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We entered the month of November. Saturday, we cleared out the rest of the garden beds with only green peppers and hot peppers left. We didn’t have a killing frost, so the plants were still OK. We wanted to get some manure tilled in the dirt, so we decided to just pull the plants. It’s nice to do that when the weather is still nice. The men are also working on moving fences around to make a barnyard behind the new barn. Joe has been leveling the ground and filling in where it's low. We are also working on tearing down the old barn when time allows. Then, of course, raking and blowing leaves is a never-ending job, it seems. The trees are clearing off faster now.
Today, I washed laundry. With the time change, it takes some getting used to the different hours of daylight. I would be fine if it stayed the same year-round with standard or daylight savings time. We have a few clocks that are atomic and change automatically, but the rest have to all be changed. It’s just an extra chore. It was a dreary day, and the clothes didn’t seem to dry well. The clothes that didn’t dry are hanging around here in the house on clothes racks. It should all be dry by morning. We haven’t started the big propane stove in the basement yet. The propane heater on this level has kept the house cozy so far. Dreary days like this don’t help much with power from the solar panels. Our generator is giving us problems, so we are using Benjamin’s generator. I’m not sure how to start that one and didn’t think about having Joanna start it before she left for work. I waited until the solar light was on green so I would have enough power to run the water and the Maytag washing machine. Plus, the clothes spinner also takes solar power.
We used to have a gas engine on our Maytag, but with the solar I don’t need an exhaust pipe and it’s safer this way. I’m spoiled with solar power when I think back at how I did laundry in Indiana. At first, we had a washing machine that had a handle to swish the clothes back and forth. The wringer had to be turned by hand as well. Then Joe bought me a Maytag washing machine, and I thought I had it made. Even though we only had one motor that was used with the pump jack to pump water to our animals. On wash day mornings, Joe would take it off the pump and hook it to the Maytag so I have the power to wash. I watched him change it a few times. One Monday morning we overslept and Joe didn’t have time to switch the motor. I figured out pretty fast how to do it myself. That was probably a mistake, though, because now Joe knew I could do it myself. Haha! But he did still change it over when he could for me. Another thing I had to do was pump and carry all the water and heat it for laundry day. Joe would carry the water close to the kerosene burner for me. He would fill a big garbage can with water so I could just dip the water out and into the big kettles to heat. Now I have a hose with hot and cold running water to fill my wash machine and rinse tubs plus a spinner to take out the excess water.
I have a pan of Wet Burritos in the oven for our supper. Joe is taking a shower, and it should be ready once he’s done. It is already dark now by the time we eat supper. I will share the recipe with you this week. God bless!
Wet Burritos
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
8 - 8-inch flour tortillas
1 - 16 oz. can of refried beans
1 pint chunked or crushed tomatoes (or 14.5 oz can)
2 cups shredded cheese, divided
Brown hamburger, onions and peppers, then drain off grease. Add seasoning and tomatoes to hamburger and stir until combined. Fill tortillas equally with hamburger mixture, refried beans and ½ cup cheese and make into a roll. Place seam side down side in 9×13 baking pan. Optional: Pour a little juice from tomatoes in pan to keep tortillas from sticking to pan or spray pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of rolled tortillas. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes if meat mixture is hot. Bake longer if made ahead. Serve with lettuce, sour cream, and salsa. We like ranch dressing with ours as well.
Lovina's Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, The Cherished Table, The Essential Amish Cookbook, and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina's Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply); or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.