This week will put October 2024 into history. It doesn’t seem possible that we have only two months left of 2024.

Around here, we have leaves everywhere. We need to get the leaf blower going and gather up the many leaves. Last week, when my daughters were home for the day, daughter Verena took the leaf blower out there and made big piles for the children to play in. They thought it was fun to hide under the leaves and pop out. It seems only a few short years ago that it was my little ones doing that. Leaf raking was a family event; my husband Joe and I and all the children would go out with lots of rakes to gather all the leaves. A few years ago, Joe bought me a cordless leaf blower, and I really do like using that better than raking. I just need to get more batteries, so I don’t have to wait on them to charge.

We sure are enjoying this autumn weather. It has been so nice even though mornings are very chilly. We did get our frost, so my hanging flowers on the porch are finished with their beauty. As much as I like the flowers, I dislike watering them, and it feels like an extra chore. Son Joseph used to water them quite often for me, and I miss that. We always use hard water from the outside spigot as I am not sure if softened water will hurt plants or not. Does anyone know or have advice on that?

On Saturday, our family gathered at son Joseph and Grace’s house. Grace’s family also came to help. Joseph wanted his barn roof redone, so the men did that. The rest of us cleaned out the tool shed area so that Joseph could keep all his tools in there.

We all went for brunch before they started with the roof. Joe and I took our horse Midnight. She doesn’t like to leave her colt (which we still don’t have a name for). Any suggestions? We named her last colt Jett, and we will already be training him by spring. With Lovina’s wedding going on in June, I am not even sure I mentioned that Midnight had another colt in May. Joseph’s horse Sugar also had a colt. We were both hoping the horses would have fillies, but such is life. Midnight and Sugar are sisters. Sugar will be leaving our farm soon. Joseph already took his horse Rocky. We will have son Benjamin’s horses Beauty and Star, our horse Midnight and her colt and Jett, and our pony Stormy. We have six new horse stalls for them in the new barn for this winter.

Back to Saturday… Joe grilled 40 pounds of chicken at Joesph’s. Grace made chili soup and potato salad, and everyone brought a dish, so we had plenty of food. Everyone ate before heading home. Joseph was so glad that the barn roof metal was on.

Ervin and daughter Susan decided to have our family come for an early birthday party for Ervin Jay Jr. on Sunday evening. He will be a year old on November 14. His little siblings thought it was so funny to see him get chocolate cake all over his face. He doesn’t lack attention with five older brothers and sisters. We were served a delicious supper. Sister Verena went with us to Ervin’s Sunday for the birthday party. She came home with us and has been here since.

Yesterday, Dustin and daughter Loretta brought their two little boys here while they went to Loretta’s doctor appointment an hour away. I washed laundry, and it dried really well in the breeze and the sunlight. Denzel wanted to help me get the clothes off the lines. His way of helping wasn’t really helping. Haha!

We tell Denzel when it’s almost time for Grandpa Joe to come home, so he watches by the window. When he sees Grandpa coming home, he is off that chair and out the door, running to meet him.

Joe was eating peanuts and hot tamales, and Denzel kept begging for a hot tamale. Joe told him it was hot, but Denzel still wanted to try it. Joe let him have one, and Denzel blew on it because he thought it was the kind of food that, when it’s hot, you blow on it to cool it off. Needless to say, he didn’t ask for a second one but wanted water. When we asked him if it was hot he just smiled. Grandchildren are so fun!

This week, I’m sharing a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I made a batch of these cookies last week. They are already history. The grandchildren loved them too when they came. I ended up with 75 cookies. It all depends on what size you make them.

God bless!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups shortening
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
7 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugars. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Then add the rest of the ingredients except chocolate chips. Stir in chocolate chips last. Drop by teaspoons full on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.

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.