Since Valentine’s Day is coming up this month, let’s start off with a giveaway! I have an Amish cookbook, The Esh Family Cookbook, that I picked up in Pennsylvania and a signed copy of my latest collection, An Amish Year, which contains the story of how Jonas and Irma Rose fell in love.
Leave a comment here on this blog post with your idea of a romantic date—that involves a horse. The winner will be selected randomly from these comments. Good luck!
Mandy Bentley
I would love to go on a real sleigh ride with my sweet husband. A gorgeous horse leading the way with tinkling bells attached to it’s harness. We would, of course, be covered with beautiful, cozy lap robes, and our “snuggle factor” would be at 100%!
January 20, 2016 at 6:50 am
Linda
I think a romantic horse & buggy ride in the snow snuggled with your honey counting stars and a full moon and talking about your future is about as romantic as you can get!!!
February 1, 2016 at 10:29 pm
Eileen Tarpy
My idea of a romantic date would be on a horse drawn sleigh!
February 1, 2016 at 10:29 pm
Rhonda Palmer
My idea of a great Valentine’s date would be a carriage ride through the countryside with my husband. If it was chilly he could keep me warm.
February 1, 2016 at 10:49 pm
Elsie
I enjoy reading your Amish books very much.I am very intrigued by the Amish. I read a lot of Amish fiction. If I remember correctly you live in Houston Texas and I am a native Houstonian. I have never gotten to go to any Amish areas in the United Sates. Thanks for taking me there in your books. A romantic date on a horse would be riding horses by the moon light a long the beach. I would bring a picnic basket filled with Valentine goodies including chocolate candy.
February 1, 2016 at 11:01 pm
michelle Conti
Sitting on the porch of DerDutchman watching the horse and buggies go by 🙂
Thanks for a chance to win.
February 1, 2016 at 11:20 pm
Rachel Lepree
A sleigh ride in the snow.
February 1, 2016 at 11:23 pm
Tima Murrell
A sleigh ride or a ride in a carriage through the city at night would be lovely.
February 1, 2016 at 11:26 pm
Julia Thoel
A horse drawn sleigh in the snow to look at Christmas decorations.
February 1, 2016 at 11:35 pm
Mary Ellen Ashenfelder
A nice dinner followed by a horse drawn carriage or buggy ride.
February 1, 2016 at 11:36 pm
Patty wright
By a lake with fried chicken and a blanket. Horse drained carriage.
February 1, 2016 at 11:42 pm
Jonna Marsh
A ride to an Amish restaurant in an Amish horse and buggy.
February 2, 2016 at 12:06 am
Leslie Klatt
Trail riding thru the Adirondack Mountains and stopping for a picnic lunch in a scenic spot near a waterfall.
February 2, 2016 at 12:06 am
Leslie Klatt
Trail ride thru the Adirondack Mountains . Stop for a picnic lunch by a scenic waterfall. Make a quick stop by the local dump to watch the bears. lol (might be a true story)
February 2, 2016 at 12:09 am
Salli Lemmen
Going on a horse ride in a sleigh up in Northern Michigan
February 2, 2016 at 12:23 am
Roberta
Riding on a horse with my hubby as we watch the sun rise.
February 2, 2016 at 12:38 am
Marlene
Riding in a horse drawn carriage through the meadow in the fall looking at the beautiful leaves and then stopping for a picnic beside a stream.
February 2, 2016 at 12:41 am
xxxxxx Velma
Holding hands while riding around the cattle to check on them.
February 2, 2016 at 12:49 am
shara
Riding horses which turns into a racing challenge into a field of wildflowers and ends in a picnic in the wilds of Browning, Montana.
February 2, 2016 at 12:52 am
LeAnne Fifield
Watching the sun rise over the ocean while riding on the beach. No day would be more perfect!
February 2, 2016 at 1:00 am
Teresa
Love your books! Thank you for a chance to win!
February 2, 2016 at 1:10 am
Karen C
A sleigh ride through the snow at the Greenbrier with my hubby. An added bonus would be the aurora glowing overhead on a starlit night.
February 2, 2016 at 1:10 am
Kathy
A wonderful buggy ride at night. Pack a picnic supper and have a meal under the stars.
February 2, 2016 at 1:22 am
Jennifer M.
My hubby and I go out to the barn together to do the chores. Might not be a typical romance but doing the chores together is love to me. The horses love it too and are always sure to give us wet kisses when we give them an apple.
February 2, 2016 at 1:22 am
Katie Lind
How about a horse drawn carriage ride
February 2, 2016 at 1:40 am
Lee Ann Dalrymple
Sitting in front porch swing watching sunset.
February 2, 2016 at 1:40 am
Elsie
A moonlight ride on a beach. Inside the saddle bags I would bring Valentine goodies including chocolate candy.
February 2, 2016 at 1:42 am
Karen Hadley
A morning ride with a beautiful landscape and a gorgeous sunset.
February 2, 2016 at 1:44 am
Kim Fairchild
Riding in a buggy onThe way to a high hill to watch the moon rise with a small picnic basket with homemade treats.
February 2, 2016 at 1:55 am
Justina Baisley Wilson
I have always wanted to go to a deserted beach and ride horseback as the sun is going down in the distance, then we would have a picnic on the beach of wine and cheese…..
February 2, 2016 at 2:08 am
Susan Blair
Seen I’ve never rode in one, arise in an open buggy being pulled by a Percheron. We would ride the back roads in the country on the way to a quiet lake with massive oak trees. Then my husband would spread a quilt for us and I would get out the mouth watering fried chicken and potato salad. Saving the blackberry cobbler for desert. After feasting we would get the fishing poles out and fish till the sun set. Topping it off with watching a beautiful sun set.
February 2, 2016 at 2:09 am
Sandi A.
I have always loved horses and would love to go riding with my “guy” on the beach on a moonlit night.
February 2, 2016 at 2:15 am
Suzanne Sellner
Since my favorite fellow loves the beach, I’d say a horse ride along a beach perhaps followed by a picnic or a bonfire on the beach would be a romantic date.
February 2, 2016 at 2:30 am
Tina H.
Riding double with my husband on a beautiful palomino horse, with a picnic lunch packed in the saddlebags. Galloping with the wind in our hair, to the top of our mountain & eating lunch on a quilt spread out in the sun.
February 2, 2016 at 2:32 am
heather
Going for a horse ride on a beach during sun set with a nice dinner for two at the end on the beach .
February 2, 2016 at 2:35 am
Sonja
I remember being in Poland and we were given a horse carriage drive and taken to a lake for a picnic. That was beautiful watching the sun start to set, the beautiful colors on the water and the beautiful team of horses. I will never forget that wonderful day!
February 2, 2016 at 2:41 am
Karen M. Hoth
A romantic date would be riding through the country in a horse and buggy. After a lengthy ride and oh how great it was, we would stop by the covered bridge and walk around the park area and sit on a bench watching the birds and animals. Our romantic date would end at the Bed and Breakfast with a wonderful candle lit dinner of our favorite Amish foods followed by a wonderful dessert.
February 2, 2016 at 2:51 am
Judy Tulloch
Living in Chicago, then a suburb of, I never was on a horse. I’m too old to do so now. I always thought it would be romantic to go on a slow sleigh ride in the country on a clear winter night with stars filling up the sky. Throw in a thermos of hot chocolate would Be a nice addition.
February 2, 2016 at 3:46 am
Melanie Backus
Climbing aboard a horse drawn wagon and taking a ride around our ranch only to end up by our lake with a picnic set up by my husband sounds pretty romantic to me.
February 2, 2016 at 3:49 am
Sherry lewis
My romantic date would be my boyfriend proposing on a nice ride on the beach,on a beautiful white horse,,,after rescuing me from a runaway horse,,,,
February 2, 2016 at 3:51 am
Jona blake
Take a buggy ride while the sun is going down on a nice fall day go to a open field and have a picnic when it gets dark lay on the blanket and look up at the stars and talk
February 2, 2016 at 3:59 am
Margaret
What are the rules for this date? Can I write a whole like chapter? Of course, you can edit it to fit in. And even if you don’t use it in this book, it might come in handy in another…
February 2, 2016 at 4:22 am
Joy Hoskins
Horse drawn carriage ride with my husband on a mild winter evening,with Big Fluufy snowflakes falling,out in the countryside
February 2, 2016 at 6:27 am
Marianne Drane
Riding on a horse with your love on a fall day to a field to have a picnic and watch the sun set and hearing the clip clop of a horse and buggy in a distance.
February 2, 2016 at 7:21 am
Marianne Drane
riding on a horse with your love to have a picnic in a field to watch the sun set and hearing the clip clop of a horse and buggy in a distance.
February 2, 2016 at 7:26 am
Rose Marie Kamenitz
My idea of a very romantic horse ride, is going to Lancaster, Pa, w/ my hubby & riding in a horse drawn buggy, down the road at sunset. I am handicapped now, so I cannot get into a buggy, but I can dream, can’t I? I owned a home 1 mile from the Creamery, but had to sell it as I had trouble getting up the path. I knew it was time to sell. I have MS…….
February 2, 2016 at 8:51 am
marta
Be with the family in the barn and see baby horse born, new life
February 2, 2016 at 10:47 am
Rosemary Trezza
First, an Amish buggy ride (my dream one day), then dinner with my hubby (I would make his favorite meal), he would give me 2-3 red roses, then after dinner, we would sit together talking about our life together…we have been married 50 yrs
February 2, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Linda D. McFarland
Horseback riding on a sunny beach sounds perfect to me. Thanks for the opportunity to win!3
February 2, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Melody Kennedy
A sleigh ride on a snowy night.
February 2, 2016 at 1:35 pm
Sarah hillman
A sunset ride with my husband
February 2, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Karen Vandyken
I would love a horse drawn carriage ride through the streets of Victoria, British Columbia!!
February 2, 2016 at 2:43 pm
wilma
any thing my hubby picks out good for me even just a dinner at our steak place…he had a stoke last christmas so I cherish everyday with him and still after 35 years he can still make laugh
February 2, 2016 at 3:13 pm
Rose Blackard
Horseback riding on the beach at sunset. Then sitting by the beach while the horses rest.
February 2, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Marilyn Ciesielski
I have always wanted to go on a horse drawn Sleigh ride, but living in northern Illinois the winter can be unpredictable, sometimes we have a lot of snow other times ( like this year ) no snow. One year we did go to Galena IL but even tho we had snow they had none, so at the age of 76 I’m still waiting for the time when I will get my sleigh ride. Thanks for the opportunity to win that nice book.
February 2, 2016 at 5:42 pm
Ina Brown
After a picnic by a quit stream they lay on their backs in the warm sunshine. He asks her to go riding in his horse and buggy. She excepts the invite and as they ride together he reaches over and touches the back of her hand which makes her heart race. She knew that this would be her forever Love.
February 2, 2016 at 5:48 pm
Loretta Shumpert
I really, really, really want to go to Corolla, NC where the wild horses roam the beach. That is on my bucket list!
February 2, 2016 at 6:58 pm
Ronda a Ferry
A nice snowy evening and horse drawn sleigh ride with my husband and hot chocolate to drink and a quilt to snuggle in.
February 2, 2016 at 7:14 pm
Tina Harris
A romantic date that involves a horse would be: Taking me for a ride during the Fall weather, seeing the beautiful leaves and all the colors it brings. Coming to a patch of field with a blanket all layed out, having a picnic with my love. Then afterwards, taking the blanket and cuddling on the way home would be a wonderful date.
February 2, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Lanore Lewis
I would love to take a ride in a horse drawn carriage with the love of my life, we will be married for 39 yrs this Jun
e.
February 2, 2016 at 8:22 pm
Leslie Moore
thank you
February 2, 2016 at 8:25 pm
marion
A carriage ride in the Autumn with all the trees and highways in full Fall colors.
Marion
February 2, 2016 at 9:47 pm
Joan
I would love a sleigh ride with a plaid blanket covering my lap, nice and cozy.
Joan
February 2, 2016 at 9:50 pm
Marilyn
A carriage ride through Central Park,before they are banned!
Marilyn
February 2, 2016 at 9:51 pm
Laura
Sitting snuggled on the couch in front of a fire, watching funny horse videos on YouTube. 😀
February 3, 2016 at 2:10 pm
Patriica Bond
I ideal romantic date would be a sleigh ride under the stars with the moon shining on the snow covered ground. Being bundled up under layers of blankets and maybe stop for some hot chocolate along the way
February 3, 2016 at 4:21 pm
Marilyn Moore
Of what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh!
February 3, 2016 at 6:18 pm
Linda
I love your books! I hope I win this one! :0)
February 3, 2016 at 10:58 pm
Jackie Tessnair
Riding in a covered buggy with the one I love to watch the sunset.And then turning the horse around to go eat dinner by candlelight.
February 4, 2016 at 6:18 am
Elise williams
A ride on a full moon winter night !!!!!
February 4, 2016 at 6:42 pm
Marla W
To go horseback riding through wooden trails or to take a horse drawn carriage for a ride either would make for a wonderful date
February 6, 2016 at 12:09 am
Marla W
To go horseback riding or riding in a horse drawn carriage through wooden trails to a lake
February 6, 2016 at 12:11 am
Pam Nicolay
Taking a ride in a Amish buggy with my hubby on a quiet country road.
February 7, 2016 at 9:08 pm
Robin in NC
A horse drawn carriage ride through the countryside!
February 8, 2016 at 2:26 am