Amish Life from an Amish Wife- Spring

Elaine is an Amish wife, mother, and business owner. She and her son Seth host traditional Amish meals in their rural Topeka home. Often these gatherings are paired with cooking or quilting demonstrations. Elaine shares a bit of her everyday life here…

Here it is April already and 1/4 of 2016 is past. I am not really a Spring lover, Fall is my favorite season, but I'm mellowing out as I get older. I've enjoyed our crocuses, and the daffodils got knocked round with the wind and the cold but they are still yellow and hanging their heads. I'm looking forward to our red bud, and magnolia bush blooming.

I'm working on getting my last quilting bee quilt pieced. I'm trying to sew spirals without using the paper placing method, it has taken a lot of time, patience, eye strain & ibuprofen and I've just started. All 4 quilts still need to have the boarders marked for hand quilting so I'm looking and thinking about that. The orders need to be easy enough for beginning hand quilters so the patterns I use need good right to left flow, with no sharp backward curves. And then again, should I only do 2 like that, and the other 2 a bit more of a challenge? You'll have to come see what I decided!

Last week I spent a day at my parents, they have had a tough winter, but seem to be better. My 2 sisters also came and of course we also made the noon meal. I fixed one of my mom's favorite salads.

Sweet Pineapple Carrot Salad

1 can pineapple 2 cups finely shredded carrots 1/2 cups mayo 1/2 sugar 1 cup finely chopped celery 3/4 cups chopped pecans 1 cup cottage cheese 8 oz. whipped topping

Drain pineapple, cook juice and 1 tablespoon of unflavored gelatin in sauce pan, cool. Mix all ingredients and refrigerate.

Now this week I was at my sisters for the day helping her clean house. We washed ceilings and walls in the basement and cleaned cupboards inside and out. She seemed happy with everything we got done. My mom was also there so I got to see my sisters and mom twice in 2 weeks. That is very rare! Of course, we take the time for a coffee break in the morning, noon meal and usually a small break in the afternoon before everyone heads home. I fixed salad again.

Corn Chip Salad

Salad

2 heads of romaine, chopped 1 cup shredded cheese 1 cup fried & crumbled bacon 3 hard-boiled eggs- shredded 2 cups crushed corn chips

Dressing

1 cup Miracle Whip 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 Tablespoons Vinegar 1/4 cup white sugar

For the dressing I omitted the vinegar and used Champagne vinegar- "several gurgles" to replace the regular vinegar. (Don't do an equal amount replacement, as champagne vinegar is much stronger) but it makes a good salad amazing. I don't ever plan to go back to using regular vinegar in salads.

On the home front

We welcomed our 8th grandchild on January 29th. His name is Jeremiah and he is doing well. He has Factor IX so bumps and cuts need to be avoided. Once he's older his parents will be able to give the shots but babies veins are so hard to find, so he would need to go to the hospital for factor shots. This is genetic from our daughter-in-law's family and they do well with it, but it won't matter, we know he'll be fine.

Our youngest son Seth is getting the Dutch Harness Horse Stallion we co-own ready to head to a presentation in Ohio today, and that is exciting. Our oldest son also has a horse in the sale. Our sons get their horse talent from their dad. His wife, son, Steve and I will leave tomorrow morning and be there on Friday. We will stay for the horse sale in the afternoon on Saturday. One of our horses will sell so we're looking forward to that.

Be Hopeful...Think Positive!