It is already mid-April. Yesterday, I put a letter and card out in the mail for sister Leah and Paul. They had their forty-second anniversary on April 16. I was a third grader when they were married. I still remember sitting beside my mother as they were getting married and seeing her crying. I couldn’t figure out why she was crying, but now I understand. It’s not that she was crying because of the wedding but because life was changing, and her firstborn was leaving home. I remember as I was walking home from Uncle Elmer’s (where the wedding ceremony was) back to our place with a few of my cousins. I was trying hard to cry because I thought I probably should because my mother was. My cousins asked me why I was crying, and I told them I wasn’t sure, but I thought you were supposed to cry when a family member got married. Now I have to laugh at that memory. My biggest concern probably should’ve been that I didn’t have a big sister to pick up after me and bake cookies. Haha!

Saturday, we planted potatoes, peas, and radishes. We didn’t put the sweet onions out because we had a few days of “cold” weather again and even more snow. It didn’t stay long, of course, but it did stay long enough to warn us not to get in too big of a hurry to plant more in the garden. We are having asparagus now. Our rhubarb and horseradish are coming up, but our tea for some reason didn’t come up last year and this year. We have had tea there for years and are trying to figure out what could’ve killed it.

Sunday, we had council church at our neighbors in preparation for communion services that will be held at daughter Loretta and Dustin’s, Lord willing, on April 30.

Last week, when my sisters, nieces, daughters, and I went to help Loretta clean, we accomplished a lot. Her bathroom and back entrance are the only things left to clean. Daughter Lovina and I will go help work on that this afternoon.

Saturday, we will assist them again to clean the pole barn where services will be held.

After church on Sunday, all our family and sister Verena came here. I told them I would make supper for them before they left for home. The menu included vegetable soup, creamed asparagus, rare beef, cheese, crackers, and ice cream. A fast, simple meal, but it was still good. After supper, everyone pitched in to help wash dishes, pick up the toys, and more before they left for home. Sister Verena stayed here and went home Tuesday afternoon.

Yesterday, we had grandson Denzel, nine months, here while Dustin went with Loretta to her appointment in Kalamazoo, which is around an hour from here. Loretta will need to go every week for the next three months. It will be a little hard for them with Dustin taking off work once a week, but he needs to go along to help her in the vehicle. He does it gladly though. She still has to have a blood thinner shot daily.

Denzel is quite content when he’s here. I was holding him on Sunday in church, and when we sang, he tried to help. He loves when Grandpa yodels for him here at home. His words are few yet, but he calls everyone “mom,” and he goes “moo” when he sees a toy cow. He clicks his tongue for a horse, making a clip-clop noise. We have lots of fun with him at his age.

I will share my creamed asparagus recipe this week. God bless!

Creamed Asparagus
2 cups fresh asparagus, chopped into 1–2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups milk
seasonings to taste
3/4 cup soft cheese, diced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons water

Cook fresh asparagus just until tender. Add milk, then add seasonings to taste. When hot, add soft cheese. Mix the cornstarch and water and stir in when the cheese is melted. Vary thickness by using more or less cheese.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold.  Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here.