It's always hard to explain what Lit Camp is. Two summers ago, I went to Lit Camp for the first time. Last weekend, I went again, and I enjoyed it just as much. "Lit Camp" is short for "Literature Camp" and it's an educational/social weekend for people would love literature, planned with a Christian worldview in mind. Anyone is welcome, but most of the attendees have Anabaptist connections and the average age is maybe thirty. It's not a "pack your tent" type of event. Here's where it's … [Read more...] about Lit Camp Again!
Writing
Literature Camp: Writing, Reading, and the Castle Oil Built
Why literature? Why poetry? Why a literature camp in a castle? For years, friends raved about the annual "Lit Camp", and last weekend I attended for the first time. We left at 11:30 a.m. on Friday. I drove, and with me were two sisters from New Holland, Dorcas and Annetta. None of us had ever been to Lit Camp before. The trip to western Pennsylvania took five hours. I hope this is worth it, I thought. The details were sketchy: a mansion in Franklin, PA, lots of great bookish … [Read more...] about Literature Camp: Writing, Reading, and the Castle Oil Built
Christian Writers and Artists’ Conference in Dayton, Virginia
"It's taken me four years to get to this conference," Lovina said as we pulled into the parking lot of Hickory Hollow School last Thursday. "Now I'm finally here." Christian Light Publications (CLP), a large conservative Mennonite publisher, has hosted the annual Christian Writers and Artists' Conference in Dayton, Virginia, for the past fifty years. The planners invite well-known authors from the Mennonite ecosystem, as well as teachers and editors, to lecture on writing, poetry, music … [Read more...] about Christian Writers and Artists’ Conference in Dayton, Virginia
Happy New Year!
The pork simmers in the slow cooker, and we have sauerkraut in the fridge— tonight we will feast. Pork and sauerkraut are traditional Pennsylvania German dishes for January 1. On Saturday, I bought the pork loin, a great 9-lb slab, on sale at Oregon Dairy Supermarket. At the crowded meat counter, I saw another shopper's cart loaded with pork, sauerkraut, and hot dogs. Another folk tradition, one I learned about only recently, is burning bayberry candles on New Year's Day for good luck in … [Read more...] about Happy New Year!
A is for Alif
Usually I like to publish a post once a week, but lately I've been neglecting Penny Letters. Here's why. It all started several months ago, when my friend Andrea asked me, "Susan, how I can I pray for you?" We were standing outside on a gravel driveway, after a bridal shower for a mutual friend. Andrea's own wedding was only a few weeks away, and I was impressed that she was asking about me. I said, "Well I'm kind of bored. I need a challenge." COVID has halted a lot of activities … [Read more...] about A is for Alif