We have turned another page on our calendar. June is here! Our hay is cut and now we have the challenge of getting it raked and baled before it rains again.
Yesterday was pretty warm with the temperature reaching the 90s. This morning at 4:30 a.m. the thermometer shows 72 degrees. It feels good to have it cool down at night. After having several days of the temperature not going much over 60 degrees and going down to 40 degrees at night, this feels different.
Son Benjamin, 20, left for work at 3:30 a.m., and son Joseph, 17, just left a little before 4:30. Daughters Elizabeth and Susan and their children have plans to come today, so I thought I better write this while everything is quiet. It is so nice when the weather is good for the little children to play outside.
I am hoping we will be able to can more rhubarb juice today. Last week we made 43 quarts, and I still have so much rhubarb. Daughter Susan will take some rhubarb to make more juice for them.
We have also been enjoying fresh tea from our garden. My patch is a mixture of spearmint and peppermint. A glass of iced tea hits the spot on hot days. I want to make tea concentrate to use later when tea isn’t in season. You can freeze it.
Church services were held at niece Emma and Menno’s house under a tent on Sunday. With the temperature going down to 40 degrees overnight, that morning it was a little chilly at first. Usually this time of the year it’s okay to have church under a tent. It warmed up to almost 70 degrees so all worked out. We went back for supper in the evening. Menno and Emma live on the place son-in-law Tim had before he was married. Brings back memories of the times we spent there.
Daughter Loretta, 19, is following instruction class in preparation for baptism this fall. It always makes us as parents so thankful when another one of our children wants to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. It truly brings joy to our hearts, and we thank God for His many blessings.
The weeds are already popping up in the gardens. I haven’t been out there much since my husband Joe is still laid off from work. He keeps the weeding and tilling under control. This week he is trimming around all our fence rows. It makes it look so much better.
The bus stopped through picking up son Kevin’s schoolwork this week. Is it possible that our eight children have all completed their school years?
Monday we couldn’t wash laundry as we ran out of laundry soap, so we decided to wait to do laundry until Tuesday. Joe and I went to town with the buggy to get a few groceries, and we also had to go to the bank. It will be so nice once you can walk into the banks again after this lockdown is lifted next week.
Life has not been the same since March. Churches cancelled, weddings postponed, schools closed. May we all turn to God and trust that He controls everything. Some day we will understand all this confusion. Have faith!
All of my book signings were also postponed. I look forward to meeting many of you readers. God’s many blessings as we travel into the unknown future! Take care! Stay safe and healthy!
I will share a recipe for rhubarb bars which I made to take to niece Emma and Menno’s for Sunday night supper.
Go Anywhere Rhubarb Bars
Crust:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter
Filling:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups finely-chopped rhubarb
Crust: Combine flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into bottom of a greased 7 x 11-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
Filling: Combine the first 4 ingredients, stir in rhubarb, and pour over warm crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until done.
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 now from the publisher, Herald Press, 800-245-7894. Readers can write to Eicher at PO Box 1689, South Holland, IL 60473 (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.
I love these bars and so do the grandchildren. I so enjoy reading about your family and brings back memories of your mother when I followed her and bought all her books. I have made many recipes from those books and continue to do do. My newspaper no longer is in business so I lost touch until just a couple of months ago and imagine my surprise when I found you were a grandmother with two married daughters. What a joy you bring to my life, Blessings to you and your family.
Your articles are always a breath of fresh air! – Especially now, when our retirement community is quarantined because of Covid 19.
You wrote about cancellations – we had to cancel our plans to celebrate my 81st b’day at a favorite B & B. But it was a good day in spite of that, and we are enjoying our retirement in good health, time to travel, read, write and just sit on our 3rd floor balcony and watch the birds. Grateful for good health, good friends and family who keep in touch, good reading!
Stay well, Lavina, keep writing, and thanks for the simply joys you write about so well!
I’m always overjoyed when I open Facebook and see you have a new blog. It’s so refreshing to read what your family is doing. Life should be like this full of family and pleasure thank you for reminding us. I love all your canning tips.
I would be interested in knowing how to make garden tea concentrate that can be frozen. Your columns are always so interesting, and it’s fun to follow along with all your family activities.
Look so forward to reading the interesting blogs and enjoying the delicious recipes that are shared.