When my husband and I visit Amish country, I’m always amazed when I see my Amish friend’s vegetable gardens. Besides the abundant crops that will help feed their family, their gardens are virtually weed-free.

This summer my husband and I decided to plant most of our garden in raised-beds, which has worked out quite nicely. So far we have harvested several cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, and a few tomatoes. We are still waiting for our onions, peppers, beets, carrots, and spaghetti squash to be ready for picking. In our larger garden area, which is entirely fenced in and covered with netting to keep the birds out, we’ve had a bumper crop of blueberries, most of which are in the freezer now. These, we will enjoy this winter.

One way to live more simply is to grow a garden. If you don’t have room in your yard, you might consider planting vegetables in pots. Nothing tastes so good as freshly picked homegrown produce.

Do you enjoy gardening? If you have a garden of your own, what have you harvested so far?

One thing I’ve noticed about most of my Amish friends is that they like to read—both fiction and real-life stories. Many have said that they enjoy reading because it takes them to places they’ve never been able to visit. Reading is also a good way to relax.

I have enjoyed reading ever since I was a child, and now, as an author, I love writing as much as reading. It’s fun to immerse myself into each storyline and become, for a little while, whichever character I’m writing or reading about.

I hope that when you read one of my novels, you will allow yourself to be drawn into the lives of my Amish characters and the Plain communities each of the books are set in. Since I have Amish friends in every community I write about it, I do my best to make sure that my facts are as accurate as possible.

Do you like to read for the enjoyment of learning about new things? Or is reading a way to help you relax and leave your own world behind as you get to know the characters in a book?

Recently, while talking with a few friends, the topic came up about the world we live in and how technology seems to have replaced the more simple life that our parents and grandparents enjoyed. The Amish and other Plain people, although they live busy lives, aren’t tied to technology the way we “English” are these days.

While we can’t all leave our modern way of life and live exactly like my Amish friends do, we can take the time to slow down and focus on some of the important things in life. Last month, with Tip #1, I talked about some simple ways we can experience some of the same things the Amish do in their everyday lives. I shared the first tip in last month’s journal entry, and this month I’m sharing a second tip with you.

Tip 2:

The Amish travel mostly by horse and buggy, although they do hire drivers when they need to go longer distances. They sometimes travel to places by train or bus. My Amish friends also walk many places, and some ride bikes or scooters. I have ridden with Amish friends in their buggies several times, and when I rode with them I noticed so many things around me that I might not have seen while riding in a car.

While most of us don’t have the opportunity to ride in a horse-drawn carriage, we can enjoy a slower pace by taking a leisurely walk in the country, or even a stroll around the neighborhood or in our very own yards. My husband and I live in the country, and our yard consists of 2 ½ acres, so that gives me a wonderful opportunity to take walks whenever I can. During this time I am able to see flowers in bloom, tall leafy trees, and a variety of singing birds I would not have been able to see or hear from my office window. I can smell the fresh air, hear the birds chirping, and feel the breeze against my body as I make my trek around the yard. The fresh air and exercise is good for me, too.

How about you? Have you ever had the opportunity to ride in an Amish buggy? Do you take walks, ride a bike, or simply enjoy the pleasure of sitting outside to be one with nature?