Daughters Elizabeth, 16, and Susan, 14, are working 6 days a week corn detasseling. They leave around 6:20 a.m. and come home around 3:30 p.m. I sure miss their help here at home (editor‘s note: detasseling is done to help promote cross-pollination of certain varieties of corn). Although Verena can help now again around the house she gets tired more quickly than she used to. As I write the column her and Loretta, 10, are doing the dishes and sweeping floors. We want to go do the laundry after I get done with this. Like usual I waited until the last minute to get this written.

Benjamin,11, and Joseph, 7, are supposed to be cleaning out the barn today. Husband Joe assigned that job to them for today. I need to go check to see whether they are doing their job. They have habit of playing sometimes instead of getting the work done so they need reminders once in a while. Joseph will be 8 this week on Saturday, July 24. And just like the rest of the children he just can’t wait and is counting the days. Benjamin is proud to be 11. Somehow going up in number makes them feel more grown-up.

Verena had sprained her ankle and was on crutches last week but now seems to be doing fine without them. In general she seems to be doing OK these days but did give us another scare last night. She had another one of those post-concussions before bedtime. She couldn’t walk and was that different person again but this one last only 1 hour and 25 minutes. Each time it is getting shorter. But we still feel like we need to be right there with her until she snaps back to herself. She again doesn’t remember it and thinks she was sleeping. She felt the shocks going through her body and legs again before becoming herself.

On Sunday morning, we all took the buggy the approximately four miles to church . It was a pretty morning, but hot. We had all the doors and windows on the buggy open so there was a cool cross-breeze. We decided to take Verena church yesterday for the first time since her concussion. She felt a little light-headed but otherwise did OK. She feels insecure in a crowd of people which I am sure over time will get better. She was happy to be able to hold some of the babies in the congregation. I do think the post-concussions come when she gets tired or extra stressed out. She really wanted to go to church so we decided to try it. The children were going to follow us with Stormy the pony and the open cart but we were worried it might rain in the afternoon so we all took the buggy instead. And did it storm a little in the afternoon, which cooled things off a bit.

Joe is gradually digging up some red potatoes whenever time allows. We are getting a good crop this year. Our first cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen and the big tomatoes look almost ready. I think we check on them too often. Yesterday after church they had tomatoes and sweet onions to eat along with the rest of the lunch. Everyone thought it was a treat since a lot of people don’t have too many yet. I will share a recipe with you that Benjamin’s teacher shared with me. She stopped in one morning with a prepared dish of this casserole plus garlic bread. Her act of kindness was very much appreciated. The recipe calls for some ingredients that not everyone keeps on hand but it was a change for us and we all enjoyed it.

Rigatoni & Cheese Casserole

1 pound of ground beef

2 26 ounce jars of spaghetti sauce

16 ounces of cottage cheese

1 lb. box of rigatoni noodles, cooked

2 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. In saucepan over medium heat brown beef and add pasta sauce and seasoning. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese with 1 cup mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and eggs. Grease 13 X 9 baking dish and spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce mixture. Top with 1/ 2 of the noodles, cheese mixture and repeat in layers until everything is used up. Sprinkle remaining 3 cups of mozzarella cheese over top. . Bake uncovered until bubbly, 45 minutes. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

There are a limited number of slightly damaged Amish Cook soft cover cookbook sets available. These are overruns from the printer, featuring slightly scratched or scuffed covers, but the insides of the books are fine. The books are available at a discount and need to be ordered by July 23 or when the supply is exhausted. To order, call or visit www.amishcookonline.com/special