too. Keep up the good work.
I always enjoy your writing, Verena. Thank you for giving your Mother a break from writing this week.
It sounds like a fun time with your nieces and nephews and I am sure the parents enjoyed a lighter evening. Kickball can be such a fun game. I appreciate you sharing the hobo meals recipe – we’re going camping next week and will certainly use this!
We also have muscular dystrophy in our family and I am always so surprised at the misconceptions. Many hands make light work and even more so when there are additional challenges.
Blessings to you and your family,
Lea
I’m 60 now and I grew up in Northern Lower Michigan. We called this “boy scout dinners.” Yes, I’m English. It’s a different name for the same dish in different areas of Michigan. Over the years I’ve discovered if you wrap these same ingredients, serving size, inside a small pie shell and bake, they are then the delectable treat called a “pasty” which is well-known especially in the U.P. (Michigan Upper Peninsula). The story is that the miners in the U.P. would eat pasties down in the mines because they could hold them in their hands while eating them and not need a plate or utensils. My family loves eating these either way, ingredients wrapped in foil or pie shell.
The hobo suppers I remember growing up as a kid is you wrap each ingredient (sausage, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions, whatever each hobo/guest brings to the meal) in its own separate cheesecloth bag (if I remember right the bags are tied shut with string) and combine them all in a large pot of water to boil over the campfire. When everything is cooked you unwrap each ingredient and put in separate serving bowls, then everyone fills their plates and enjoys. You might have another name for this same dish.
I imagine that a lot of good memories were made from your fun campout! Thank you so much for sharing!
I so enjoyed your post. I am sure your mom appreciated your help. Life is busy for sure. One thing you wrote was so beautifully said. That was….despite a disability, it does not define your life. I love that you let God guide and you live your best life. Thank you for sharing. May God continue to bless your life.
Great job filling in for your Mom ! You are such a blessing and I’m sure she appreciates your help. God bless & keep you all in His care and may He surround your family with His Grace, His Love, His peace and His presence – always.