Sharing a recent day in the life of the Amish

I thought I'd share with you readers a diary of a recent day around here.
    5:30 a.m. Daughter Elizabeth has to go detasseling again. Elizabeth is already up and packing her lunch. She does well to get up by herself. I always think I should get up with her and make her breakfast, although some mornings she just isn't hungry yet so we just pack snacks in her lunch-bucket. It seems once she comes home, cleans up and cools off she gets her appetite back.
    6:15 a.m. Elizabeth leaves for detassling. Joe and the children and I are getting up now. Joe isn't working today so he took advantage of a few extra hours of sleep.
    7:45 a.m. We have breakfast ready which consist of fried eggs, fresh fried potatoes out of our garden, toast, butter, and strawberry jam, cheese, orange juice, milk, and coffee.
    8:30 a.m. Breakfast is over and Joe and the boys go out to the barn to haul manure. Daughters Susan and Loretta wash dishes while Verena and I go down to the basement to do the laundry. It looks promising for a very nice laundry day.
    10:45 a.m. The washlines are all filled with clothes. We had an extra big laundry today. Susan and Loretta are done with the breakfast dishes so they were able to help with this task. Then we all joined Joe and the boys for a break. Family times like this are so precious but we feel an emptiness with Elizabeth not home.
    12:15 p.m. We eat a light lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches. While we are eating Elizabeth comes home from detassling. They have enough work but some of the tassels aren't ready to be pulled yet so she's home a little early. She joins us for lunch which makes it enjoyable to all be together again.
    1:30 p.m. Everyone had gone back to work. Kevin is taking his daily nap. The girls are doing the weekly cleaning and Joe and the boys are back inside the barn. They are trying to catch up on their work so they can go fishing tomorrow. Joe took Verena, Joseph, Benjamin, and Loretta fishing last night. It was Joseph's sixth birthday so after we ate cake and ice cream they left with the boat.
    5:30 p.m. Joe and a few of the children left with our pony Stormy to go to Jacob's and Emma's house. Jacob is going to re-shoe Stormy.
    7:30 p.m. a taco supper is ready and waiting when Joe and the children get home. It is an easy supper to make with lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers and onions out of the garden. Also with hamburger from the beef we butchered last winter. I just mix in a little store-bought taco seasoning.
    Zucchinis are really making their appearance in the garden. This recipe is an easy supper and a favorite among the children during the summer.

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS
2 cups of grated and drained zucchini
1 egg
6 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1 small onion, chopped fine
Mix the above ingredients well. Shape into patties and fry in lightly greased skillet on medium heat until golden.
 
    EDITOR'S NOTE: We would really like for this to be the final week for running notices about summer enrollment in the Amish Cook Friend Club.
    We still need 11 Daily Globe readers to join to reach our goal to secure the column for the year ahead (everyone thinks everyone else is joining and then sometimes no one does). If  The Amish Cook column does achieve its goal and is secure in the year ahead, Globe readers are no small reason. Dodge City-Spearville readers have been wonderful. To enroll:
    BASIC: $10; “Lovina Eicher name card.” “Name cards” are small business-card type identifiers that the Amish often exchange at singings, potlucks, and church gatherings.
    ONE-YEAR SILVER $25; name card, signed 8 by 10 color photo of the Eicher's horse and buggy or meal-time scene. Free access to any paid products at amishcookonline.com
    ONE YEAR GOLD $50; all of the above, plus a quarterly newsletter, "The Amish Cook Extra," with family favorite recipes, color photos of Lovina's home, stories and Amish information.  
    EDITOR'S CIRCLE $75; All of the above, plus a happy birthday card from Lovina sent to the home of one loved one per year. Memberships can be sent to: Oasis Newsfeatures, P.O. Box 2144, Middletown, Ohio 45042.. Readers can also join with credit card by calling 1-877-571-4112 24 hours, 7 days.  A "Friend Club" calendar will run with the column in a couple of weeks outlining the newsletter schedules and other sendings.