Remembering holidays with parents, plus pumpkin roll recipe

Monday morning and another rainy day here. Such a change from the snow and cold weather we had a week ago. The house is almost too warm now with the coal stove going. We have some windows open and the stove turned down so it’s not too bad. I’m writing this column earlier in the week … Continue Reading ››

Glide into winter with some Eicher vegetable soup

For this week I am going to write a diary of November 18, Tuesday. 3:25 a.m. The alarm rings and it’s time to start another day. I pack my husband Joe’s lunch. He doesn’t eat breakfast until his first break so I pack a ham and cheese sandwich for that. For lunch I put in some … Continue Reading ››

As temperature drops, pumpkin cobbler warms from inside out

Good morning to all! All is quiet here since the bus left with the four youngest children. Benjamin hasn’t been home since yesterday morning. Something broke down at Mose’s sawmill, so Benjamin stayed there last night to work later. Waiting on the part for the mill put them behind. Benjamin always enjoys staying there as … Continue Reading ››

Fall family gatherings a time to reconnect

We are in the final week of October. It is a dark, dreary morning. This weekend we need to turn our clocks back an hour. I still have trouble getting used to the changing of time in the spring and fall. My husband Joe, son Benjamin, and daughters Elizabeth and Susan are all at work. Daughters … Continue Reading ››

Molasses cookies will brighten a rainy fall day

We had a good turnout at the book signing in Warsaw, Ind., on Saturday. Thanks to all of you readers who came and for all your encouraging words! I’m wishing a happy birthday to Timothy (my daughter Elizabeth’s friend). His birthday was on Saturday. Today is another gloomy autumn day where we live. We had quite a … Continue Reading ››

October is Lovina’s 12-year column anniversary, with four preschoolers

Another week has already gone by, which makes it time to get this column written. The weeks just fly by. I write my columns in one-subject notebooks which have amounted to quite a few in the years of penning this column. This month 12 years ago is when I wrote my first column. I think … Continue Reading ››

Grilling for 60 at family picnic: 12-layer Jell-O salad echoes colorful fall

We have entered the month of October. It’s so hard to believe that autumn is here and the trees are showing their autumn splendor. Our yard is accumulating more leaves every day.
U-pick grape arbor
U-pick grape arbor.
Daughter Verena, 16, and I just came home … Continue Reading ››

A pony, A wedding, and a children’s cornfield hideaway

A lovely Tuesday evening! It was a chilly 41 degrees this morning but warmed up into the 70s. Right now it is pretty quiet in this house. Six of our children decided to go the four miles to sister Emma and Jacob’s house. Some rode the ponies and some biked. They wanted to go see Jacob’s … Continue Reading ››