Since temperatures have fallen, Mike and I know the ice harvest is soon upon us. For centuries, the Amish and some Mennonite groups, have been harvesting ice in the winter to fill ice houses that will keep their food cold the following spring, summer and fall. It's the way it was done for all our … Continue reading The Ice Harvest.
#Amish
The joy in a slow journey
The Amish still travel much as their ancestors did—by horse and buggy, the steady clip-clop of hooves setting the pace of their days. When longer journeys call, they may hire a driver, or sometimes board a train or bus. Closer to home, my Amish friends often walk, or glide quietly on scooters. I’ve been blessed … Continue reading The joy in a slow journey
A Plain Woman
The Amish are known for their simple way of life, which is rooted in their Anabaptist Christian faith. They live by distinct rules and practices. Both men and woman have significant roles in their communities, and in within their families. Here are ten things Amish women cannot do that many of us might take for … Continue reading A Plain Woman
Coffee Soup- Comfort foods of Yesterday
With a hardy snowfall for many I can’t help but think soup weather has arrived. Winter and soup go hand in hand here at the farm. Our newest neighbors put me onto a new kind of soup recently. Coffee Soup, or as some call it, Wet Toast. Growing up in Appalachia, we're not strangers … Continue reading Coffee Soup- Comfort foods of Yesterday
The Amish Beard
Old Order Amish are no longer a small secular group, but a growing population that call 32 states and 6 Canadian provinces home. If you live near Ohio, then you certainly have seen a horse and buggy, as 62 percent of all Old Order Amish reside there. They are our neighbors, the shops we frequent, … Continue reading The Amish Beard
Holy Week in Amish Country
Good Friday, the day that Jesus was crucified, is a day of somber reflection for those of the Christian faith. The Amish too reserve the Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter in all that it represents. Various Amish and Mennonite communities may consider these days differently, but Old Order Communities in which I … Continue reading Holy Week in Amish Country
Never too old to learn
I've been spending a lot of time with Amish friends recently. I'm always humbled to be welcomed into their homes and into their lives. Their hospitality encourages me to be a better version of myself. It's easy to forget I'm the outsider, or an Amish fiction author, until something funny happens and they tell me … Continue reading Never too old to learn
Christmas Guests
Recently, Mike and I were invited to attend a Christmas meal with Amish friends. Two local Amish business’s wanted to celebrate with their employees. We've enjoyed meals with our Amish friends before, and found this event to be just as welcoming with great food, wonderful conversation, and basketball. Out of respect, I took no pictures, … Continue reading Christmas Guests
Finding Simon Graber.
It's a beautiful start to another blessed week, and I'm so thankful the Lord seen fit to let me awake in it. I recently turned in my newest manuscript and I cannot tell you enough how wonderful that feels. There's still much that will need done before it reaches you, but this particular step, the … Continue reading Finding Simon Graber.
Adapting a little simple can make a big impact.
We are drawn to their simple lifestyles and pictorial homes. Their unflinching faith, family values, and solid communities. From our side of the fence, they live charmed lives filled with quaint cottage shops, flourishing fields, and laughing children. We seldom see the work, obedience, and dedication required to being Amish. But we can adapt many … Continue reading Adapting a little simple can make a big impact.