Monday: Today's plan.....Amish Country!! Oh I have been so excited about going to Amish Country since we started talking about a Pennsylvania camping trip. I kept telling Tim and my friends that I might not come home. I mean really.....what is there not to love about a simple live focused on faith, family and friends. We live such lives of excess and I really love exploring the lives of the Amish.
We saw Amish Country two different ways today. This morning we went on a real Amish buggy ride and went to a working dairy farm. It was most interesting to see and hear how they live and do business. I was surprised to see that many of the Amish have embraced solar power. I saw solar panels on quite a few of the houses. Our guide explained that they use power for business - in this case the equipment for the dairy farm and to take care of the cattle - and they power a freezer and washing machine inside the house. That's it! Our buggy was a pretty big buggy and we enjoyed talking with people on it. Turns out some of the ladies with us (and they had their granddaughters with them) were from NC, just about 30 minutes from us!! And they were scrapbookers so I had to make sure they got pictures of the entire group for their layouts later. =) So we went a few miles in the buggy then got to see and hear about the dairy farm. After the tour, it was time for cookies (made by the farm owners) and lemonade. The boys loved cookie time. Then we headed back on the buggy and did a little shopping. My favorite thing to see in Amish Country is the clotheslines. I just love the pulley clotheslines and seeing their clothes out to dry. I grew up without a washing machine for a long time so I'm well familiar with clotheslines. (And didn't have AC until I was 21 so very well versed in the Amish life of no a/c and wood stoves!) There's just a beautiful simplicity about it that appeals to me.
Busted....the powder lips give it away. Donuts for breakfast!
This picture cracks me up. Tim and Eli's faces pretty much sum up a large portion of our life. Silly boy!
Buster and Baxter
Ready to ride
Family selfie!
Just beautiful farmland
This was a pretty cool tractor on the property.
Inside the working barn
Cole stayed very close to Grandma for protection from the cows and their "moo-ing"
Hello baby girl.
The cows are kept inside during the day with fans on them so it's somewhat cooler but then as it gets cooler outside, they are free to graze.
This sweet baby was born the day before we got there
and this one two days before!
My new chestnut colored friend. She gave me lots of loving.
I was amazed at this hybrid bike scooters.
The clothesline
Back to our buggy
There are different types of transportation - open air that we were in is called a buggy, closed like this one is a wagon.
The kids use the hybrid bike/scooters and I was surprised at how many don't wear shoes riding them.
The roads have a wider lane / side lane for all the horse drawn vehicles.
The boys with our buggy driver and guide, John. He was so nice. I wish I would have asked about school / education. I think that children only go to school until about 8th grade. I'd be interested to hear more about that.
As we were driving, I saw this quilt outside a quilt shop and asked Tim to stop for me to take a picture. It was so pretty and I know Grandma N will love it.
Our second way of seeing Amish country was a steam train ride in Strasburg! It was so cool to see more of the countryside and enjoy the beauty.
Ready for a steam train ride.
I am so blessed with this incredible family.
My man. =)
Just goofy.
There were different train car choices. I can't understand why anyone would want to ride anything but open air on a nice day like today. The boys loved looking and pointing.
This is the house I picked to move into. Tim just doesn't know it yet!
Start of a corn maze for later in the year.
We went "out" on the track and the engine had to move to the other end for us to go "back".
I just love love love this picture. It says so much to me about brothers, the fun, their bond and love. I hope these two are best friends their entire lives.
The conductor paid us a visit. =)
I wanted to take a picture of Grandma & Grandpa but the boys kept putting rabbit ears on them.
We realized why all the fields are free of weeds - manual labor!
Choo-Choo!!
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