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I am going to be quite busy for the next ten days, so I will not be posting to my blog for a little while. I have eight book talks scheduled in as many days, so life is a bit hectic for David and me. I will return to blogging just as soon as I…

A little while ago, I complained about the "dreab" days. It is time to now express my appreciation for the beautiful days we are having — temperatures in the 70s, blue sky with cottony clouds floating lazily along, trees flowering everywhere — who could ask for more glorious weather than this? And waking to birdsong…

Thank you everyone who answered my questions last week. I found them very interesting. Christine, that is a good point that people are reading the Amish fiction for their “wholesome” qualities, and also that people are not necessarily going to change their views of the Amish, even with “data” to the contrary. Gumbo Soul, thank you very…

Peter wrote: thanks for your thoughts, maybe I will talk to the Humanities Council about changing the book. I have also been reading Sue Bender's book book, 'Plain and Simple.' Do you have any thoughts on her work? Some years ago, my mother gave me some advice when she found out that I was writing and…

Peter wrote:Hello Saloma,I saw your presentation on Saturday at the library in williston. I came in part because in a week and a half I will be leading a discussion about ‘Blood of the Prodigal’ by P. L. Gaus. The discussion is sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council. I know you mentioned some of the…

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~ Anne BradstreetThe Amish summed up in one word the description for grey, drizzly, dreary days. Their word is “dreab.” Doesn’t that just about say it right?I don’t do…

Shirley wrote:…if you have not done so already, I’d love to hear about the theology of salvation preached from the pulpit. Much of what I heard from the Amish “pulpit” or rather from the doorways in homes where church gatherings took place, was not not so much “theological” in nature as it was admonishments for how…

Just when I thought I could not sit a moment longer, the deacon brought in a jug and round loaves of bread. He placed them on a table. Then Bishop Dan asked us all to rise. He talked about the bread in a solemn tone: “First, in the spring, the ground is prepared. Then the seed…

Around the time of the story of Abraham and Isaac, I leaned my elbows on my knees and put my head down and thought about how I would rather be out in our “autumn woods” on a walk. My sisters and I had different parts of the woods surrounding our house that we would take…