We are having beautiful spring weather lately. It sure gives a person spring fever, although it’s really not too long before the calendar says “spring begins.”

Yesterday I took advantage of the lovely weather and washed a lot of the bedding along with the usual laundry. It dried so nice and the wind made the bath towels so fluffy for being line-dried. The temperature reached 65 degrees and the sun was out all day. The time change made all the clocks jump an hour ahead on Sunday so the nice weather at least helped make the change a little easier.

This morning daughter Loretta and Dustin brought 2-year-old Denzel, 1-year-old Byron and 9.5-week-old baby Kylie here around 6:30 a.m. Loretta had several appointments at doctors an hour away so daughter Verena and I took care of the children while Dustin went with Loretta.

As always, they were sweet to have around. Those little boys are sure growing up fast. They are sure mature for their age.

They had to grow up fast with another child in the family. They do not lack in getting love though. We all enjoy them. I think it’s so cute how Denzel takes charge of being Byron’s babysitter while they are here. When Byron does something bad, he tells him “to not do that.”

He also goes up to Byron while he is taking a nap and smooths out his hair and kisses his forehead.

I am so amazed at the ages those boys have that they do not try to pester Kylie. They are very protective of her. She’s cooing and smiling and just overall a good baby to care for.

Denzel and Byron are a great past time but it is all easier with daughter Verena here to help. She is a great babysitter and does so well with the children. She handles the three children better than I could.

Her handicap doesn’t stand in her way. She finds ways to do things she normally couldn’t. She gets a lot of encouragement from her special friend Daniel Ray.

He is such a great friend to her and he also helps us in many ways. May God bless him for his kindness.

Friday night three hogs were dressed and hung to chill for the following day. On Saturday our family all came to help with the pork butchering.

Some came the night before to butcher the hogs and stay for the night.

Around 8 a.m., we started cutting up the meat. Ervin and daughter Susan, Dustin and daughter Loretta, Joe and I all each had a hog that Dustin raised. So began the day of the cutting up of the three pigs.

First all the bacon, ribs, ham, pork steak and tenderloins were cut out. Then the bones were trimmed and cooked in the big cast iron kettle over an open fire. The meat was cooked until tender enough to pull from the bones. It was then ground and put back into the kettle.

Flour, salt and pepper were added and it was stirred until it thickened. The mixture was placed in pans and will be sliced and fried. We call it Pon Hoss but I know many areas call it something different.

The fat was cut into small pieces and rendered in a large kettle to make lard.

Once it was liquid it was strained and poured into jars to seal.

We used to not put our lard into jars to seal and just kept it in the cool basement in buckets. I found out fast that lard lasts so much longer in the jars. It can get a bad taste stored in a bucket in your basement.

The liver, heart, brains, intestines, stomach or anything that’s good is usually saved. We do not save the intestines anymore but I do remember the stinky smell years ago when those were cleaned.

All the hams, tenderloins and pork steaks were cut, sliced and bagged. The sausage was also ground and bagged. It was a long but worthwhile day.

God’s blessings!

Farmer’s

Breakfast

Ingredients

6 large eggs

2 tablespoons milk

Dash of salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

1 cup diced cooked ham

�…” cup butter

2 potatoes, peeled and finely chopped

¼ cup sliced green onion, including green tops

Directions

Combine the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Stir in the ham and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the potatoes and onion, stirring frequently, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Pour the egg mixture in the skillet. Cook without stirring until the mixture begins to set around the bottom and edges, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Push back the edges to let liquid run under and cook if you want to make an omelette, then fold it when cooked through, or just scramble the eggs.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife and mother of eight who lives in southeastern Michigan.