THE AMISH COOK
BY LOVINA EICHER
It is Tuesday evening. I’m sitting out here on the front porch and it is very quiet, almost too quiet. My sisters Verena and Susan wanted our 5 school-age children to come off the bus there and spend the night. They will go back on the bus in the morning. Sister Emma’s three boys also went. They have 8 children there from ages 6 to 14 so I’m sure their evening is quite noisier than usual.
Meanwhile, daughters Susan and Verena went for a walk while daughter Elizabeth is out here on the porch also writing. My husband Joe is resting on his recliner after a hard days work at the factory. Elizabeth and Susan don’t have to go to work at the factory this week except for Friday. Verena and I were glad for their help here at home today.
The floors were mopped and laundry washed, dried,  and folded. We had the last of the laundry in right before the rain came this afternoon The rain should give the garden a boost.
I’m enjoying my beautiful hanging pots of flowers here on my porch. They were all Mother’s Day gifts. So far I have kept them looking nice with the help of my daughters. I seem to be able to grow all kinds of vegetables but flowers are not my specialty. I love flowers but I think I either overwater them or not enough.
Our family had a very nice relaxing Memorial Day weekend. We left at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday morning bound for Mackinac Island. We stayed at a motel in St. Ignace on Saturday night. Sunday morning we took the ferry over to the island and spent the day there. It gave us all some history lessons. One of our highlights was driving over the Mackinac Bridge that connects the Lower Peninsula to the Upper Peninsula. We even saw patches of snow still on the island. The ferry ride was chilly as we wanted to set on top deck. It was quite a different experience: The wonders of God’s creations. We have often heard of Mackinac Bridge and Island. But not until you see it can you really grasp the wonders of it. When I asked the children what the highlight of their trip was I get different answers such as the ferry, the bridge, the pool at the motel. I don’t think anyone mentioned the island as their favorite part.
Loretta was very wore out from all the walking. Finally we talked to the man at the livery stable and he let us rent their buckboard wagon and Ned, a big workhorse. The wagon had 3 seats and could seat all of us. We took in a lot more scenery after that and rode around the island for two hours.
When we arrived back to St. Ignace the children wanted to go swimming again. The pool relaxed them all, especially Loretta. They also had a hot tub and that relaxed her muscles. Loretta can swim and that is an exercise that she is able to do . Water relaxes her muscles.
We arrived back home safe and sound Monday around 3 p.m. It was a very nice family trip that will have good memories in years to come. How often do we take our good health for granted. Having a daughter that needs extra time to get around puts us back to a slower pace. It makes us appreciate our health and gives us a sympathetic view of other people with handicaps. The island wasn’t very handicapped accessible but we are glad we all were able to see it. Seeing is believing.
I think there were ea lot of people on the island that never heard of or seen Amish before. We were stared at, asked questions, laughed at and lots of pictures were snapped. We all have the same God so we aren’t quite so different after all. Curiosity tends to sometimes bring out rudeness from some people but may God bless and forgive each one of them.
This is the cake we made for Lovina’s birthday. We put it in a horse-shoe shaped pan.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sour milk or buttermilk
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup boiling water
Mix all ingredients adding water last. Bake at 350 for 30 – 40 minutes.
Becky wellington
It sounds like you had a wonderful trip. It is a great place for a vacation mmBvky
Kentucky Lady
OMG, Kevin this is the place to go if you have never been there.....there are NO automobiles on the island and the FERRY is the only way to get there, unless you have a boat.....
There are some beautiful homes there, some are summer homes only, some are lived in year round....and some BIG SHOTS as we call them live there....you gottta have money to own a home there......but it is absolutely wonderful.....the GRAND HOTEL was in a movie that was filmed. there.....but can't remember just what it was now.....but was a good movie....will think of it later lol.....Rachel would probably love it there.....they have good food and fudge too......many places to eat on the Island,and you can stay in a hotel on the Island, but they are way expensive....best to do like Lovina and stay in a motel before you go to the Island ...much cheaper......
That place is a must for everyone to visit.......you will not be sorry........
Kentucky Lady
"SOMEWHERE IN TIME " was the movie filmed at the GRAND HOTEL on Mackinaw Island, with Christopher Reeves & Jane Seymour......it was a great movie.........
Marie
I've always wanted to visit Mackinac Island. I'm glad the Eicher family got to enjoy it. I have a grandson with special needs and one of his needs is that he has difficulty with walking. Like Loretta, he has a hard time keeping up with the rest of us. In fact, he ISN'T able to keep up and uses a special stroller, even though he is eight years old. And we get a lot of stares, too, when we're out and about, due to his special needs, so I know how Lovina feels. I have to dig deep down sometimes to find it within me to forgive those who are rude with their stares and whispers. Also, like Loretta, my grandson finds joy in being in the water. His body, which fights him on dry land, moves more freely in the water! I can only imagine how it must feel. Please let Lovina know I enjoy her writing and I thank her for sharing her life so openly, since I know it's not the Amish nature to do so.
brenda
really enjoyed that the family got to have a nice weekend. our special needs grand daughter has Down syndrome and with that extra chromosome comes a battery of issues. she definitely goes at her own pace and at times it is STOP. The rudeness of others as experienced by the Eicher family also comes out with special needs people.
How much fun that must have been to be invited to spend a cousin time with the two aunties !!!!!!!!!!!!!I am curious about what sort of things they got to do.
also, it is not Lovinas inability to grow flower it is the medium they are in. Hanging baskets always have such an appeal but they dry out so fast and all the good nutrients pour through when watering. I am not able to offer any good advice.it is just a bit hazardous hanging in the breeze and drying out so much. I have been tempted to have faux in the hangers and the living ones in a more gentle location
J
What a beautiful place. Have been there many, many times in my youth. You are correct that few of the residents that far north have experienced the Amish. Most people on the island, however, are not from northern Michigan but from all over the Midwest and beyond. A little further south we see the Amish now and again but mainly see the Mennonite. Cadillac, a bit further south from us, see a few more Amish as there is a small settlement in that area of the state. Unfortunately, when we hear about the Amish it is usually on the news when a buggy has been hit. They keep a very low profile but lovely people. I think more Amish would be attracted to our area if it wasn't for the out-of-sight, astronomical price for land here. Our Mennonite population seems to have dwindled, too.....not sure why.