The horseradish is coming up and I am hoping we can make some homemade horseradish before Easter. We like the horseradish with the hardboiled eggs that the children color. The strawberry plants are looking very good. I keep looking for signs of dandelion greens but haven’t seen any yet. They are a family favorite in salads. Meanwhile we are enjoying the fresh meat from the beef and pork we butchered last month. There is such a variety of food we can make such as sausage gravy, grilled hamburgers, steak, soups, and casseroles. It sure is handy and cheaper not to buy it weekly ou t of the store.

Since husband Joe is on 4 day work weeks he is starting the project of tearing out a wall in our pole barn. He put in a different door which wasn’t new but was better than the one we had. He also wants us to put in some windows we had saved from our old house. This should make it brighter in there because it doesn’t have any windows except what are in the overhead doors.

Joe seems to be getting a lot of his work caught up that seemed to get pushed back during the winter. He had our neighbor repair a part on our manure spreader. Now it is ready to haul manure this spring. Soon it will be time to start with the yard work and the garden. It will sure help to have all this other work caught up. It also looks like we will have church services at our house sometime this Spring. Preparing for church services will come right in with the Spring cleaning.

Tomorrow sister Emma plans to leave her 2-year-old year Steven and Baby Marilyn here while she runs errands goes to a doctor appointment. Daughter Elizabeth, 15, and I will enjoy having them here. Kevin, 4, is very excited to have his cousin Steven come play with him. Through a goal in class Lovina, 5, has had to memorize her address and learn to tie her shoes. She has really been practicing. I am surprised how well she has adjusted to school. Elizabeth has started with the laundry and I need to go help her. With the strawberry and rhubarb season just around the corner try this strawberry-rhubarb pie.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

4 cups of rhubarb, diced

3 cups strawberries, sliced

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

4 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

Pinch of salt

Mix rhubarb and strawberries. Put into an unbaked 9-inch pie crust. Beat eggs, sugar, flour, and lemon until blended. Add pinch of salt and pour over fruit. Optional: add a favorite crumb topping mixture. Bake at 350 until golden brown.

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