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
Friends
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
Valentine’s Day Banquet and an Ordination
"What do you all think about doing a Valentine's meal for the guys?" my friend Melissa messaged me and several others last month. "It would be fun to plan but it would take several brains to pull it off." "This sounds exciting! Let's do it!" messaged Susanna. A Valentine's party? At first I was reluctant— we are a singles group after all. This could be awkward. But then I remembered it's Leap Year! More seriously— as another girl pointed out— "Last year, the guys had a Valentine's … [Read more...] about Valentine’s Day Banquet and an Ordination
Welcoming 2020
"Put your New Year's resolutions in the jar," says Melissa, one of the evening's three party coordinators. "Then, we'll read them aloud, and guess who made each resolution." The room is full— I count twenty-seven people sitting on chairs in the basement. We're celebrating the arrival of a new decade with a big New Year's Eve party and the appropriate festivities— food, games, music, and loud noise at midnight. Three of my friends, Melissa, Regina, and Ada had decided to plan the party for … [Read more...] about Welcoming 2020
Down to the River
November's leaves make the mountainside slippery. We're going down to the river, to a remote campsite on the banks of the West Branch Susquehanna River. Four months ago, a friend named Elmer perished at that campsite beside the river, not because of the rushing water, but because of a falling tree. He died when the leaves were full and green, and now when autumn has drained the color from the mountains, we're going to visit the campsite in memory of him. There's sixteen of us picking our … [Read more...] about Down to the River