QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

As some of you who have submitted questions by email to Elizabeth recently may have noticed, I am trying to get your queries answered quicker. It's still tough, though, because for all that modern technology offers us, sending an email to Elizabeth is not much quicker than the old Pony Express. I either have to print the questions out and mail them to Elizabeth and then wait for her to mail answers back to me, or, a more reliable method, is for me to simply take a stack of emails to her on one of my visits.

This past week, I took many, many emails to Elizabeth. Your questions ranged from what kind of laundry detergent Elizabeth uses (Tide) to how she makes green apple relish. To see your questions and Elizabeth's answers, CLICK HERE.

I'll try to make more frequent visits to Elizabeth and have a quicker mail system in place to get your emailed questions answered more quickly.

While Elizabeth answered your questions, I laced up my sneakers and went for a run.

Running on the soft gravel roads that criss-cross Indiana's Amish country, for me, is like a step into the past. As my heart settles into a running rhythm, I relax as I pass through postcards scenes of century-old barns, peaceful ponds, and windswept fields. An occasional horse-drawn buggy passes me, their occupants silently waving. Runners are rare in these parts, so they look at me curiously. Towering windmills spin in the breeze, standing a silent sentinel over the surrounding flat prairie. I run the 3 mile route to Emma's house. Emma is one of Elizabeth's six daughters. I knock on their door and Emma and Jacob give me a quick, hearty hello. I can't stay long, I explain, stopping on such a cold day and then resuming running isn't good for the muscles. Hospitality being a hallmark among the Amish, Emma gives me cheese and crackers to stuff my pockets with, and run into the gathering dusk.

My pace picks up as head back towards Elizabeth's, a warm, orange kerosene glow in her window, and a hot dinner awaiting. She's finished answering about 20 emails during my run, penning replies on paper, in a way not much advanced than the quill.

Sometimes I wish our world could be more like the Amish world.

Kevin Williams
Executive Editor
Oasis Newsfeatures