Amish Love

What’s all the hubbub about Amish fiction? Major media outlets like Time and ABC Nightline are covering it, and authors like Cindy Woodsmall are making the New York Times bestseller list regularly. What makes these books so interesting?

Check out the recent ABC Nightline piece here http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=7676659&page=1 about Cindy and her titles When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and When the Soul Mends. It’s an intriguing look at Amish culture and the time Cindy has spent with Amish friends.

And don’t forget that Cindy’s new book The Hope of Refuge hits store shelves August 11, and is available for preorder now.

My Twin

So a while back, Matt was going through this catalog they had at his work. It was full of promotional items. He ran across this picture....


Apparently I have a twin.... who likes to model crab hats.

and for reference this is what I look like ...without a crab hat.

Fun Book Friday - A Flickering Light

The latest book I read is called A Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick. It was a great story. It focus on a young girl, Jessie Gaebele, just after the turn of the century. She had a love of photography and found a position along with her best friend, Voe, as an apprentice in a local studio with FJ Bauer. As she learns from Mr. Bauer how to edit the photographs and do touch up work, they begin to have feelings for eachother that are beyond teacher / apprentice.

Mr. Bauer is stuck in an unhappy marriage. His wife, coincidently also named Jessie is suffering from a mental illness caused in part by the death of their child. He finds comfort in his work with Jessie Gaebele.

What I really liked about this book is that its not you typical coming of age, falling in love for the first time, story. It explores the feelings that both parties know are wrong, yet they feel them all the same.

I would definately recommend this as a good summer read. Here's the link to purchase the book online.

The Second Jane Kirkpatrick book I read was Aurora. The thing that stood out most to me is the beautiful pictures of quits. I've always loved them and found them facinating. Quilts have so much beauty and history built into them. So much work goes into a quit - everything from the fabrics used, to the way they are matched and stitched into patters, then there is the stitching that holds it all together. The woman who made these quits are true artists.

Link to purchase Aurora.

April Fools - Big Orange Cat

It's arrived! My B.O.C. I was so excited and I got some good stuff. For all you nerdy types who understand here is the picture.

I heart April 1

This is my favorite day of the year to be online. Here are the best April Fools Pranks I've found so far.
Feel free to add to the list with fun stuff you come across.
Google - Artificial Intelligence AKA CADIE - I <3 Panda Bears
http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/cadie/index.html
Woot - Million Dollar Shipping - Coupon Code is SNAIL
http://www.woot.com/
Expedia - Trip to Mars for $99 - A 3 Trillion dollar discount!
http://www.expedia.com/daily/mars/flights-to-mars/?mcicid=Mars_home_us
Google Chrome - Web Browsing in 3D
http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/chrome/cadie/
You Tube - Upside down - However some of the the videos seem right side up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICuqGPlY4r0&flip=1

Work pranks, included tape to the bottom of the mouse, a fake engagement, and a shreadded compaion cube plush. Overall a good day for the April Pranksters.