Home by Summer: A Seasons of an Amish Garden Story

By Amy Clipston

In Amy Clipston's new novella collection, young Amish couples manage a community garden to raise money for a good cause, harvesting friendships and love along the way.

Clara Hertzler is surprised when Jerry Petersheim, her old friend, comes to the garden to drop off his younger sister—especially because Jerry dresses like an Englisher, drives a truck, and uses a cell phone. As the friends get to know each other again after years apart, Clara pushes Jerry to examine why he abandoned his Amish beliefs. Will Clara help Jerry renew his faith in God, and will they find love along the way?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Jan 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9780310354345

Amy Clipston

Amy Clipston is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery, Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel, Amish Heirloom, Amish Homestead, and Amish Marketplace series. Her novels have hit multiple bestseller lists including Christianbook, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan University and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and five spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at AmyClipston.com; Facebook: @AmyClipstonBooks; Twitter: @AmyClipston; Instagram: @amy_clipston; BookBub: @AmyClipston.

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COPYRIGHT

ZONDERVAN

Home by Summer

Copyright © 2019 by Amy Clipston

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

ISBN: 978-0-310-35434-5 (e-book)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication

CIP data is available upon request.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

Printed in the United States of America

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CONTENTS

COPYRIGHT

GLOSSARY

FAMILY TREE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

For my wonderful agent, Natasha Kern, with love

GLOSSARY

ach: oh

aenti: aunt

appeditlich: delicious

bedauerlich: sad

boppli: baby

brot: bread

bruder: brother

bruders: brothers

bruderskinner: nieces/nephews

bu: boy

buwe: boys

daadi: grandfather

danki: thank you

dat: dad

dochder: daughter

dochdern: daughters

Dummle!: Hurry!

fraa: wife

freind: friend

freinden: friends

froh: happy

gegisch: silly

gern gschehne: you’re welcome

Gude mariye: Good morning

gut: good

Gut nacht: Good night

haus: house

Ich liebe dich: I love you

kaffi: coffee

kapp: prayer covering or cap

kichli: cookie

kichlin: cookies

kinner: children

krank: ill

kuche: cake

kuchen: cakes

kumm: come

liewe: love, a term of endearment

maed: young women, girls

maedel: young woman

mamm: mom

mammi: grandmother

mei: my

naerfich: nervous

narrisch: crazy

oncle: uncle

schee: pretty

schmaert: smart

schtupp: family room

schweschder: sister

schweschdere: sisters

sohn: son

Was iss letz?: What’s wrong?

Wie geht’s: How do you do? or Good day!

wunderbaar: wonderful

ya: yes

FAMILY TREE

Featuring The Christmas Cat novella characters from the collection An Amish Christmas Love.

Thelma m. Alfred Bender

Mandy

Rhoda

Leona m. Marlin Blank

Darlene m. Uria Swarey

Ephraim

Katie Ann

Emma m. Henry (deceased) Bontrager

Hank the Cat

Darlene m. Uria Swarey

Savannah

Rebekah

Marietta m. Roman Hertzler

Clara

Gertrude m. Elvin King

Wayne

Feenie m. Jeptha Lantz

Arlan

Christian

Saloma m. Floyd Petersheim

Jerry

Biena

CHAPTER 1

Oh no!"

Clara Hertzler dropped another ripe red strawberry into her basket as she looked toward Emma Bontrager’s house. The Beiler sisters were standing by the water spigot near the back porch, staring at it. Clara wiped her hands down her black apron, lifted her full basket, and headed their way.

The hot early June sun beat down on her neck as she caught up to Rosalyn and Ellen.

Try it again, Ellen said as she pointed to the faucet.

I did try it, Rosalyn snapped. It doesn’t work.

Is the faucet broken? Clara asked as she set the basket on the edge of the porch.

"Ya, I think so. What are we going to do now? How are we going to water our crops?" Rosalyn gestured toward the half-acre garden their area youth tended so they could raise money for charity in memory of Emma’s late husband, Henry.

We’ll carry the water cans into the kitchen and fill them there, Clara said. We’ll just have to make do until we can get a plumber here.

Why do we need a plumber? Ephraim Blank asked as he approached with his girlfriend, Mandy Bender, in tow.

The spigot stopped working. Ellen pointed to it.

When did that happen? Ephraim bent down and began to examine it.

Just a few minutes ago, Rosalyn said. I was going to fill my can and start watering the lettuce beds.

Have you ever fixed a spigot? Mandy asked Ephraim. A smile tugged at her lips.

No. Ephraim shook his head as he fiddled with the handle. But it can’t be too difficult, can it?

"Ya, it can be. Mandy crossed her arms over her black apron. You don’t want to make it worse and then cause a big plumbing mess for Emma, do you? Remember, this is Emma’s haus, not yours."

Clara held back a snort as Ephraim glared at his girlfriend.

I’m going to go wash these strawberries and get them ready to sell at the stand. Clara glanced at Mandy. "You might want to ask Wayne if he knows a plumber. His dat seems to have a lot of contacts in the community."

"That’s a gut idea. Mandy tapped Ephraim’s shoulder. Why don’t we find a professional?"

Ephraim heaved a loud sigh. "You have very little faith in me, mei liewe."

I do have faith in you, but I think we should find the right person to fix the spigot. Mandy grinned, her face lighting up.

Clara smiled as she carried the basket up the porch steps. She could see how Ephraim couldn’t resist Mandy, with her gorgeous hair the color of sunshine and her beautiful eyes a striking blue. She wasn’t exactly jealous of Mandy and Ephraim’s relationship, but she often wondered if she’d ever find someone who would love her the way Ephraim obviously loved Mandy.

It seemed as if love was in the air. Her close friend Katie Ann, Ephraim’s younger sister, had met and fallen in love with Chris Lantz in the spring.

Pretty soon I’ll be the only maedel in my baptism class who isn’t engaged or married.

Clara stepped into the kitchen and made her way to the sink. God would reveal his plan for her soon enough. In the meantime, she would enjoy these days of fun and friendship.

"Look at those schee strawberries! Emma clapped her hands as she appeared beside Clara. Her warm brown eyes sparkled as she picked up a bright-red strawberry and examined it. Although she was in her late sixties, Clara and Katie Ann frequently marveled that Emma looked much younger with her youthful face and the dark hair that revealed only a hint of gray. We’ve been blessed with such a wunderbaar crop this summer."

I know. Clara nodded as she began to wash the strawberries. I don’t think we’ll have any trouble selling these at the roadside stand. After subtracting our expenses, we’ve already raised more than six hundred dollars to give to the Bird-in-Hand Shelter. I’m so thankful the garden has been such a success.

I am too. Emma pulled out the drainboard. "Let me help you. We can put these in the plastic containers and then take some