By LOVINA EICHER

It is a cool Monday morning, and it looks like we'll have a nice day. Monday is usually laundry day here at the Eicher household, so we appreciate a day that isn't stifling hot in the summer.

Daughter Elizabeth, 14, left shortly after 6 a.m. for another week of detasseling corn. She's making a lot of new Amish and Mennonite friends. I think she does a good job to always be willing to go back to work. We sure miss not having her around here during the day, though.

Yesterday, church services were held at our neighbors' home. Our turn to hold services keeps coming closer. We'll probably hold them at our place in early September. On the after-church lunch menu were pickles, red beets, peanut butter spread, homemade wheat and white bread, butter and strawberry jam. We were invited back to their place for a haystack supper in the evening. They had fresh tomatoes, so that was a treat since ours are not ripe yet. They served tomato slices with the lunch also. Then for the haystack supper, they had the tomatoes diced up. A haystack supper is a layered meal in a bowl. You can use different things. She had rice, hamburger, hot peppers, onions, crumbled crackers, tomatoes, lettuce and cheese sauce. Others will put spaghettis or whatever else you want as layers in the haystack. For dessert there was cake and ice cream. It was a pleasant day.

Four-year-old Lovina was happy with the tomatoes to each as she is a tomato lover and can eat them anytime with any meal. Meanwhile, we have pulled our pea plants from the garden, and we have plenty to enjoy for the rest of the summer and to store for the winter. We had a bountiful crop this year. We also have our cooking and sweet onions pulled and hanging up to dry so they will keep for the winter. Joe is also starting to dig potatoes whenever he gets a chance.

Blueberry season is in full swing with a lot going to the Amish u-pick patch. Although I am not much of a blueberry fan, some in the family are. Sister Emma brought us a dish of them that they had picked and my friend Ruth also stopped by and gave us some. So thanks to both of them I will fix something with them for my blueberry fans. I think I had written earlier this year about son Benjamin ,age 9, saving pumpkin seeds from last year's pumpkins. He planted them this past spring and is excited to see he has a small one growing on one plant. All the gourd and melon plants are doing well this year. This is a good year for squash and my zucchini are taking over the garden. I have so many here that I am sharing with neighbors and friends.

This summer is going way too fast, and I think they only have six weeks before the school opens its doors again. Before they go back to school, the children and I want to start organizing the upstairs bedrooms, drawers, closets and so forth. I'd like to get that all done so that it will be completed for our upcoming church services.

Joe's co-worker, Daniel, brought a ham and cheese omelette to work one day. Joe thought it looked really good so he asked for the recipe. I've tried it now and we like it. I added bacon to ours also. I would have added hot peppers but didn't want it too hot for the children to eat. Joe and I added them to ours, though, and it added a good, spicy flavor. I enjoy trying new recipes. Try this one for a good breakfast.

 

More Stories from Lovina Eicher:     · Fall apple season is upon us - 10/03/08     · Amish Cook side tracked by storms - 09/19/08     · Labor Day weekend for Eicher family - 09/12/08     · Dealing with the loss of a family member - 09/05/08     · Cool nights a blessing - 08/29/08

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