Happy Autumn! Here's a collage of summer and fall highlights— my friend Arlene's wedding, a poetry reading in an off-the-grid farmhouse, and making balloon animals at the New Holland Fair. Bridesmaid Duty VI On July 29, a dear long-time friend, Arlene, got married! Her husband, Erny, celebrated the occasion by blowing the shofar horn he bought in Israel, the same horn he blew at a New Year Eve's party, at the start of 2020. I don't think he and Arlene had even met back then. Arlene … [Read more...] about Summer/Fall Collage
Friends
Alexander Caverns
We stood in the thick darkness deep in the earth, only feet away from an underground river. We knew the water was flowing, but the surface was still and there was no sound. Normally, I don't descend into the depths of the earth any deeper than the cellar. But earlier this month, when my friend Regina arranged for us to visit Alexander Caverns in the Kishacoquillas Valley, I was an enthusiastic proponent. "It's on a Nebraska Amish farm," Regina told us. "They don't have phones, but I … [Read more...] about Alexander Caverns
Bridesmaid’s-Eye View
When a friend is both the queen of details and loves to make others comfortable, you know being in her wedding party will be a day to remember. The chilly Saturday morning dawned, and Melissa and Levi's wedding day had arrived. It was time for me to remove the plastic bag covering the light mauve bridesmaid's gown— my first dress made by a professional dressmaker. It fit like a dream. After the dress, I pulled on greige suede leather boots. Melissa had chosen the color for a winter … [Read more...] about Bridesmaid’s-Eye View
A Peachy Cabin Weekend
A sign beside the drive leading to the mountain cabin read "Zephere's Rock: Population 1." Further down the gravel road, a "Don't Tread on Me" flag fluttered in the November breeze. This is a place where people come to be left alone, I thought. I was getting a few of minutes of solitude myself, taking a brief walk on the mountain road to enjoy the yellow leaves and morning sunshine outside of the cabin I was staying in for the weekend. I've often written about how us Lancaster County … [Read more...] about A Peachy Cabin Weekend
Kentucky Pilgrimage
Last winter my friend Amy and I discovered neither of us had ever been to the Creation Museum or the Ark Encounter in Kentucky and we both wanted to go. A few weeks ago, I asked Amy if she was still interested. "Both museums are open again. And we'll probably never again have a summer that's so empty." "Sure," Amy agreed. I also invited my friend Charity to come along. Like Amy, Charity is a schoolteacher, and she also had never been to either museum. So last week, we made the … [Read more...] about Kentucky Pilgrimage