Amish Circle Letters - the Complete Series Read online

  Amish Circle Letters - the Complete Series

  Amish Circle Letters [1]

  Sarah Price

  On Demand Publishing, LLC-Create Space (2014)

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  In Amish Circle Letters, follow the journey of a series of letters that pass through the Fisher family. Meet feisty Mary Ruth, the young woman who prefers her independence to conformity, Steve who gave up long ago on finding love, and little Katie who makes a new friend in Melvin, a friendship that has the potential to grow into something more. As Amish do not use computers or cell phones to communicate, Amish women will often write circle letters, letters that they send to a list of addresses of people that they would like to include in the correspondence. Since they do not have access to photocopiers, the first person on the list will receive the letter, read it, and respond. That person sends both the first letter and their response to the second name on the list. This continues until the entire package of letters goes full-circle, returning to the original sender. An Amish Christian Romance that will leave you breathless and wanting more. Sarah Price, bestselling author of Amish Christian Romances, brings her twenty-five years of experience living among the Amish and from growing up Mennonite to the pages of her novels and novellas, in order to present a truly authentic Amish experience just for her readers.

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  Amish Circle Letters

  By Sarah Price

  New and Expanded for 2014

  With Recipes, Hymns,

  and an Excerpt from

  Amish Circle Letters II

  Price Publishing LLC.

  2014

  The Pennsylvania Dutch used in this manuscript is taken from the Pennsylvania Dutch Revised Dictionary (1991) by C. Richard Beam, Brookshire Publications, Inc. in Lancaster, PA.

  Copyright © 2014 by Price Publishing, LLC.

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

  Other Books by Sarah Price

  The Amish of Lancaster Series

  #1: Fields of Corn

  #2: Hills of Wheat

  #3: Pastures of Faith

  #4: Valley of Hope

  The Amish of Ephrata Series

  #1: The Tomato Patch

  #2: The Quilting Bee

  #3: The Hope Chest

  #4: The Clothes Line

  The Plain Fame Trilogy

  Plain Fame

  Plain Change

  Plain Again

  Other Amish Christian Romances

  Amish Circle Letters

  Amish Circle Letters II

  A Gift of Faith: An Amish Christmas Story

  An Amish Christmas Carol: Amish Christian Classic Series

  A Christmas Gift for Rebecca: An Amish Christian Romance

  Gettysburg’s Chosen Sons

  The Adventures of a Family Dog Series

  #1: A Small Dog Named Peek-a-boo

  #2: Peek-a-boo Runs Away

  #3: Peek-a-boo’s New Friends

  #4: Peek-a-boo and Daisy Doodle (2013)

  Other Books, Novellas and Short Stories

  Gypsy in Black

  Postcards from Abby (with Ella Stewart)

  Meet Me in Heaven (with Ella Stewart)

  The Prayer Chain Series (with Ella Stewart)

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Foreword

  A Note About Vocabulary

  Chapter One: Miriam’s Letter

  Chapter Two: Rachel’s Letter

  Chapter Three: Leah’s Letter

  Chapter 4: Anna’s Letter

  Chapter 5: Lizzie’s Letter

  Chapter 6: Sylvia’s Letter

  Chapter 7: Lovina’s Letter

  Chapter 8: Ella’s Letter

  Chapter 9: Mary Ruth’s Letter

  Chapter 10: Miriam’s Package

  The Sequel

  Recipes

  Amish Meadow Tea

  Amish Corn Flake Sugar Cookies

  Shoofly Pie

  Apple Crunch

  Cinnamon Minis

  Lima Bean and Corn Salad

  Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling

  Amish Chow-Chow

  Amish Wedding Cake

  One More Thing…

  Hymn from the Ausbund

  Glossary of Pennsylvania Dutch

  Excerpt from Plain Fame

  About Sarah Price

  Foreword

  Writing about the wonderful culture and religion of the Amish people is something that I have been doing for over twenty-five years. As many of my readers may have noticed, my novels, novellas and short stories present an authentic glimpse into the lives of the Amish, a glimpse that comes from my growing up Mennonite and having lived among the Amish since I was nineteen years old.

  Most of my stories are love stories. Whether you are reading about Shana and Emanuel’s struggle to balance the differences of their upbringing with their love for each other (Fields of Corn) or Amanda and Alejandro trying to find a way to survive the clash of their individual and very different cultures (The Plain Fame Trilogy), there is a degree of love written in the stories.

  This book and its sequel, Amish Circle Letters II, are a bit unusual. Many of us admire the Amish, viewing their culture and religion as idyllic, a step back in time to a place where stress and technology are foreign words.

  That image is actually quite far from the truth.

  The Amish are people, just like you and I. They, too, struggle with relationships, disappointments, questions of faith, and even temptations, a fact that some Christians might not want to know, but nevertheless, does exist among the Plain people as well.

  When I first heard the term “circle letters”, I was immediately enthralled. As a woman of the 21st century, I grew up with technology and social media, both of which have become engrained in my life. It’s how I communicate with my children, my family, my friends, and my readers.

  Unlike the Englischers, Amish do not use technology. Typically, several families will share a telephone that is always located outside of the home. A message left on a communal voice message system might take a few days to be retrieved and even longer to be returned.

  So how do the Amish communicate?

  Letters.

  Often, groups of Amish will write letters and send them with a list of addresses of people that they would like to include in the correspondence. Since they do not have access to photocopiers, the first person on the list will receive the letter, read it, and respond. That person sends both the first letter and their response to the second name on the list. This continues until the entire package of letters goes full-circle, returning to the original sender.

  At this point, the original begins a second circle and start the process of over again. It’s a wonderful way to stay in touch and something that the families look forward to receiving.

  This series of books follows one family, Miriam Fisher and her seven children. You will read their letters as they travel throughout the circle. I hope you enjoy the series as much as I have enjoyed researching and writing it.

  Finally, you should know that all of the stories that you are going to read are based on true stories, stories that happened within the very Amish community where I share a home with an Amish woman. However, names and locations have been changed and I have taken the liberty of greatly embellishing them, something all good stories need.

  Blessings,

  Sarah Price

  http://www.sarahpriceautho
r.com

  http://www.facebook.com/fansofsarahprice

  Twitter: @SarahPriceAmish

  A Note About Vocabulary

  The Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch (also called Amish German or Amish Dutch). This is a verbal language with variations in spelling among communities throughout the USA. For example, in some regions, a grandfather is “grossdaadi” while in other regions he is known as “grossdawdi”.

  In addition, there are words such a “mayhaps” or the use of the word “then” at the end of sentences and, my favorite, “for sure and certain” which are not necessarily from the Pennsylvania Dutch language/dialect, but are unique to the Amish.

  The use of these words comes from my own experience living among the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

  For your convenience, a glossary of terms is provided at the end of the book.

  Chapter One: Miriam’s Letter

  Dear Children,

  It seems that a quiet has fallen upon our lives. Daed and I are finally settling into the grossdaadihaus with brother Steve, John David, and sister Mary Ruth. While smaller, it is just as cozy as the main house, which suits Isaac and his growing family nicely.

  Your daed, Steve, and John David are keeping busy helping Isaac with the farm, although Steve is still working his own farm across the lane. I’m sure he’d like to move in there one day, but being alone, the farm is better tended by his tenants.

  Your sister Mary Ruth has been helping John and sister Sylvia with their new market-stand in Maryland on Thursdays and Fridays. Those are long days for your sister but she seems to enjoy it. She comes home with the most unbelievable stories about the crazy things those Englischers say to her.

  Isaac’s Anna is keeping me busy. I’ve been helping with her kinner while she’s working the dairy with Isaac. It’s a blessing to have the young children living in our old house, that’s for sure and certain…although I sure do find myself making more cookies than I remember in days past. Anna’s young Katie keeps us all busy with her questions.

  Speaking of Englischers, we had a visit from Eleanor Haile again. She has been stopping by more regular-like…about once a month, I reckon. I missed seeing her, being that I was at my sister’s. But she visited with Anna last week for a while. She even brought the kinner some whoopie pies. Benjamin and Katie made certain to tell me all about their sweet treat.

  Let us not let time and distance keep us apart. I have wanted to send this letter to all of you, to ask that you contribute your own letter to the package and send it along to the next family on the list. In that way, as we pass along the circle letters, we can all stay connected, despite the fact that we all lead such very busy lives and barely ever see each other.

  I look forward to receiving all of your letters when the circle returns to me. In the meantime, I will pray for each and every one of you. May God keep and protect you and your families.

  Love,

  Mother

  Miriam sat down at the old wooden farmers’ table in her kitchen and stared at the piece of paper before her. She had waited a long time to write this letter. In fact, she had spent a long time praying about whether or not she should write this letter. She knew that her children were busy with their own families and didn’t have much time for correspondence, especially in the summer months. However, with all of her children grown and most of them living in different towns, she missed knowing what was happening in their lives. She missed the casual conversations at suppertime. She missed being an intricate part of their lives.

  Certainly, a circle letter would help them to stay connected. It was, indeed, a right gut idea. Or so she felt after weeks of praying about it.

  She glanced over the list of names and addresses jotted down on the sheet of paper. They were all there…her six children that no longer lived at home. Most had settled in nearby towns on farms of their own, although several were living in more contemporary houses and working at market stands or local shops. There just wasn’t enough land to go around to satisfy every young couple that desired to have their own farm. Many of these farms were now under sixty acres, not enough to sustain a large Amish family, never mind two or three families that often resided on the property.

  There were three others siblings still living at home. Mary Ruth was the youngest child, a serious, yet sometimes, petulant, twenty-one year old. With brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, she was a pretty girl but there was little sign of any courtship going on. Miriam was concerned about her. The older women got, the harder it was to marry. At twenty-one, she should have been married by now.

  Her twenty-three year old son, John David was a different story. He was clearly paving the path for marriage this fall. His intended was a delightful young woman, Ella Riehl from Paradise. It was a few towns over and Miriam never could quite figure out how they had met up but she was certain that Ella was a fine young woman. Her family was most reputable as being godly and good, full of kindness and compassion for everyone and very helpful within the community. Miriam was most pleased with that match and prayed that, indeed, there would be an autumn wedding.

  And then there was Steve. At thirty-four years old, he was a leddich, a bachelor with little to no chance of getting married anytime soon…if at all. He was too old to hang out with the youth groups and rarely socialized with his friends, all of whom were long married and had several children of their own. Miriam worried about Steve, suspecting that he’d remain unmarried with no one to take care of him as he aged. Although he kept repeating that him not being married was obviously what God had in his plan for him, that fact weighted heavily on Miriam’s heart.

  Yet, despite being older and single, Steve had acquired a large farm directly across the lane from their own. That certainly confused her. With no intentions of marrying, he certainly didn’t need such a big farm. Of course, he didn’t live there. Instead, he rented the main house to another Amish family and helped them with the cows. A godly man and a very hard worker indeed, Miriam thought with just a little bit of pride, she admitted.

  “You finished your letter yet, then?”

  Miriam looked up, surprised to see her youngest daughter, Mary Ruth, walk into the kitchen. As always, she was barefoot and wore an old, blue bandana over her head instead of her prayer kapp. It was a bone of contention with Miriam that her daughter refused to wear her prayer kapp at home unless it was for a formal occasion. “You home already, I see.”

  “Ja,” Mary Ruth said as she walked over to the kitchen sink to wash her hands, ignoring her mamm’s look of disapproval. “Helped Anna making cheese. It’s pressing now.” Wiping her hands on the fresh kitchen towel, she turned around and smiled at her mother. “Little Katie was there helping too.”

  “No doubt!” Miriam smiled, slowly forgetting her frustration with Mary Ruth. The mention of her granddaughter, Katie, always brought a smile to her face.

  “She’s something else,” Mary Ruth offered. “I think she exhausts Anna but I sure do enjoy that little girl’s energy.”

  “Not so sure that Anna feels the same way,” Miriam said lightly and both women laughed. It was no secret that Katie and Anna were often like oil and water, not mixing properly. With Katie’s curiosity and energy, she often seemed to wear Anna’s nerves thin.

  The side door opened with a loud squeak and a bang as two men walked into the room. Hanging their battered straw hats on the hooks by the door, Elias and his son Steve stomped their boots on the doormat, kicking off some loose dirt, as they did every day before walking inside.

  “Awful lot of laughter in here,” the older man said. “Sounds like a real party. Are we menfolk invited?”

  “Oh Daed,” Mary Ruth said, rolling her eyes but unable to hide her smile.

  Elias walked over to his wife, placing his hand affectionately on her shoulder. He peered at the letter on the table. “Starting your circle letter, ja?”

  “Indeed,” Miriam replied. “I just finished it, in fact.” Her eyes glanced over the piece of paper that was f
illed with her evenly spaced cursive writing. She had planned what to write for a long time and spent a good hour drafting the letter to make certain it was perfect. “I sure hope they write back soon. With all these people on the list, it could be at least two months before it gets back to us!”

  “Sure hope you aren’t expecting me to write no circle letter,” Steve said, walking over to the large sofa by the back wall. He sat down and began to untie his boots. Kicking them off, he leaned back and shut his eyes. “Don’t have nothing to write about, neither.”

  Shaking her head, Miriam frowned at her son. “You are not expected to write,” she said sharply. “But you have plenty to contribute, so you better get on with it.”

  “Pphtt,” he scoffed and waved his hand in her direction dismissively. “Work, work, work.” He sighed, stretching his legs back. “And then, add in some more work,” he added teasingly.

  Ignoring him, Miriam turned back to the letter on the sturdy table in front of her. “Rachel is first on the list. I know she’ll write her letter right quick. But Leah, now that’s a different story.” She paused, as a thought crossed her mind and tapped the letter with her finger. “Mayhaps I’ll add a short note to Leah. I know how busy she can be with those kinner. But it would be a shame if she delayed the process.” She glanced at her husband. “Even a short note is better than no note at all, ja?”

  “I reckon,” Elias said but his expression clearly showed that he didn’t believe any note would help prod his daughter into action.

  “Isaac’s Anna is next,” she continued.

  Steve laughed. “She lives next door! You can just go ask her what’s going on!”

  Miriam set the list down and scowled at her son. “That’s not the point! We share our letters with each other.”

  Tugging at his beard, Elias winked at his daughter as he said, “And you get to read those letters when Anna gets them, ain’t so?”

  “Elias!” Miriam gasped. “Are you accusing me of impatience?”