Weekly Blogroll: Bird Symposium, Amish Mush, Presidential Visit, Amish Red Beet Eggs, and Amish Church Soup

By Kevin Williams

We have some neat posts today!

Amish barn in the snow in Adams County, Ohio

AMISH BIRDING SYMPOSIUM:  Each March Adams County, Ohio hosts an annual "birding symposium" where birding enthusiasts gather to spend a day learning about the latest in the world of winged wonders.  It's one of the few events that combine my wife's love of birding with my passion for anything Amish.  So needless to say, we enjoy the event.  That said, we haven't been the past two years because I just don't Aster would have enjoyed sitting still listening to speakers pontificate about birds.  Cheryl Harner was one of the speakers at this year's event and she posted some sights and sounds from the symposium! Maybe next year!

AMISH MUSH:  This is an interesting blog by a woman who grew up Amish and is sharing some of her experiences on her blog.   I like her blog because she seems very genuine. Some of these "I-was-once-Amish-but-now-I'm-not" just seem very thin on purpose, where this one just seems genuine.  Genuine doesn't mean the most flashy or exciting but what you'll learn on this blog is authentic.  Anyway, if you like homemade mush, click here for an amazing-sounding recipe.  The mushroom sauce (if, like me, you like mushrooms) alone is worth clicking over for:) Click here for the mush and mushroom sauce recipes!

PRESIDENTIAL PREACHING:   Okay, former President Carter is 90 years old and I think one  - regardless of their political stripe - can speak admirably of him.   And the fact the he still leads a Sunday School class several times a month at the tiny church in the town where he was born and raised (Plains, Georgia) is just so moving, in my opinion.  I think attending one of his classes would be spiritually enriching and thought-provoking.  Bruce Stambaugh, a blogger who often shares his perspectives fro Ohio's Amish country, recently had just such an opportunity.  So if you, like me, will probably never make it down to Plains, you can live vicariously through his great post and pictures about his experience.  Click here for a great post!

RED BEET EGGS:  There's not a lot to say here. You either love these or you hate them.  Put me in the "love them" category (well, I'm weird about the red juice spilling over into my other food and leaving a red puddle on my plate, I'm not crazy about that).  This blog post has some great recipes/formulations for the red beet eggs and some gorgeous photos.  Red beet eggs are a staple of many Amish church suppers.  Click here to read.

AMISH CHURCH SOUP: Sarah Nussbaum at the Lehman's Hardware site in Kidron, Ohio has a fascinating post this week about a soup recipe she's come across in Amish country and also suggests it as a great Lenten meal for those going meatless. The soup is vegetarian (meat is overrated, in my opinion) and sounds full of flavor.  Her post says that some Amish call this "baby soup" because it is served to babies after the long church services.  While I have not heard of this particular recipe, it is not uncommon for a big pot of soup to be made just for the babies in attendance to eat either during or after the services.  A bunch of babies eating lentils may not be a great idea!:), but this sound sounds great! Click here to read.
http://countrylife.lehmans.com/amish-church-soup-makes-a-simple-lenten-supper/