Recent Articles

The Art of Procrastination

Some days writing is the last thing I want to do. Whenever I’m in the mood to reorganize a closet or..
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More From Kate!

Amish Quilt Giveaway!

I'd planned to host a book launch party when Leaving Lancaster released March 1, 2012, but couldn't settle on a theme, other than I had a hankering to give away an Amish quilt as part of the celebration.Read more...

Farewell to Steve Scott

Steve Scott's sudden death in late December, 2011, hit me hard. Never again will I pick up the phone or jet off an email to ask my mentor and friend to verify a fact, enjoy a chat about anything from milk houses to God, or pay him another visit at... Read more...

Winter Blues in Lancaster County?

Do the Amish in Lancaster County get the winter blues? I watch droplets splattering the front lawn and hope the rain eases up before my morning walk. I've heard depression heightens in January and February in the Pacific Northwest.

Minutes ago, my house brightened with a flick of a switch. As I sip my morning java, I feel.. Read more...

Borrowing Amish Christmas Traditions

My big decision this morning: How early should I get to the Gap to return a sweater to avoid long lines? I did the bulk of my shopping over the Internet right after Thanksgiving. Humongous sales and free shipping urged me to buy too much. The packages arrive daily. And since I hosted a brunch the first week of December... Read more...

Emulating the Amish

After several turbulent gusts of late afternoon wind, our electricity blinked out at our beach cabin for fourteen hours, moments after my husband had emptied a can of chili into a pan and turned on the stovetop. Soon an icy shroud descended on our outdated orange-carpeted cabin. Now what? The Amish came to mind! Read more...

Never Heard of the Amish?

So easy a child can do it, I assured myself, as I set about designing and ordering business cards online with the front cover of my book Leaving Lancaster on one side and my contact info on the other. I uploaded the book cover, no problem, but found applying the text to the other side a formatting nightmare. Read more...

Are You Creative?

Absolutely! All of us are. Even in the humdrum moments we demonstrate creativity when arranging asparagus, potatoes, and drumsticks on a dinner plate. We select a new tie that echoes our eye color and a shirt of a paler hue, and presto, we've revitalized our favorite suit. And aren't we women brilliant when it comes to applying concealer and mascara? Read more...