When Winter Comes
I'm sitting here in my home office, my toes very chilly inside socks and my favorite leather clogs as we endure another cold night here in Florida. I know, I know, it's not cold compared to where some of you live, but you have to remember we're not used to it. Someone said the other day that 49 of 50 states have had snow this winter -- Hawaii's the one that hasn't. Not Florida. Yes, it snowed in Florida, enough for kids to be filmed making a snow man.
Then again, the cold tonight is getting me into the spirit of watching Olympic figure skating, one of my favorite things. When winter comes, you'll find me sitting in front of the television every time figure skating shows come on. I have a little pair of crocheted figure skates hanging nearby. They're a Christmas tree ornament but I put them up to remind me of the figure skating that my heroine, Rebecca, loves in When Winter Comes in An Amish Gathering, the novella collection Beth, Kathy, and I wrote. Ice skating is a popular Amish winter activity. Skates are passed down in families, never considered an unwelcome hand-me-down. It's not easy being a female skating in the long skirts but the Amish girls I've seen skating still manage to look graceful.
I was just beginning to learn how to ice skate up in Ohio when we moved to Florida. We finally have some ice rinks in Florida but I'm too cautious to try to skate these days. So I enjoyed vicariously skating along with Rebecca on the frozen pond near her home. I used something else I know in the book, too -- what it's like to be a twin. I'm not one, but my mother AND my dad were twins. Mom and her sister -- still going strong at 86! -- even got married in a double ceremony. It would have been so cool if they had married twins but that didn't happen. But it was still very interesting to hear the stories both parents told about growing up a twin. I've wanted to write a twin story for a long time and finally got my chance in the novella.
We heard some great news this week about An Amish Gathering I wanted to share: it's #10 position on the CBA bestseller list for March. Not long ago it hit the ECPA bestseller list. THANK YOU to all of you readers for buying the book and for writing us to say you enjoyed reading it. The notes you've sent on Facebook, here at AmishHearts.com, and in personal e-mails have warmed our hearts. (Congratulations go out to Beth whose Plain Paradise is #16 on the CBD bestseller list. Go Beth!)
Remember to enter the contest to win an autographed book by each of us writers here at AmishHearts (winner announced March 1). Just write me a comment about your favorite sport -- one you play or one you watch -- in the winter.
Until next week, stay warm!
Barbara
Categories: Four author contest, An Amish Gathering
Tags: Amish fiction Amish sports
I love watching the figure skating during the Olympics.
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Good Morning Barbara, I am with you, when I was young I loved to Ice skate. I would be out on the ice behind the barn everyday after school, now I just love to watch it, I would love to win the books, that would be just Fantastic.
Gods Blessings to you and yours
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I have always loved to watch figure skating. It's my favorite part of the winter Olympics.
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Hi Barbara,
I heard the weather in Florida isn't that warm this year. My sister and her hubby go to Florida January to March and they haven't been too thrilled with the temperature lately. I look forward to the Olympics each time they are on and this year I have been watching figure skating and curling. I can watch figure skating anytime but curling is only on TV during the winter Olympics. Keep warm when it's too cool down there and think Spring.
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I really have difficulty with telling about a favorite sport!! I was the child in the class who no one ever wanted to be stuck with on a team!! Always picked last!!I was always tiny, making others think I was fragile- little did they know about inner strength! LOL! I love watching downhill skiing and since I live in Canada, am thrilled to see a gold medal earned in that sport. I always wished I had the nerve to do it- but I never did! BUT- I do love to read- just keep those books coming!! I love this blog and your fantastic Amish fiction. God bless!!
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I just LOVE hockey. I don't play but watch.
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I've always been intrigued by twins also. It would be fun to make people wonder which one you were.
As to the sport, I love figure skating. I have Josh Groban's first CD. The music just carries me away as I think of choreographics for the skaters. I've never been able to 'rest' listening to music, as I'm always so into it, like my description above, only for myself dancing.
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I have trouble telling about a winter sport.. I am not really a sports person. Now you put on some sort of rodeo or bull riding and I can get into it.. LOL However, I guess my favorite winter time sport would just be watching my children play in the snow when we finally get some. They make it seem so fun and making snowmen, having a snowball fight, and making snow cream is such fun with them!
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My favorite sport (to watch) is hmmmm.... actually I have a couple of them.... the men's and women's halfpipe and figure skating and downhill skiing. Thanks for entering me into the contest!
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I always enjoy your newsletters and anything Amish. My favorite winter sport is football, I assume you have heard of LSU and the New Orleans Saints.Ha. We are still on cloud 9 about the Saints. Stay warm in Florida and keep up your excellent work!
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I like to watch basketball! We've gone to a few games played by a local high school team, and they've been really good.
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Hi Barbara. As I told you the other night on Facebook, my favorite sport is the figure skating. We don't have T.V. but as I child I would watch that part of the Olympics. I would love to be able to do something like that.
God Bless you!
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I always wanted to learn to ice skate but was afraid of falling through the ice. I did enjoy sledding as a child in Illinois. My children were raised in Alabama so their sleds were seldom used, much to their dismay.
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