Amish Cook wants to thank her loyal readers

    I would like to begin this column with a warm heartfelt "thank you" to
all of you wonderful readers that have responded to the Friends Club.
Without your help this column would gradually fade away.   Since not all newspapers are willing to print the Friends Club information we are still in need of some more help. Sometimes asking for help can be difficult, but necessary.   I hope this column continues because I have heard from a lot of readers who said they'd be disappointed if it
wouldn't.  I suppose there is still a lot to share in this column in    the years ahead.
    I feel unworthy and humbled of all the praise and kind words from you
readers.  My editor Kevin Williams has put in so much work into this
column already, sacrificing a lot of time and patience for very little
in return.  I know I would have given up a long time ago if it were
not for his encouragement.  Kevin seems like a brother to me after all
these years.  I remember meeting Kevin way back when I was 19.  A lot
has happened in these last 18 years but whenever possible Kevin helps
out our family.
    He attended our wedding and watched all of our children grow up in these last 15 years.  When Joe had his gall-bladder surgery we had it
done in Kevin's hometown as he was able to arrange it a lot cheaper
since we don't have insurance.   His parents were kind of enough to
take us in for the night so Joe could gain strength before starting
the two hour ride home.   This was greatly appreciated.
    I could go on and on about memories we have shared with Kevin and his fiancée Rachel through the years.  Kevin's made mistakes, but I know
he's grown up a lot too during these years.   Now that their special day is approaching I want to wish them God's most precious blessings as they start life together as one.  Their wedding is scheduled for September 14.  And as we all know what all it takes to get started on our own and to start a family let us keep them in our prayers.  Lastly a great big thank you to Kevin because without him this column would not be here today anymore.  Without you readers to support this column it would not have survived either.  The paycheck from the column and Friend Club really comes in handy with eight mouths to feed.  Thank you and God bless you dearly.
    EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a challenge to readers to keep The Amish Cook column publishing.  We are so close, but just not quite there yet to
having a working business model for the column that will sustain it for years to come.  I don't want to give up when so many readers have
rallied to the column's cause, but I also don't want to keep publishing information about The Friend Club.  I'd also like to have a clear idea of the column's future soon. Call it pre-wedding jitters on the editor's end, I just want to know whether my future continues in this column or whether to discontinue and find a "normal job." – Kevin Williams
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    We are enjoying a relaxing Sunday afternoon having popcorn and punch.
    It is so nice to have an opportunity to take our family to church
services where it refreshes our minds and allows us to thank our Heavenly Father for all of our blessings.
    A lady from church told me to come pick her strawberries from her
patch. So kind of her since my strawberry patch got off to a late
start this spring.  I plan to make some strawberry freezer jam with
the rest

STRAWBERRY COFFEECAKE
1 cup butter, softened
1 1 /2 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces of sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
Inside filling: 3 /4 cups chopped walnuts, 1 /4 cup sugar, 1 /4 cup
brown sugar, 3 /4 teaspoons cinnamon
    In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well.
Combine flour, baking powder, and soda and add to creamed mixture
alternately with sour cream and beat in vanilla.  Fold in strawberries.  Spoon half of the mixture into a greased, floured fluted 10" tube pan.  Combine filling ingredients and sprinkle half over the batter.  Top with remaining batter and filling. Bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes before flipping over and
cooling on a wire rack.