A family in our church opened up a lawn and garden center on Saturday a few miles from here. It will be nice to have somewhere close to go to buy seeds.

We are using up the last of our potatoes that we grew last summer. It looks like I will need to start buying them now until the next harvest. We do, however, have so many yellow cooking onions still left from last year’s garden. I need to ask our friends and neighbors to see if anyone can use some. I am eager to have fresh garden goodies again. I know there is a lot of work in gardening but I enjoy taking care of homegrown vegetables if I have the health to do so. Gardening is also a nice way for the family to work together. Many hands make for lighter work.

The children have left for school and it is quiet after a full weekend. Kevin, 5, is still in bed sleeping. He is worn out from a long day yesterday of playing with his cousin Steven. Yesterday Jacob and Emma invited us over for Sunday dinner. They served a delicious meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, cheese, cake, and ice cream. I took along homemade apple and cherry pies to add to the menu. Some of the children took the wagon with Stormy our pony pulling them while the rest of us took the horse and buggy. They enjoyed driving to Emma and Jacob’s with the pony through the spring-like weather. Kevin always looks forward to playing with Steven. I think he likes the idea that Steven is a few years younger than him since he is the youngest in our family. Emma and Jacob’s youngest, Baby Marilyn, doesn’t get a break when we come. She will be six months old next week. She is such a smiling happy baby. These sweet, innocent children are such a blessing from God.

Joseph, 7, will not have the best spring break this year. We have surgery scheduled to have his tonsils removed at the end of this month. We hope this will be a success as he keeps getting repeated strep infections. Verena and Benjamin had theirs removed and it has really helped them. The same doctor that did their surgery will do Joseph’s. I think he does a very good job.

I will share the recipe for the apple pie we had yesterday.

Mother’s Plain Apple Pie

6 medium apples, sliced and peeled

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 400. Mix flour, sigar, and cinnamon together. Mix in the sliced apples. Put in a 9-inch pie shell and drizzle the water over everything. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 400 or until apples are soft.

Editor’s note: In the newly released Amish Cook’s Baking Book, a delicious crumb top apple pie recipe was erroneously titled “Mother’s Plain Apple Pie”. The recipe above is the correct recipe.

Update: as of March 8 we are now at 35 percent of the goal for book sets to be sold. The goal now seems within reach. For a full-update from the editor, visit www.amishcookonline.com/update. This sale will continue through Friday, April 9.All six softcover cookbooks, including the newly released Best of The Amish Cook, Volume III, are now being offered for the lowest price that they’ll ever be offered for: $79 (plus $6 shipping) for all six 200-page titles through April 9. Volume III is extra special, including a short story by Lovina’s daughter Susan, and one by Elizabeth Eicher. There are contributions from all members of the Eicher family. Every 25th order received from March 10 - March 31 will receive a free signed copy of newly released “Amish Cook’s Baking Book”

To order these titles DIRECTLY through Amazon.com go www.amishcookonline.com/books and that will take you to the Amazon store. Photos of the books can seen there. Orders can also be placed by calling . Telephone and online orders will ship same day. Orders accepted by mail by sending checks for $85 to Oasis Newsfeatures, PO BOX 2144, Middletown, Ohio 45042 (allow 2 – 4 weeks for delivery). Additional sets can be ordered for $70. All orders will be placed through and will be filled by Amazon (including backorders). Individual titles are also available for $20, plus $5 shipping. Titles available are:

The Original Amish Cook Cookbook: First published in 1993, this is a classic written by Elizabeth Coblentz and Kevin Williams with recipes, stories and Amish artwork.

The Best of The Amish Cook, Vol 1 : chronological collection of all Amish Cook columns and recipes from 1991 – 1996.

The Best of The Amish Cook, Vol 2 chronological collection of all Amish Cook columns and recipes from 1996 - 2001.

The Best of The Amish Cook, Vol. 3, Vol 2 chronological collection of all Amish Cook columns and recipes from 2002-2007.

The Amish Cook’s Family Favorites & Facts: 2003 by Lovina Eicher and Kevin Williams, collection of recipes, facts about Amish life

The Amish Cook’s Treasury: a book of recipes only from Amish, Mennonite and German Baptist kitchens