AMISH COUNTRY

the amish use no electricity in their homes

so on wash day amish hang all their clothes out on the line.

it is a beautiful site the laundry hung from the house to a pole far out in the yard.

clothes grouped together

adult clothing, followed by the children biggest to smallest.

a world of intent and organization.

i could of pulled over beside every amish farm house and gazed at their laundry.

for some reason i find amish clothes line very soothing.

a visual slow down statement !

the amish use a pulley system to hang their laundry. 

i took these pictures to show my husband in hopes of being able to install this line in my yard.

{ won't the HOA love this }

another past time is fishing 

[ i couldn't take any pictures of the amish close up.

i love this culture and to photograph their faces would be disrespectful ]

the little boy sitting on the cooler caught the fish and was thrilled to show us his cat fish.

i can see his big eyes full of excitement and that smile on his face....joy!

at the fair. this women was on her way [ quickly i might add ] to collect her small child after the greased pig contest.

here in lancaster they grease the kids arms and not the pig ;)

watching the grease pig contest.

an amish buggy

amish buggies are small to get into..

[ or i am just getting too big ;( ]

oh joy i fit. getting in is harder than i thought. they are very small inside and are on metal springs that move A LOT. having not ever gotten in a buggy i was a little weary of them.

but what fun i had being inside. 

an amish buggy is made locally, only about 12 builders in the county. 

cost about 7000-7500 dollars. 

horse cost 3000-4000 dollars.

this buggy i am sitting in is about 20 years old.

the horses generally do not out survive the buggy.

i was amazed by what the amish can pack into one of these buggies.

jake the owner of this buggy said 900 pounds was the limit for a buggy horse to pull and only a short distance. 

cover bridges also call out to me.

days of old, slowness, calmness

and absolutely beautiful.

only one car at a time can pass through these old bridges.

would of loved to have heard a buggy on the bridge...

iron wheels turning and horses hoofs clip clopping.

lancaster for me is better than any therapist i could visit. 

it is watching real people in their world 

i feel my shoulders dropping

the lines on my forehead smoothing out

and i am exhaling..

thank you lancaster [ helen, glen, alice, alica,  jake, lydia,

orphra, dave, and anyone else i missed]  for a wonderful time.

hope to return soon.