DINNER WITH THE AMISH COOK

FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK

Elizabeth's readers have been VERY, VERY kind to her through the years as she has shared her simple stories and snippets about her life. The readers have sent her cards and encouraging letters by the thousands that have brightened some of her darkest moments. The readers have sent her seeds for her garden, homemade candles, crafts, everything imaginable. It's just been an amazing outpouring of kindness through the years. Elizabeth often tells me she feels "unworthy" by such response 99.99 percent of the readers are unseen angels to Elizabeth.

Sometimes, though, the public perplexes me. Among a small group, there exists a "tourist mentality", that Amish country is an amusement for enjoyment. There is a fine line between educationally experiencing a culture and treating the Amish as a circus attraction. One of the things that has made me most proud through the years is that despite the growing popularity of Elizabeth's column, her privacy has been protected and maintained. Elizabeth still lives an essentially unchanged, quiet life on her Indiana farm.

Occasionally, though, a reader expresses a desire to "drop by" and visit Elizabeth. People will write to me asking directions to Elizabeth's house. Some even find her home and do stop by. And while the readers mean no harm, few people would decide to just "drop by" the home of Dr. Laura, Ann Landers, or Martha Stewart. The newspaper column is actually a very small part of Elizabeth's life. Most of her days are spent in privacy, among her family, helping to raise her grandchildren, taking care of her farm, canning, cleaning, cooking, and worshipping. She just takes some time out each week to write her newspaper column, work on her cookbook, or answer reader mail. I consider myself to be a very, very close confidant of the family, having shared in their weddings, funerals, birthdays and been an overnight guest in their home on many occasions. However, even I try to keep my visits with Elizabeth as short as possible, but not because I don't love visiting them. They are like family. But I figu

So, to the vast majority of people out there, here is a "thank you" for letting Elizabeth live in peace and privacy and enriching her so much with your kindness. She tries to return the kindness by opening a small window into her world through the newspaper column.

With this prelude, we would like to invite one reader and a guest to share a meal with Elizabeth and her daughters to celebrate the 10 years anniversary of the column in 2001. (The dinner would be sometime between January 1 and June 1, 2001)

DINNER WITH ELIZABETH

So many have written asking about when Elizabeth's next cookbook will be out. Her next cookbook, a much more elegant production than the first one, will be out in the spring. I am taking 400 pre-orders right now. The first 400 people who pre-order for $29.99 (shipping included), will receive immediately (within 5 days) a signed copy of Elizabeth's "An Amish Christmas" (a $14.95 value) in the mail. It makes a wonderful gift. The next book is to be valued at $20, so you will be receiving Elizabeth's next book at a considerable discount. The first 400 books will be signed by Elizabeth with these customers being able to request personalized inscriptions from Elizabeth. I will choose one of the 400 people, and a guest, to have dinner with Elizabeth. Depending on the location of the reader, the dinner would either be at Elizabeth's farm or another location. Oasis Newsfeatures will pay for the cost of travel. The person chosen will be someone whom I think Elizabeth will be comfortable with and represents t

CLICK HERE to place your pre-order and request an opportunity to meet and dine with Elizabeth and her family in celebration of this happy occasion.

Kevin Williams
Executive Editor
Oasis Newsfeatures