AMISH SCHOOLS

The top two pictures of children leaving a school at lunch time.  The lower three are of Susan's school.  I couldn't believe all the bikes parked around that school.

JEAN'S LITE STROGANOFF

JEAN'S LITE STROGANOFF

2 lbs. Ground Turkey (or chicken)
1 can Mushrooms (or fresh mushrooms)
1 Tbsp flour
8 oz Lite Sour Cream
1 small Onion
1 Can Lite Cream of Mushroom Soup (or chicken or homemade)
1 Tbsp Margarine

In a frying pan brown the ground turkey (or chicken) and onions.  Then add mushrooms.  Add flour, margarine.  Bring to boil, them remove from heat and add light sour cream.  Heat till very warm BUT DO NOT BRING TO BOIL.  Can be put over noodles, potatoes or biscuits.  Salt and pepper to taste.

ANNA TELLS OF HER SISTER HANNAH

Someone asked me to tell about my twin sister Hannah.  She and her husband, Moses, built their house and barn right next to ours when they moved from Pennsylvania.  Their house is a two story as they still have some of their children home with them.  Also, living with them are my parents.

My Mother has Alzheimer Diease and when it came to a point where my Father couldn't take care of her alone, it was decided that Hannah and her family would be the best for them to move in with.  Their children help.  Also, Elmer and I run next door to see my parents and or give them a brake.

Even though Hannah is my twin, we are different.  Where I have a little extra weight to lose, Hannah is skinny as a rail.  Where I am very talkative - Hannah is very quiet -  in fact shy.  Where I will ride horses, go fishing, hunting and alike, which my parents did not approve of - Hannah did as she was told, which is one of the reasons, we decided our parents would be better at Hannah's home than ours.  Where I like to milk cows and plow the fields rather than cook and clean - Hannah is the opposite.

But in other ways we are alike.  When talking, I can finish what she is saying or she can finish mine.  We sometimes go in a store and when we get to the check out, we are buying the same thing for the same person.  Sometimes I get a feeling something is wrong at her house or she at mine and when we go to the others house - there is.  It can be as minor as a headache, but we know.

Hannah did not marry until her late 30's.  I remember we thought that she would never marry.  She only went to singings when my parents made her go or I took her with me.  Then she would either sit in a corner or with the girls.  When one of the men took her home, she was quiet as a mouse all the way home.

Hannah worked in a general store.  She would talk to people there.  Help them in their selection.  Answer their questions.  But, get her out of that store and she was so shy.

Moses had gone to school when Hannah did.  What we found out after they were married is he had a crush on her in school, but she never knew.  When he started courting girls, he would try to ask Hannah out, but she always had an excuse.  Eventually, he met another girl  who he courted and married.  He and his first wife had three children.  While the children were still young, his first wife passed of cancer.

A year after his wife's passing, people told him he should consider marrying again.  His first thought was Hannah.  Deep in his heart, he still had a crush on her.  Poor Moses, for all he had to go through to convince Hannah to marry.  Hannah thought the only reason Moses wanted to marry her was to be Mother to his three children. Now don't get wrong, Hannah loves children.  She wanted a man that loved her.  My Mother use to say, sometimes love grows after marriage.  Hannah wouldn't buy that.

I don't know how many times she said no to Moses when he asked to take her for a ride.  He would find excuses to come and help my Father on the farm.  We all knew why he was there except Hannah.  When Mother told her, she couldn't believe it.  He'd go into the store to buy something, just to see her and talk to her.  Sometimes with his children.  Sometimes alone.

One day when Moses came to the house, Father said to him, why don't you take Hannah for a ride in your buggy.  Hannah started excuses.  Moses of course, said sure.  As Moses hooked up his buggy, Father sort of pushed Hannah out the door and stood there to make sure she went with him.  Moses said all she would say on the ride was yes or no.  On Sunday, he came to ask if she would go on a ride, she did.  One day, when Moses came with his children, Mother said we will take care of your children, you two go alone and she handed Moses a picnic basket.  My parents took care of Moses children and they went on  a picnic.  Finally after almost two years Moses asked her to marry him.
She refused.  Hannah told him all he wanted her for was a Mother to his children.  Moses said if all he wanted was a Mother for his children, he could have married anybody. Then he told her about how he had a crush on her in school, and still did.  She said she would marry him and did.  We wondered if she would go through on the wedding day but she did.  It was a beautiful wedding.

She is the Mother to Moses three children plus they have had more.  They are all her children, now.  What started as selling a few items out of their house, turned into a general store in Pennsylvania, which they sold when they moved here.  Moses is farming the land again, but they are looking around to see about starting a general store in this area.  They would like one that sold canned goods, foods, cloth, tools,etc. and also have a section where Amish and Old Order Mennonites could sell their quilts, baked goods, canned goods and alike.  If they found a place big enough, maybe even some of the wood works that men make.

Hannah and I are so happy to be living next door to each other.  It felt like we were missing something when we moved to New York and they lived in Pennsylvania.  It was only the next state over, but still.  Now we are side by side and can run back and forth.  It's like we are one again.  We know Moses and Elmer think we are silly sometimes.

In looking for an area to start a general store, they found that two places the Amish and Mennonite would like, in this area, are a general store and restaurant. They would like them either Amish or Mennonite owned and operated.  Interesting to know.

Moses and Hannah gave me permission to say all this.  Moses wanted to tell all he had to go through to get Hannah - and she was worth it.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Anna

JEAN TELLS WHAT'S NEW

We had Thomas' young lady and her parents over to our house for dinner.  During that time, we found out that they had adopted her when she was a little girl.  They lived next door to Englishers and they had asked them to watch their little girl while they went to a wedding.  They never came back.  On the way to the wedding they were involved in an automobile accident and passed.  As they are Foster Parents, they got to keep her until they found her a home.  They adopted her.

Katie was very interested in that as her parents were killed in an automobile accident.  She was in the back seat of the car at the time of the accident.  We brought her home from the hospital and is now one of our daughters.  She thought that when Thomas and his lady got married, she would have another sister, which is true.

Thomas' lady really wanted to live near her parents.  Thomas wants to live near us.  So she agreed to live near us.  Her parents are only about 45 minutes away by car from our house.  They will see her parents and her parents can come see them.

So the men have been out looking for property which brings Edward into this.  When his Grandmother died he told David and I to sell his Grandmother's house.  David offered to rent it out and save it for him.  Edward said he could never live in this house - so we sold it and put the money in a trust for him when he is 18.

About two months after we sold it, Edward started saying he wish we never sold it.  He understands that we did what he told us too, but he wish he still had the house.  He shouldn't have told us to sell it.  We know every once in a while he would drive the buggy past it - just to see it.  We felt bad, but there was nothing we could do about it.

David and Thomas looked at a lot of property and farms.  One day, in town, to get something for our farm, David decided to stop by the bank and see if they had any property they foreclosed on.  So they went to the bank.  The bank man had a couple of places that he thought David and Thomas might be interested in.  While softly reading the list of properties he hit one address.  David made him stop and reread the address.  Thomas asked why.  David said that's Edward's Grandmother's place.

The bank man said the people couldn't make the payments or just decided to leave because they stopped making payments and moved out.  It took them a while to trace them down and foreclose.  So the bank owns the property and it is up for sale.  Having known David's parents, my parents, David and myself, they gave David the keys to two of the properties and told them to look at them - one of them was Edward's Grandmother's.

Home they came and told Edward he had to stop what work he was doing and come with them.  He couldn't figure out why.  Seeing they had the driver to take them into town, he took them to the first property which they couldn't go in because the people still lived there.  Then they went inside the next farm as it was vacant.  Needed a lot of work.  Then they went to Edward's Grandmother's.  Edward couldn't believe it when they pulled up there.  He was the first one out of the car.

David couldn't open the door fast enough.  Edward was in walking through the house.  He is planning how he would remodel the house.  There is a door into the kitchen.  He would knock the whole wall down so the kitchen would open into the dining area.  Thomas told him to make sure there wasn't a main beam in that wall.  Still Edward went on designing the kitchen.  Then on to the next room.  While Edward was inside designing the house - Thomas and David went outside to see how much land went with it.  Not only was it a fairly good amount, it hadn't been used in years - which is good in farming.

When they got home and seriously talking David said I can only buy land for one.  He can't buy farm land for Thomas and Edward's house.  Edward couldn't buy it because the money is in a trust.  He can't take the money out until he is 18 and we can't take it out unless we need it for an emergency like hospital bill or alike.  That took Edward down.  Promised to pay us back.  David said, we don't have the money for two properties.  Plus he already had the property that we bought for him and Michael. We felt bad because we knew Edward really wanted that back.

David and I thought it was over until breakfast the next morning.  The boys had it all figured out.  When they explained it to us, we were confused.  Edward told us the first confusing time.  Thomas, the man of few words, told us the second.  The way they figure, we are to buy Edwards Grandmother's house.  As all of them are under 18, the property will go into David and my name.  Thomas will farm the land.  They will also start doing some remodeling on the inside of the house.  When Thomas marries, they will move into Edwards Grandmother's.  As Edward is 16, he wouldn't be able to own the property for at least a year - almost two.  By the time Edward is 18, Thomas should have enough money to build a new house.  Then Thomas will take over the land that is Edward's next to Michael's to build on - which we would put in his name.  Edward gets his Grandmother's house, which we will put in his name.  It took David and I a little while to figure this out, but it works.

Michael wanted to know what he got out of that deal.  Thomas said lots of work.  Really, Thomas said when his time came, we would all be at his place helping him farm his land  and building his house and barn.

David and I think it would be better having Thomas and Michael next door to each other than Edward and Michael.  Michael slacks off on the job sometimes and Edward doesn't say anything  - just does the extra work.  Thomas would make Michael carry his own.  If Michael needed help, Thomas would be there, but he wouldn't let him slack off to let others do his job.

When Michael became 18, we would put his section of the land in his name.  That way every one would get their property when they are 18.  That only leaves one more to get land for and that is David Jr., but he has a way to go yet.

Before we went down to the bank, we asked Edward if he was sure.  Could he live in that house?  He was sure.  Thomas said, if he couldn't he would keep it and Edward could have the land to build on. So off to the bank.  After going back and forth, we purchased Edwards Grandmother's.  We still have the closing coming up.  Bank man thinks we shouldn't be listening to our teenage kids.  David said they aren't normal teenagers.  They've all had hard lives.  Anyway it's our problem not theirs.  We bought the property for less money than we sold it for, which David liked.

We got permission to clear the farm land, even though the property hasn't closed yet.  So the boys have been over there working after their normal jobs and chores.  Edward didn't know there was so much land to it.  His Grandmother would not let him farm it.  But, I think he was too young to do all that work alone, at his age back then.  Whatever the reason, it is being farmed now.

David said even if this doesn't turn out like the boys have it planned, we still won't be losing here.  We could always rent Edward's Grandmother's house and we do have another son - who still has lots of years until 18 - but time travels fast.  So we have the farm and land situation taken care of.

Thomas hasn't set a date for the wedding yet because he wants to go through the adoption first.  When he marries, he wants our last name as his.  That probably won't happen until October, so we have a bit of a way yet.  His lady's parents asked if we would mind having the wedding at our house.  Our house is a lot bigger than theirs.  Also, Thomas would feel better with it here.  So we agreed.  Who wouldn't.

Before we bought Edwards Grandmother's house, Thomas took his lady there to see it.  Wanted to make sure she approves it.  As did Edward, she said the kitchen has to be remodeled, but she really liked the house.  Thomas told her it was only temporary.  She agreed it was fine with her.

Thomas said he felt it would look better.  She would give it a ladies touch.  Edwards Grandmother was ill most of the time she was there and couldn't do much.  Thomas' lady would add flowers, a garden, new shades, and more. She could also design a kitchen better than any man could.  Edward agreed.

So that is the big news so far.

Be With God,
Jean

HOPE TO MAKE YOUR DAY !!

Just in case you didn't know or forgot - I am taking Sundays off.

Marilyn

MENNONITE FARM - NO SNOW !!!!

Here is a Mennonite Farm that I took pictures of last week.  No snow on this farm.

Have a post on tomorrow to remind people I will not be on Sunday's.  Thought I better as maybe some people don't know.  Hope you like the post !!!

COWS TO MATCH OUR LEAD PICTURES

Took these cow pictures last week.  Didn't know our lead on New York State of Mind would have cows lead picture.  So now we match.  No snow in this picture, too.

RAINBOW - I FINALLY SAW ONE !!! - APRIL 20, 2015

I had not seen a rainbow in over twenty years.  So when I saw this rainbow outside my door last Monday, I had to take pictures of it.  Hope you enjoy it.

JEAN'S SPINACH RICOTTA TART

JEAN'S SPINACH RICOTTA TART\

2 (8 inch) pie crusts, baked
2 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach (you could use fresh spinach chopped)
1 small onion, minced (1/4 cup)
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash of black pepper
1 (15 oz) container Ricotta cheese
1 c light cream or Half & Half
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare pie crust and bake following directions for one-crust pie.  Cook spinach following package directions.  Drain in a large strainer, squeeze out liquid by pressing spinach against the sides of the strainer with a wooden spoon.  Set aside.  Saute onion in butter until transparent.  Stir in spinach, salt, nutmeg, and pepper.  In a large mixing bowl, combine Ricotta cheese, cream, Parmesan cheese and eggs.  Mix thoroughly.  Stir in spinach mixture.  Pour into baked pastry shells.  Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until custard is set and top is lightly browned.  Garnish with parsley and cherry tomatoes, if you like.  Serve hot or warm.  Leftovers are delicious cold.  Serves 8

JEAN TELLS ABOUT THOMAS

Many of you asked questions about Thomas, so with his permission, I will answer your questions.  Thomas is very happy here.  He feels that our home is comfortable and stable, although after being in so many homes, still wonders if it will happen here even though we have told him, many times, this is his home.  Thomas says he can't help it after all these years.  Only time will prove it.  David and I feel that once the adoption goes through that he will realize this is his home and we are his family.

Is Thomas any more talkative?  A little.  He is a man of few words.  He thinks before he speaks.  If you question him about something he doesn't just pop off with an answer.  Not because he is afraid or anything.  That's just the way he is.

Thomas wanted to be baptized into the church on Good Friday.  He asked Bishop Joseph way ahead.   Bishop Joseph hasn't known Thomas for even a year yet so he asked Thomas to write his last two former Bishop's.  The last Bishop sent Joseph a very short letter saying he felt that Thomas was ready.  The Bishop he had before him sent Joseph a three page letter telling how he was so happy that Thomas finally got a permanent home and would be adopted.  He told Bishop Joseph that he felt Thomas was ready and why he felt so.  Bishop Joseph let Thomas read the letter and Thomas let us read the letter.  It was really a beautiful letter.

So after taking the lessons with the rest of those approved to be baptized, Thomas was baptized on Good Friday and is now a member of our church.  David and I had tears in our eyes as he was baptized.  We were so glad he chose the church and not the way of the world.

The next day we had friends over and the dinner he wanted.  It was sort of a party to welcome into our church family.  He really enjoyed it.

The night of the baptism David and I were in bed when all of a sudden David said to me I bet Thomas wants to get married.  I said no.  David said yes.  The young lady he had been seeing was also baptized in her church on Good Friday.  I said Thomas is only 17.  We have asked all of our children not to marry until they were at least 18.  Thomas won't be 18 until later this year.  David said yes and then they could get married.  I was sure we were wrong.

Next day, we asked Thomas if we could talk to him alone.  I don't know what he thought was wrong.  When we got him alone, David asked him if he was planning on getting married later this year.  Thomas shocked me when he said he would like to.  But he didn't have any farm or money to buy one.  He didn't have enough money to rent a farm.  So until he got a job and some money to provide, he couldn't. He said Michael and Edward offered him part of their land, but he didn't feel it was right to take away from them.  We were even more shocked that he had talked with them and we didn't even know what was happening.   David told him to let us get over the shock and we would talk about it.

Well after talking, thinking and praying we realized that maybe this was ment to be.  Michael and Edward admitted they and Thomas had talked about it.  We explained we would have liked to have known.  Michael said guys talk about it, but doesn't mean they are going to do it.  They would give him part of their land.  If they did that, it would make their farms smaller.  There wouldn't be enough land for three successful farms.

With Thomas' permission we spoke with Bishop Joseph.  He said he had married many couples at 18 including his own children.  Joseph spoke with Thomas.  Then with us again. Bishop Joseph felt that Thomas was more mature than many young folks his age.  He has been from home to home.  He had to look out for himself.  Thomas and his lady had been going together for about two years - when they could.  So, yes he would marry Thomas and his young lady when they both are 18.

We also spoke with the young ladies family.  They knew that they wanted to marry, but didn't think we would let them.  We are the last to know.  David told them that it was a shock to us, but we agreed as long as they are both 18 when they married.  Her parents said that was their rule, too.  So they are coming to dinner.  They have been to our house several times, but we want to know them better.

So we are out looking for land for Thomas.  He wants to be near us.  Elmer and Anna offered to sell the one they own next to where they live.  Elmer said most of the farmers in their area are about Elmer and Anna's age.  They would like Thomas  as a neighbor.  We also looked at some other land.

Once we find the land, the barn and house will have to be built. Maybe we can find a farm with a barn and house already.  Thomas is stunned, we would do this for him.  We told him, you are our son.  He said he wasn't adopted yet.  We said adoption is just a sheet of paper - he was our son when he came to live with us.  We want to get the land, and get it planted so he will have some income.  Also, he is looking for wood work that he can do to earn extra money.  He thought David and I odd when we laughed and said he was the first of our children getting married.

Be With God,
Jean

ELMER MADE A MiSTAKE

Someone asked about the Amish Bank in Bird-A-Hand, Pennsylvania.  I spoke with Bishop Eli and neither of us know much about that bank.  But, Bishop Eli, felt that a bank is a bank.  An Amish owned back might be nice to having our checking accounts in and savings accounts in, but he doesn't believe that taking a loan from a bank - any bank is a good idea.

It's like credit cards.  Many of us have credit cards.  I know Anna and I have one.  We usually pay cash, but sometimes we order seed, herbs, etc. through the mail and we need to pay for them.  It's getting that a lot of business done through the mail do not take checks anymore.  So we have a credit card.  One must also use control when using a credit card.  It would be very easy to get out of control in buying with one of those.  When we get a bill, we pay in all immediately.  We do not pay in payments.  Payments plus interest can really add up.  If we know we won't be able to pay the total bill for something when the bill comes - we don't buy it.  Then there is no problem paying the bill.

I have the turning over the soil done with the plow.  On our new land, it is a lot smaller than we had with the previous house and doesn't take as long to do.  Also went over to John's and helped him do his as he's still short some farming equipment - this being their first year with the farm and all.

While plowing, I made a BIG mistake.  I thought as long as I had the plow out and horse on might as well plow for Anna's vegetable and  herb garden.  Must not have had my hearing aides on when she told me where she wanted it.

I plowed the spot behind our back door.  Anna came running out and asked me what I was doing.  Told her I was plowing for her garden.  On the side, she said On the side.  When I stopped and looked - I'd made a mess.  Guess I wasn't thinking because I plowed in front of the back door. Right in front of the back door.   Now when you walk out it is in to a mud hole.

Anna showed me where she wanted the garden.  Which is on one side of the house a little way behind the greenhouse.  I plowed that and Anna stood there watching me to make sure I did it where she wanted.

Now Anna usually doesn't stay angry long, but every time she walked in that area of the house and saw where I plowed she would say Elmer, How could you do that?  I was almost to the point of calling in the lawn man to see if he could put some grass in where I plowed, when Anna noted we always said we were going to put a walk way out the back door some day.  Now was the time to do it.
So we put a walk way back there.  Still there is a big spot where I plowed.  Anna says we could put grass seed back there and get the grass back again.  So that's what we are going to do for the rest of it.

Our rule is we don't go to bed angry.  Well, by bedtime Anna had cooled down and felt better knowing that the walk way was being put in.  As I said, we now have a nice walk way out our back door instead of just grass.  I have the grass seed to put on when the weather gets better.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer


JEAN WILL BE ON TOMORROW

GOD'S ROBIN CREATURES AND ANNOUNCEMENT

My Mom use to say that if you saw a robin that ment Spring was just around the corner.  Well, I hope our spring is finally here.  These are some of the pictures I took of the robins on Easter morning.  I am still trying to get that Blue Jay.

ANNOUNCEMENT

I have decided that I am going to take Sunday off.  All of us work on New York State of Mind sometimes seven days a week.  Sunday is the Lord's Day.  The Lord's Day of rest.

Now on Sunday's like Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, and alike , I will have a post on, but on most of the rest of the Sunday's, I will rest.  Also, it gives us time if something comes and someone can't put on a post, to get someone else.  Mostly thought, it is the Lord's Day.

I hope you all understand.  It takes time to get everything on.  Although I enjoy, I do think we all need a day to rest.  Hope you understand.

Also, if anyone has any pictures, or recipes or a post they would like to put on that they think would interest others, let me know.  We use to have something on every once in a while that you folks out there would send, but I haven't had anything in a while.  Sometimes I would get a picture of the finished recipe someone had made of Jean's.  I haven't gotten any of those, either.  If you don't want your name on it - that's okay.  If anyone has anything contact me at: lincolnlady1121@yahoo.com  I am always looking for thing to put on.

Also, I didn't know if i should mention this or not.  I am not doing it for a pat on the back. But, just to give you a thought.  Mother's Day and Father's Day are coming up.  This year my Mom will be gone 20 years and my Dad 17 years.  I use to feel so bad that I didn't have a Mom or Dad to celebrate it with.  Then I came up with the idea to give another Mom or Dad  a gift on Mother's Day and Father's Day.  I found out there are a lot of people in this world whose children have passed away or live out of state or just ignore them - especially in nursing homes.  Most of the people I give to I don't even know.

I paid the breakfast bill for a lady in a restaurant.  We were sitting next to each other, both alone, and she told me her son had passed away and this was her first Mother's Day without him.  As I left before she did, I paid her bill.  The next time I came in, the waitress said the lady was thrilled.

A lady in the apartments I live in lost her son just a few weeks before Mother's Day.  I got her a gift and had the manager deliver it and not tell who it came from.  When I can't find someone, I go to a nursing home and ask if they could tell me someone who might not receive a gift on Mother's Day of Father's Day.  I have never not been given a person.  I get a gift, give it to the manager and they give it to the person.  I never want my name given.

I never buy anything expensive or fancy.  One nursing home lady wanted a stuffed animal.  Another time I sent someone a plant.  Something small that they know someone cares.  If they like candy, I get them a small box.  Just something small to let them know someone cares.

Just  thought, if you have a little extra money.  As I said, unfortunately, there are a lot of parents that don't get anything for Mother's Day or Father's Day.  It makes me feel good and I hope they enjoy whatever I give.  Just thought I would give you that idea.

Well I guess that's all I have to say in this post.

Marilyn

WEAVERLAND MENNONITE FARMS

Here are more Weaverland Farms.  I took these back in March. Farms with out snow around them on next week.