Gathering has a few different meanings, including “an assemblage of people” and “a collection, assemblage, or compilation of anything.” (Definitions taken from Dictionary.com.) I think the term fits well with our community theme, in addition to giving us a way to organize book- and blog-related news. (more…)
A few months ago I told you that I would be visiting the Amish community in Chouteau, Oklahoma. This is the scene for my upcoming book, Anna’s Healing. Today I thought I’d share some of those photos.
One of the first things you’ll see when entering the town of Chouteau is the Amish Cheese House. They have wonderful sandwiches made on fresh bread with Amish cheese, and of course the workers are Amish and Englisch. Everyone was very friendly!
This is a common thing to see in Chouteau. The Amish use tractors in this community (due to the difficulty in farming the clay dirt). They also drive the tractors to town! Notice the canopy to shield them from the sun and the truck bed pulled behind! this is for storing your groceries or other purchases. It also provides a place to sit if your friends want to go to town with you!
This is a fairly typical Amish home in the area. Notice the absence of electrical lines, the gas tank in the front, and the tractor. I discuss the differences in this Amish community in my series!
Items found at a local store. You definitely know you’re in Amish country!
Anna’s Healing will release one year from now, and I’ll let you know as soon as the pre-order button is available. In the meantime, if this series sounds interesting, you might check out my Pebble Creek series here.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
Pebble Creek series, book 1
The Pebble Creek Series
If you looked up Pebble Creek, Wisconsin on a map – you wouldn’t find it! That’s because I visited the area of Cashton, going through Amish homes and stopping at Amish businesses. I ate any Amish food I could find, and I visited with anyone who would talk to me! It was a wonderful experience, and most of it happened in or around the town of Cashton.
Once I was home, I decided I wanted a softer name for the series. Cashton is a good name, but it made me think of money, or Johnny Cash, or a train (I can’t explain that last one). I wanted something a bit more plain & simple, as we say. There were many creeks in the area, and so I came up with the name of Pebble Creek.
The Amish in this area are quite friendly, however, the area as a whole is not like the more tourist-driven Amish areas of Shipshewana, IN or even Lancaster, PA. In Wisconsin, you have to go looking for the Amish if you want to find them. And then when you do, what you find will remind you of the Old Order Amish, in that they still use outhouses, have no gas refrigerators or stoves, and chop ice from the river in the winter and then store it for the year. However in other ways–quilting, gardening, their community and their faith–they are very similar to their Amish cousins in other states.
Pebble Creek series, book 2
I recently received the following email from the sweet marketing person at Harvest House–
We are excited to let you know about an upcoming eBook promotion for The Pebble Creek Amish Series: A Promise for Miriam, A Home for Lydia, and A Wedding for Julia. From June 27 – July 15 we will be offering your books at a special sale prices through our eBook distributors—this includes Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Apple, and the Sony Reader.
And let me say those prices are great! You can receive all 3 books for under $11. I hope that you’ll give this series a try–it’s Amish romance with a touch of mystery. I think it’s something you will enjoy.
Pebble Creek Series, book 3
Pebble Creek Series, book 3
Blessings,
VC at a quilt show
Researching in Chouteau, Oklahoma
This week I head north, to Oklahoma where I’ll be doing two fun things. On Friday and Saturday, I’ll be attending Quilt Tulsa. If you haven’t been to a quilt show, and you live in the Tulsa area, I encourage you to attend. There are quilts to look at and lots of vendors. I’ll be selling my quilt shop mysteries, as well as all of my other books. And I have a few items that I’ve picked up in various Amish communities that I will also have available for purchase. I love going to quilt shows, and I adore meeting readers.
The second thing I’ll do this week is visit Chouteau, a small community 45 minutes to the east of Tulsa. This is the largest Amish community in Oklahoma (the other is in Clarita). Next year my first Oklahoma Amish book will release. It is titled Anna’s Healing. I’m half way through writing it, and I’m looking forward to walking around the area and meeting folks.
Researching A Promise for Miriam
So what do writers do when they research? I can tell you what I do, and I can also tell you that it’s something I enjoy immensely.
Researching is a hoot. I really enjoy it. My characters are certainly fictional, but they live in a real place with real problems. Kids attend school. Parents shop. Families go to the local park. It’s very helpful for me to visit a place and root these things firmly in my mind as I write the story on my heart.
I hope that you have some fun plans this summer, and I hope that you have time to read some wonderful books.
Blessings,
Amish home. Middlebury, IN
Anna’s Healing — Plain & Simple Miracles
I am so excited to be working on my new series, Plain & Simple Miracles. These will be Amish romances, much like the Pebble Creek series. If you’ve read those books, you know there is a lot more at work than one guy, one girl and a love story. These are also stories about the Amish way, how communities pull together, and God’s grace in our lives.
This time my story is set in Oklahoma. An hour to the east of Tulsa is an Amish community. I’m going to visit next month. One of my favorites aspects of writing is visiting the people and places I write about. The Oklahoma community is a bit different than others in that they allow tractors – and you know I will be discussing that in my book.
But the main theme of this story is quite simple. Do we believe in miracles? I’m not talking about the miracle of another sunrise (although I believe that is miraculous). I’m talking about God’s healing touch like when Lazarus was raised from the dead. Do we still believe those sorts of things are possible? If so, why are some people healed but not others?
I don’t pretend to know all the answers, but I think this will be an important book for me to write. I ask your prayers, that God will lead me to present such an important subject in the light of His love and grace.
We’ll still have romance, lots of Amish cooking, and problems between neighbors. I want you to have plenty to think about while you’re reading. Already I adore Anna Schwartz, and I trust that you will too. This book will release in 2015. Until then, I hope you’ll visit my webpage and pick out a book. They are all stories of the simple life and the grace of God.
Blessings,
V
February is a busy time in Amish households. I suppose most months are. But in February, the Amish who farm are preparing their fields for planting, IF the snow has melted. This winter, that might be tricky. Dads also use this time to repair any farming tools that need it, and there is the constant tending of the animals.
For moms, the work of February is much like the month before. Yes, laundry can be hung outside if it is 32 degrees or even a bit below on a sunny day. Otherwise it’s hung in the basement, or on the porch that has been temporarily enclosed. Many moms also plan their spring garden – much of the family’s vegetables will come from there rather than the store. February is a good month for quilting and also I’ve heard that quite a few babies are born in February!
For students, February brings something special – Valentine’s day. Teachers have several different plans for this holiday–allowing students to decorate the room with strings of paper hearts. These young scholars also make valentines which they put into boxes they have decorated. The last period on Valentine’s (or Friday if it lands on a weekend) is spent passing out those valentines to one another. Some moms also send treats–puffed rice candy, popcorn balls, and cookies.
In A Promise for Miriam, I describe a fun Valentine’s tradition. Each student brings a lunch, placed in a paper sack or box or pail. The container is decorated, and then they are all placed on the front table or the teacher’s desk. At lunchtime, students draw names and exchange lunches.
To me, a lot of this sounds like Valentine’s day when I was in school, and as a teacher I realize that a lot has changed. However, what hasn’t changed is the way students care about one another and how Valentine’s offers a bright, fun holiday as we wait for the first signs of spring.
I’m praying this February finds you well and looking forward to the changes in the months to come.
Blessings,
A Plain & Simple New Year with Amish Families
I’m one of those strange people who like to make new year’s resolutions. Usually I have an entire list of them. It helps me to write things down, and when I make resolutions they are sitting there on a sheet–nice and neat, small promises to myself.
But I’ll be the first to admit that this can get out of control. Sometimes my list is ridiculously long. Sometimes I overestimate what can be accomplished in one year. Sometimes I’m just not thinking straight when I write that list. So this year, I decided to take a clue from my Amish friends, from the families I have visited. I’m going to keep things PLAIN and SIMPLE. What does that mean?
I did list a few resolutions in my journal for 2014 – but they are relatively simple. Focus on my faith. Be there for my family. Do the right thing regarding what I eat and how I spend my time. Plain and simple, just the way I like it.
God’s blessings on you and your family in 2014,
V
| Serves | 9-12 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 45 minutes |
| Allergy | Milk |
| Meal type | Main Dish |
| Misc | Serve Hot |
| From book | The Amish Family Cookbook |
| Step 1 | |
| Combine turkey, ham, and 1 cup cheese; set aside. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Saute onion in 1/4 cup butter. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Stir in flour to form a paste. | |
| Step 4 | |
| Gradually add half-and-half, stirring constantly. | |
| Step 5 | |
| Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute or until thick. | |
| Step 6 | |
| Add 1 teaspoon dill weed, nutmeg, and ground mustard. | |
| Step 7 | |
| Pour over meat mixture and toss gently to combine. | |
| Step 8 | |
| Spoon into greased 13 x 9-inch pan. | |
| Step 9 | |
| Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and toss with bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon dill weed. | |
| Step 10 | |
| Mix in remaining 1/4 cup cheese and walnuts. Sprinkle over casserole. | |
| Step 11 | |
| Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through. | |
 |
The Amish Family Cookbook By Jerry and Tina Eicher Available Now From the home of bestselling author Jerry Eicher (more than 350,000 books sold) and his wife, Tina, comes this warm and inviting peek into an Amish kitchen, complete with Amish recipes, proverbs, and humor. Readers will laugh, pray, and eat robustly with The Amish Family Cookbook at their side. Learn more: http://bit.ly/AmishFamilyCookbook |
A PERFECT GIFT FOR YOURSELF OR A FRIEND THIS CHRISTMAS.
6 AUTOGRAPHED COPIES TO GO TO GOOD HOMES.
“I have never read such a really beautiful story as this one.” – MLK
“The story had some wow moments. I literally couldn’t out this book down.” – Laura Price Hilton
“This is a very compelling story. I have read many Amish Christmas stories & this one is far different from all of the others.” – Rhonda Gayle-Nash Hall
Micah Bachman knows what the Ordnung says about war. It’s wrong, period. Even his desire to become a medic and save the lives of wounded soldiers carries no weight with the church leadership. Upon his return from Afghanistan, the bann is put into effect. Micah and Naomi may live together, but they may not talk, nor may they eat together, nor may they enjoy any of the comforts of one another.
Naomi knows she can’t go on like this. How can she be in the same house as the man she loves and not tell him so? Added to her misery is the injury to her brother, Luke, who is now in a catatonic state after an accident that took the lives of their parents. When yet another tragedy strikes, God chooses to use the incident to bring about healing – but can the Amish people accept God’s answer or will the Amish community break apart? All will be known on Christmas Eve . . .
Click the link below to enter:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/71035-an-amish-family-christmas
Kentucky Cornbread by Nannie Bray
This comes from my best friend, who was taught by her mother, Nannie Bray,
a lifelong Kentucky resident. It is a procedure, not a recipe. As unbelievable as it may seem, her mom never owned a cookbook, or an official measuring cup or spoon. Nevertheless, everyone loved her cornbread.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a tablespoon and put two scoops of lard in a 10 inch iron skillet and place in over while it is preheating. (Mom always used lard, but I have found that shortening works fine and is easier on my heart and mind.) Meanwhile, she used her cupped right hand as a measuring cup. In a mixing pot or bowl, put 2 heaping cups of corn meal mix, 1 heaping cup of self-rising flour, one generous pinch of salt, and mix with the right hand. (She never used a spoon to mix.) Get the buttermilk ready on the counter. Remove the iron skillet from the over. Make sure that all the lard is melted. Roll the lard all around the skillet and up half way on the sides. Pour the extra in the cornmeal and flour mixture. Make sure that 1/4 inch of oil remains in the skillet. Put the skillet back in the oven to get really, really hot. Mix the cornbread mixture up by adding some buttermilk. Stir with the right hand and add buttermilk until it is a thick mixture, but can still be poured with a little help from the hand.
Take the skillet out, the lard might be ‘smoking’ a little, but you can see the swirls from the heat. Pour the cornbread mixture (should sizzle when it hits the oil), scrap the bowl with the hand and put in hot oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the bread is firm to the touch in the middle. This makes for a crunchy crust on sides and bottom. If there is any left overs, it will not be the crust, and will not be thrown out. Leftovers will be used for the infamous Kentucky cereal, AKA Cornbread and Milk!
Print recipe
