Amish Girl / Horse Whisperer

Horse whisperer, is a title we give to people who have an amazing ability to communicate with horses. My friend, Annie, has this gift.

 Amish children grow up around horses and seem to understand how to work with them from an early age. Some just deal with it because that is part of the life they were born into... others thrive in the Amish world because they have a special bond with horses. Obviously, Annie is one of those.

I can still remember how excited Annie was, two years ago when this little filly was born, and she named her Angel. Yes, that's right, this horse is only a two year old! Angel has turned out to fit her name perfectly.

Annie tells me that Angel is just really smart. I have another theory, which I share throughout the Amish Horses Book Series: Horses thrive when they feel loved and understood by their handler.

In the photo below, Annie takes her first cart ride with Angel.

Angel is not only smart but she is growing up to be quite a beautiful horse.

I especially like this photo below. It was taken last summer when Angel was only a yearling. Annie wanted her young horse to be part of the fun, but Angel was too young to be ridden. They let her run along with the other horses while going over some jumps.

No wonder this horse is thriving!!!

Annie read my first book, Under the Heavens, and really enjoyed it. I used a photo of her going over a jump, with her older horse Copper, for a drawing that appears in my second book, Catbird Singing. The picture is at the beginning of a chapter named Dog and Pony; all about a young girl much like Annie. A horse whisperer.

There is a drawing of Annie and her boyfriend in Amish Horses Book III, English River.  I'm not gonna share that photo, yet. Book III will be out this summer and you can look for the picture yourself.

By the way, some of you will say, "I thought Amish don't want to be in photos." That is true with many Amish. Some Amish do have cameras and take their own pictures. I asked for permission to use these photos. My rule for myself is to not take any photo of an Amish person without asking permission, unless it does not show their face, or is from a distance. Most Amish don't mind photos taken of children who have not yet, "Joined Church."

Big Day at the Sale

 Amish horses came trotting into town early on the morning of the big Draft Horse Sale in Kalona. Spring field work is underway, and this sale is a good place to pick up some extra horse-power to help finish the job.

 Nice looking horses were slicked up, dressed in harness, matched with a compatible teammate, and made ready for their new homes.


A horse is a living, breathing, tractor with a big heart and bright eyes. They nicker when you walk into the barn, work for hours in sweltering heat, and nudge you with a soft mussel as you brush them in the evening.




Yes, there are some horse wrecks, but there are mechanical accidents as well. I've heard stories of a good horse sensing a problem and saving their handler's life. I've never heard of a tractor doing that!



This sale is a great place to pick up a new plow. (a very, very old one, but new to the person buying it) If you farm with horses, you may be looking for new or used harness. That's here too!

All you have to do is lift a hand and waive one more time than the next guy, and you earn the right to take home a horse that weighs around a ton.

Spring Ride

 On my way home from Kalona the other day, I came up behind this Amish daddy, little boy, and little girl, out for a spring ride.

I always enjoy it when I have to slow down to "buggy speed" as a horse crests a hill. Not being able to pass, all I could do was enjoy watching this peaceful moment. This little "Sunday School" house was on my left, so I snapped a pic of that as well.

When I passed this family they all smiled and waived at me.

 Just beyond that hill, I came upon this lovely scene. Amish farms and an Amish school-house. (My horses, Coke and Karm, were born on the farm right above the school.) As I drew near the school I took this next photo of all the horses and ponies tied outside, waiting for their small owners to finish classes and take a peaceful spring drive back home.

 A few minutes later, I was pulling into my own drive, Karm and Coke were grazing out front.

The trees near our house are decked out in their spring bloom.

Sunday Morning Drive

        Last Sunday morning we drove to Kalona to meet up with my parents, sister and family at the Kalona Family Restaurant for breakfast. It's so peaceful on Sunday mornings in our area. The roads are almost empty except for Amish buggies heading to Church.

        This intersection was especially busy! There are 10 Amish districts in the Kalona area, which means that Amish families are gathering at 10 seperate farms for Sunday morning church services. The districts have something to do with area because it's pretty far to take a horse more than 10 miles. 

        Amish families will visit a neighboring district if they choose to. Sometimes they visit another service because of something special going on, such as a relative being baptized.

         After we finished breakfast we drove past this farm. As you can see, buggies were parked everywhere. The horses are all tied in a barn. One of my favorite moments in life, was when I stepped into a barn full (and I mean full) of buggy horses at my first Amish church service. For a person that loves horses, it was an unforgettable sight!

Hidden Treasure

What benefits could you reap by reading an Amish novel? You might be surprised. The Amish Horses Series reveals treasures, hidden on an Amish farm. 

Our modern lifestyle has most of us reeling as we juggle our obligations in a life crowded out by the noise of social media. We feel pressure to continually check in with our email, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.

Take a few minutes and step into a slow-paced, tranquil world. You'll feel yourself relax as you drink in the sights and sounds of of a farm-orientated culture.

Slip into the pages of the Amish Horses Series and you will learn something about how life ought to be cherished. Take instructions from an Amish grandpa as he teaches his grandson time proven wisdom on handling horses. 

While you enjoy the read, you'll learn something about farming with horses. Tag along with Lenny as he finds out what it's like to live in an Amish community, visiting church, Singings, Amish weddings and other youth gatherings.

Sit on the seat beside Lenny as he learns how to observe nature while driving horse-drawn equipment along the edge of a woods. Sunsets speak to his heart, drawing him into an understanding of himself, and of God.

Our Amish neighbors chose to abstain from all the modern conveniences we thought would make life better. The joke was on us. It turns out that life's most precious gifts are those sweet moments of natural beauty, close companionship, fresh farm air, and time. Time that can be enjoyed because of the choice to live a slower-paced lifestyle.

The Amish Horses Series takes you into the world of Lenny's Amish relatives. Step inside the barn with him and let his Amish family refresh you with their patient and kind ways. Discover the "Hidden Treasure" of a life well lived.




To order a paperback or eBook, click on this Amazon link: Amish Horses Series
Or, for an author signed paperback,
send a check or money order to: Amish Horses  P.O. Box 495  Kalona, Iowa  52247

Under the Heavens:      $18
Catbird Singing:           $18
Whispering to Horses:  $8

 This offer includes shipping and handling within the U.S.A

Tiny Footprints

As I drove home from Kalona the other day, I saw this young Amish girl pulling a wagon. She was not far from a dry-goods store and was probably sent on an errand to pick up a few things for mom.

 New buzzwords are always popping up. Nowadays, it's "Becoming a Minimalist" a few years ago it was "Going Green." We talk about having a "Carbon Footprint" and admire those that have "Tiny Carbon Footprints." None of these things are new to our Amish friends.

 Raising most of what you eat in a garden near the house, hanging handmade clothes on the line, driving a completely organic powered vehicle, and not ever turning on an electric light. Now that is being a minimalist! The picture below shows two teams of horses hauling manure in a wide open field. Those horses raise their own fuel and produce no emissions that need to be controlled by the government. That is what organic farming should look like.

 These children in the picture below don't have to plug in their toys. 

We should do everything we can to encourage and empower our Amish neighbors and friends to continue living their very "green" lifestyle. I suggest purchasing Amish made products and visiting Amish communities to buy produce. While you are there, look around and learn something about how your own grandpa and grandma lived life as a child.

Sunday Drive / Amish Farmlands

         I remember, when I was a boy in the early 1960s, Sunday afternoons were so quiet and peaceful. Almost everyone in our little town of Midland, Michigan were church going people.

         Nowadays, we have shaken ourselves free of "rules" about not working on Sundays, but I feel the pendulum swung a little too far.

         Our Amish neighbors teach us something about what we used to have... and were SO happy to leave behind. Life was "going to be" so much better when we didn't have to hang laundry out on a clothesline day after day. When we got bigger tractors, faster vehicles, electric kitchen devices, (ie: can openers, toasters, coffee makers, and finally microwave ovens) and a whole plethora of modern conveniences.

          Okay, I'll admit we have a cushy lifestyle in 2016. However, have we taken the freedom to do a load of laundry (in our set of electric machines) and let it become a burden of seven equally non-restful days.
          I've never stopped in at any of my Amish neighbors and found them too busy to talk. In fact, I'm the one that has only a few minutes. I even hesitate to stop my Amish friends homes for fear that I won't be able to "get away" soon enough. Whole families gather around and listen to what their dad and an older neighbor man are talking about.

          TV, movies, video games, music devices, cell-phones, computers, and what all else has crept in and crowded out our lives from simple pleasure and natural beauty. I wonder how many "English" homes I could stop in and have the entire family gather around to listen to me and their dad talk... all with smiles on their faces. Good luck getting the earbuds out of their ears.

         My wife and I stopped in the "Mall" last Sunday. Almost every person seemed glued to their hand-held communication device. Storefronts advertise with huge photos of scantily dressed women. The place was filled with the hustle/bustle of buying and selling.

         Then, we took an evening drive though Amish country and reveled in the tranquility. I stopped at a stop sign behind these middle-school-aged Amish children. I know they didn't hear my truck. He was feeding his sister a piece of apple or something while she drove the horse. They turned around in surprise when they realized someone was behind them.

I invite you to take a drive though Amish farmlands on a Sunday afternoon,

and see for yourself what we left behind.

My novels are all about these contrasts, and lessons learned by observing Amish neighbors.

Amish Bookends

 Sunrise and Sundown are bookends to everyday life on an Amish farm.

Waking up to the sound of a rooster crowing and birds singing, is a beautiful and refreshing way to start your day. Head out and cows bawl for you to feed them.

Each evening, chore time closes the day as the sun goes down. Heading into a farmhouse knowing that your livestock is fed and bedded down is a relaxing feeling.

 Every morning The Lord paints a new mural on His massive canvas 

 Every evening God's watercolors lightly touch the clouds

The Moon hangs over this Amish farm as chores are being done

Even stormy weather has a certain beauty in Amish country

Many chapters, in my novels, begin with a descriptive sunrise on an Amish farm.

And chapters often end with a moonlit scene.

Thomas Nye on Amazon

Amish Friends

        Four families are represented in this photo, some were Amish and the rest Mennonite. Our four families were close friends back in those days but times change and we don't see each other as often. These Children are all grown-ups now, (one of the young men has gone home to be with the Lord.) All of our families grew after this photo, and one of them ended up with twelve children.

        The littlest of them is my cover model for Catbird Singing. Yes, believe it or not, that little blondie in the middle with her yellow dress hiked up, is the same girl pictured below between my team of draft horses. She is 25 now!

We always had a great time together and yes, their parents approved us taking a photo. I'm hoping they will get a chance to see this blog, because I know they will really enjoy this picture.

One of these families left the Amish and I see their daughter (the second smallest blond girl) working at a grocery store on my mail route. I like to remind her that she was a little Amish girl when I first knew her.

The family that stayed Amish, moved to Ohio and we don't see them much anymore.

I don't tell any of our Amish friends personal stories in my books. The experiences we had in their homes are the foundation of what I write.

We have found that our Amish neighbors build their lives around faith, family, and friends.

Catbird Singing on Amazon

Attention Horse People

 If you wake up thinking about horses. focus all day on a horse issue you need to fix. (i.e. getting hay, wormer, equipment, or thinking of your training methods.) And fall asleep dreaming about horses. Then, you have a whole lot in common with me!

I love to read about horses and people who work with them. That is why I wrote several adventure novels about horses.

 Under the Heavens is about a teenage city guy who goes to spend a summer on his Amish relatives farm. Lenny is planning to stay away from horses. Little does he know, that is impossible on an Amish farm. From sunup to sundown his summer is filled with horse adventures

Grandpa is a horse whisperer and determined to teach his grandson horse-sense.

Catbird Singing is about Lenny's second trip to this Amish Horses wonderland. On this visit he finds out that if he wants to date girls, he will have to hitch up and drive high strung buggy horses on the highway.

The girls are a little too cute to resist and he has to find a way to get along with some ornery horses.

 Horses are a way of life on an Amish farm.

These books are based on my 35 years of living in an Amish community. When I bought draft horses from local Amish farmers, they didn't just sell me horses. My Amish friends seem to enjoy watching a city boy struggle to do what is second nature to them.

They don't just laugh though. They make every effort to help me succeed. That is the basis of my books.

If you love horses, you have to own one of these books.

Under the Heavens:if you love to read about life on the good-old-fashioned farm. Plowing, making hay, and then going to a young folk's gathering in a buggy.

Catbird Singing: if it sounds fun to read about a young man's funny adventures courting Amish girls while hanging onto a set of driving lines.

Either book can be read first even though they are part of the Amish Horses Series. If you love the first one, go ahead and get the other.  Book III is on the way!

P.S. Whispering to Horses is a short story about a man who hates his Amish neighbors... until he actually gets to know them. Horses are the heart of this story as well.

Click on one of the links and read a few reviews!