Daughter Elizabeth is giving mother a break this week

    I am giving Mom a break during this busy spring season of readying the garden.  The first garden goodies are already coming up. We have peas,
lettuce, radishes, onions, and potatoes planted.  We were going to
plant more on Friday but it rained and the garden was too wet.  The
asparagus is starting in and rhubarb is taking over.  Mom says she
will probably be canning rhubarb juice and jam this week.  She made
some rhubarb pies this week and they sure didn't last long.
    Oh how wonderful it is to have nice warm days again! This is my
favorite season.  I love to see all the birds coming back.  We have
been seeing a lot of beautiful cardinals.  Dad put up my bluebird
house that I made in third grade at school.   Now some bluebirds have
made it their home.
    Yesterday we spent the day at Uncle Jacob and Aunt Emma's house.  Dad, Mom, and some of my brothers and sisters biked the four miles and so did Aunt Verena and Susan.  Since Dad needs to repair the tube in my bike tire I couldn't bike.  So, instead of biking, sister Susan and I took our pony, Stormy, and the pony wagon to Jacob and Emma's.  The younger ones who couldn't bike that far also went along. Stormy was
rarin' to go after a long rest all winter.  It was nice to go for a pony ride again and Kevin and Lovina always enjoy it.
    Aunt Emma had a good dinner of homemade French fries, breaded fish, onion rings, white cake, rhubarb pie, ice cream and peaches.  It was
all very good.  Emma also breaded and deep-fried potato slices and it
was good like that.
    After dishes were washed we played kickball.  Brother Kevin and cousin Steven, 9 months, took a nap while we played.  It was fun to all play
kickball together and I was on the winning team.  We were 17 total
playing but we let sister Lovina just kick the ball and run around the
bases and didn't count her points.  Lovina will turn four on May 18.
She is excited and keeps asking me how long til her birthday.
    Next month on June 14 I will be 14.  We will have cake and ice cream
and family and friends over. Turning 14 also means that next year is
my last year of school, which I am really excited that I will be done.
 I'm not the only one celebrating 14 years, our horse Diamond will be
14 this month.  Dad raised him and trained him and he is our best
horse and very safe.  I am finishing up with my school work for this
year. I still have some English and math lessons to do. Reading and
spelling are my favorite subjects.    Although I miss seeing my
friends at school I enjoyed home-schooling.  It was more relaxing to
do my lessons here at home.  Mom, Susan, and I made this casserole on
Saturday for lunch. It is easy to make and we all liked it:

YUMASETTI
1 16-ounce package noodles, cooked in salt water (or homemade noodles)
3 pounds hamburger, fried with chopped medium onion
1 pint peas
2 (10 3 /4  oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup
1  (10 3 /4 oz/) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
10 slices toasted bread, cubed

Mix all together and put into a casserole dish.  Top with your
favorite kind of cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Elizabeth Eicher, 13, is Lovina's oldest daughter. Lovina's column will return next week. For more information about The Amish Cook
column and the Eicher family visit amishcookonline.com