ELMER AGAIN !!!!

Well you have me again.  As Jean, David and family just got home - they are kind of busy right now.  Anna was going to do a post on African Violets, but wasn't sure if you would like that or not.  So that leaves me again.

Someone asked if we buy an Englisher house, do they take the electrical wiring out of the house or do the Amish that buy it take it out.  This is another one of those Amish things that can be confusing.  It depends where you live and what Amish group you belong to.

Let me tell you a bit about other areas first.  When an Amish person buys an Englisher house, it is up to the Amish to take the electric wiring out of the house.  Depending on what Amish group it is, it depends on how long you have to get the electric out.  In other groups, you don't have to take the wiring out, just disconnect the house from the electric pole and you are done.

When we bought our first, there was electric wiring in it and we just had the house disconnected from the electric pole.  Anna and I never had the electric turned on when we bought it.  It took some time for us to get the electric company to understand why we wanted to disconnect from the pole, but they finally got the idea and disconnected us.

Now, when we built our new house - are you ready for this one - we had to have electric wiring put in our house.  Zoning law and all.  We did not have to use it, but we had to have it.  So we had to have installed something we will never use, but had to have or they wouldn't approve the construction of the house so we could move in.

We are not the only Amish new built house that had to have that put in.  We even have sockets in our house.  But, we are not hooked up to electric.

Certain village, town, county, even states have to have certain things before the house is improved for inspection.  In our area this must be a county rule because we know Amish in northern New York State that can have houses without electrical wiring in them - purchased or built.

I guess having electric wiring in our house would be a great selling point, if Anna and I ever decided to sell the house - which we are not.  But then, chances are if we ever sold it would go to someone in our family or another Amish family.  So still, it wouldn't matter if the wiring is in the walls or not.

What really got us was that when we built the house, we had to pay for all this wiring in our house, that we will never use.  But zoning is zoning.

How does the inspector know if we have wiring in our house or not?  When we built the house, the inspector came to inspect the house when we put the wiring and plumbing in before we put the inside walls up.  I suppose it we wanted to be bad, we could have taken the wiring out after the inspector passed the building, but Anna and I don't do that sort of thing.  I guess some people have done it, though.

Sometimes people say we don't have electric in our house.  I do say, we have it.  We just never hooked up to it and we don't use it.  It confusing people who are not Amish.

Anna thought I would like answering this question.  I don't know why.  She said it was just one of those confusing things I would enjoy answering.  I guess she is right.

Keep those questions coming in.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

ANNA'S SALMON SOUR CREAM PUFFS

ANNA'S SALMON SOUR CREAM PUFFS


1 15 1/2 oz can salmon, drained
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (about 4 slices)
1 8 oz container sour cream
2 eggs separated
2 Tablesp chopped chives
1/4 teasp salt, dash of pepper
1 - 1 1/4 Cups finely chopped almonds
vegetable oil
lemon wedges

Remove skin and bones from salmon.  In a large bowl, combine salmon, crumbs, sour cream, egg yolks, chives, salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Beat egg whites in small bowl until stiff, fold into salmon mixture.

On large sheet of wax paper, sprinkle half of the almonds.  Drop heaping tablespoons of salmon mixture onto almonds; sprinkle remaining almonds over top.  In gentle way pat into puffs.

In large skillet, heat oil, lift puffs with spatula into skillet.  Brown on each side.

Serve hot with lemon wedges or plain white sauce.

Serves 6

ANNA'S MOTHER PASSED AWAY - APRIL 5, 2016

'

I recently got a call from Elmer telling me that Anna's Mother passed away early this evening.  She had alzheimer diease and also had a heart condition.  Although she had these two, they were not expecting her to pass.  But, as Elmer said, "It is God's will."

Anna is taking this as well as can be expected.  Hannah is not taking this well.

Bishop Eli will be performing the funeral service on Friday, at Hannah and Moses home.

Thought you would all want to know.

I have moved the recipe that was suppose to be on today until Thursday.  The second post that Elmer gave me today was suppose to be on Thursday will now be on Friday.

Marilyn

OLD ORDER MENNONITE SCHOOL HOUSE

When Bishop Eli, Emma and I were driving around, he took me past this school.  Four pictures of the school.  Then the boy and girl outhouses, which I had to use while I was there.  I went in the girls outhouse.  Next are the swings.  Next are the bicycle stand.  Last was this stone arrangement.

ELMER TELLS OF THIS AND THAT

Today was a non church Sunday.  I got a phone call this morning from David Sr.  He said he called me as his family was in service ( church) and he had to see we got a message.  He told me of the Amtrak accident.  His train was not involved in it, but it wasn't going anywhere either.  The train he and his family are on goes through where the train accident was.  At the time David called, they were holding all the trains going north and south going in that area.

Having been on the Amtrak train going back and forth to Pinecraft, I knew what he meant.  We took the train from Florida to New York City.  Switched trains in New York City and came to Rochester.  As he didn't know how long the train would be where it was, and in an area where his cell phone worked, he felt he better call someone and tell them what happened and they would be late.

All his family was fine.  Amtrak saw that they were being taken care of, fed, etc.  Porter was on their train, which made Anna and I feel better.  But, they didn't know what time they would be home.  I said I would take care of it.

I waited until I thought their service was over and everyone home.  Called their driver first and explained what happened.  Called Jean's parents explained what happened.  Called David's parents and explained what happened.  Both Jean and David's parents said they would see that the animals were taken care of.  Called the school teacher and explained what happened - saying the girls might be in school a day later that they said.

While David and Jean are gone it is my job to take care of their freezers and do any slaughtering of animals someone would want.  Sunday is our day of rest unless someone has a freezer emergency need.  We consider someone finding out that they have seven unexpected visitors coming to their house, will be there at dinner time and they don't have enough meat to be an emergency.  That is what we had today.  The man that called said they weren't going to come for meat until Monday, but they just found out about the visitors..  I met him  at David and Jean's and recorded what he took.  My question was, if they were out or low on meat, why didn't they let me know yesterday.  I didn't ask it, but I thought it.

We don't slaughter animals on Sunday no matter who it is or why they want it done.  No matter how much they offer us.  If they must have it done on Sunday, they have to go to someone else.

My son's had plowed our fields for planting, but they didn't plow for Anna's garden.  So when the weather was warmer, I decided to plow for that.  After the disaster I made last year, Anna was out there, on her walker, watching me to make sure I did it where she wanted it.  I did it right this year.
Anna thinks she will be able to plant it alone, like she usually does.  But, I know our daughters and daughters-in-laws are going to come and help here.  They told me not tell Anna, as she would say she could do it herself.  When the weather gets better and closer to planting season, they are all going to just come over and help.

Which leads us to the fact that we had snow last night.  Not much during the day, but it is snowing again now.  It is suppose to snow most of tomorrow.  In fact, weather this week, doesn't look well for planting.  Believe it will be a few more weeks before planting.  Sure glad that I told John not to start.

Folks, I am getting kind of low on questions, so if you have some for me or Anna, we could use them.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer

DRIVING AROUND LAST NIGHT AT SUNSET

Driving around at sunset last night and just had to snap pictures.  Picture number 9 is of sunset on Gooney's Rail Road Track Crossing in our town.  Last five pictures are from my backyard.

SPRING IS COMING - MARCH 26, 2016 - PICTURES TAKEN

While driving home from Amish and Old Order Mennonite area, I passed Canandaigua Lake.  As you can see, I saw some sea gulls and fishermen on March 26th.  Have more pictures, I will be putting on. Looks like spring on the lake.

On my calendar today is: "Take time to laugh - it is the music of the soul.