FLOWERS ARE FINALLY HERE !!!!!

First eight pictures came from the the house where the Estate Sale was held last Saturday.  The last three are from another house down the street from the Estate Sale.  Flowers are finally here !!!

JEAN'S GLAZED STRAWBERRY PIE

JEAN'S GLAZED STRAWBERRY PIE

1 baked 9" pastry pie shell
1 1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1/2 Cup water
1 Cup sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp butter
Whipped Cream

Wash, drain and hull strawberries.  Place 1 quart strawberries in pastry shell.  Crush 1/2 quart berries and combine with water, sugar and cornstarch in pan.  Bring to boil and boil 2 minutes or until clear. Add butter.  Spoon over whole berries making sure all berries are covered.  Cool.  Serve with whip cream.

Fruits and vegetables will be coming up soon - so I thought I would put on more fresh fruit and fresh vegetable recipes.   Jean

OLD ORDER MENNONITE SAW MILL

I had pictures on of the house and barn of this farm before, but not when they had all the wood.  You could hear the saw in the background as I was taking the pictures.

ELMER TELLS PLOWING SEASON

First, Anna and I would also like to thank Jean for all she has done on New York State of Mind.  She has done a great deal over the years and worked hard to convince us to come on.  We are glad she did.  Anna says this is a place I can express myself.  I wonder what she means by that?  Thank you, Jean for all you have done and hope you will continue.

Plowing, to us, is the awaking of the soil for the coming planting year.  You heard, last week, what I did at our house so I was more careful when I helped John and Moses at their homes.  Maybe Anna warned them ahead.   Anyway they went well.


John, David (Jean's husband), Michael, Thomas,  Edward and myself went over to Edward's Grandmother's House.  Edward has big plans for that house.  David tried to set him straight in that Thomas will be living in the house first and he has no plans of putting Jenn Air appliances in the kitchen.  Sears appliances work just fine.

David, Thomas and Michael checked the beams in the wall that Edward wants to take down and it does not have any supporting beams in it - so the wall can come down.  Then Thomas and Edward got talking about taking down one of the living room walls and making it all open like the new Englisher houses of today.  Where the kitchen, dining area and living room are all open.  David stopped them there as the property isn't even in their name yet.

John and I told David that Edward's Grandmother's house doesn't need the work on it that John had to do on his.  Its current plumbing and there is insulation in the walls - so that cuts down on a big expense.  David is going to have the electrician and building inspector over once the property closes so they can see if anything has to be changed or done that they hadn't planned on.

I almost forgot that when David and I checked underneath the carpeting, we found that there is hardwood floors under it.  Edward was a little child when he and his Grandmother moved there.  He can't remember if the carpeting was there when they moved in or she put it in. Anyway, when they get the house, the carpeting is going.  John told them, they are really going to have fun refinishing those hardwood floors.  I've done it. I know what it is like.  We all agreed to come over and give them a hand when the times comes.

When Thomas and Edward were plowing in the back, Thomas hit a rock with the tractor that put it out of business.  Thomas was afraid of what David would say.  David wasn't happy but said it has happened before.  Michael had hit a rock with a tractor years ago.  At least this time, he hoped Michael could fix it after all Kevin taught him.  They had to have it towed home and Michael is working on it.

I guess it didn't help, when I heard about it, I asked them if they wanted our horses.  At least a horse knows when to stop or turn when it sees a rock.  I don't' think they appreciated my humor.

One of Bishop Joseph's sons brought his tractor over and they finished the job with two tractors.  They also turned over where Edward's Grandmother's garden was and enlarged it.

Well, planting is next.  All the years of being farmer, it still makes me wonder, how you plant these seeds and they grown into big crops that we eat and sell to others.  Every year we plant the seeds and they grow - some years better than others.  We hope this year is a good year.

Before we plant and while we plant, we pray and ask the Lord to Bless us.  Anna and I stood on our new walk and prayed this year - not only for ourselves, but for those around us.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

JEAN IS WITH US FOUR YEARS TODAY !!!

I know today is my day off, but I have a few things to say.  First of all today marks Jean's fourth year with Amish Stories and New York State of Mind.  I know she doesn't want me to make a big deal of it, but I think we should all know.  Also, I appreciate all she has done for us the last four years.  She not all gave us posts, but got Grandmother Olive, Martha, Elmer, Anna and more to put on posts.  Jean has told us the good times and the not so good times in her life and family.  So, as small as it seams, I thank Jean for all she has done and will do.

Also on July 8th, Elmer and Anna will be with us two years.  It hardly seams that they have been with us that long and yet, sometimes, it seams like they have always been with us.  I also, want to thank them for all they have done and do for us.

For the next couple of weeks, I am going to change New York State of Mind around.  Let me know if you like it or not.  On Monday will be Elmer.  Tuesday will be pictures.  Wednesday will be recipe.  Thursday pictures.  Friday Anna or Jean or someone will do that post.  Saturday will be pictures.  Someone gave me the idea of changing the Elmer and Anna (or Jean) post from being back to back.  In talking with Elmer, Anna, and Jean, they like that idea better.  So we are going to give it a try for a couple of weeks and see what you think.

Next Sunday, I will have a post on for Mother's Day.

Marilyn

BARNS - MOSTLY WINTER BARNS !!

MORE COUNTRY MAIL BOXES

Here are some more mail boxes I spotted while driving around.  These I took this month. No snow.