From Somewhere in Time to Back in Time

Southbound and down - heading towards Pennsylvania staying away from NYC as much as possible.  Pretty easy trip landing us in Lancaster - heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country.   I have always been curious about the Amish and boy, have we had an education.

First time we say a horse and buggy was in the Wal Mart parking lot - very strange but of course not for the people around here!   We are staying at Old Mill Stream RV Park which is right off the Lincoln Highway.   When a major divided highway suddenly turns into a 4 lane road (Lincoln Highway) with shopping ctrs, an amusement park (we are managing to get close to those) - well you can imagine the traffic.   but once more we let lose of the Jayco and freedome once more.   We went to an Amish Village (make up) and took a tour of a turn of the century house and heard all about the Amish.   So interesting

Here are a few facts:

The Amish ( /ˈɑːmɪʃ/ ah-mish; Pennsylvania Dutch: Amisch, German: Amische), sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of theMennonite churches. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt manyconveniences of modern technology. The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann.^[2] Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish.^[3]

Different locations practices may vary such as hat brim size, color of buggies, etc.   but this is what we learned about Penn. Dutch

One room school house operated by the community  1-8th grade only. 

Everyone learns English as well as "high" German

All prayers and church services are in German

All are farmers and usually practice another trade such as furniture makers, bakeries, quilting, etc.

No phones, no electricity and no plumbing

no curtains and nothing on walls that aren't necessary (maybe a clock)

black shades are over windows in summer to keep out heat.shmtl

They feel like their devotion is to farming, family and God

Buggies are open if a couple is courting

Guys get their first buggies and horse from their families

they live among others that they call "English" (that is the rest of us)

Don't live in communes and socialize somewhat with others outside their communities

Church service is every other sunday - always at someone's house who serves lunch to all the people

No birth control so they have lots of kids

They pay taxes but don't except SS or Medicare or any welfare program

Women wear white prayer caps when they are old enough to be baptized (16 or older) all the time because one never knows when they will be called to prayer.   They wear a black full apron over a variety of colors straight dress.   Married women wear white aprons over this.   Men do not grow mustaches and only grown beards after they are married and they are never cut.   Women do not cut their hair and wear it in a bun.

They wash on Monday and hang laundry out to dry so if you can't tell an Amish farm from another, the laundry and the lack of no elec lines to house is another.

They do allow a phone in an outbuilding if their business depends on it.

The purpose of all of this is that all of the outside influence will lead people away from the family and away from God as the center of their being.

We have met a few as some work in stores and own some business places.   We learned that most of the last names are King, Fisher, etc and most of the children are named Biblical names.   see www.800padutch/amish.shmtl

We took a road that was recommended in a book titled "The Most Scenic Drives in America".   I truly have never seen such beautiful, productive farms in my life.   The crops were plentiful and huge.   The homes were neat as can be.  I read an article about an Amish family moving to Wisconsin to buy farm land because it was getting so expensive here in Penn.   One man who is not Amish arranges loans for the Amish since they have no credit, etc.   However, he says they always pay on time.  Anyway, the Wis people were a little skeptical but the Amish family paid $400,000  down.   When you think about how much they do not buy and you can see why they would have so much money.  No TV's, iphones, computers, phones, water bill, no elec. bill, no clothes (make their own). etc.   They do use propane and have diesel engines to run some farm equipment.   Saw them plowing their hay today using horses but modern farm rakes.  They say that the Amish will of course, buy things at local stores when they can't make it themselves (there is still a blacksmith around because of the shoehorses that are needed!)   Today, we were at a hardware store with several buggies parked out front so I took a picture of the buggies and horses (you can't take pictures of people if they can be recognized - don't ask why pictures are on postcards - I guess non Amish are posing for them).   Anyway, I got fussed at by a young Amish man who told me no pictures.   I guess he was the rudest person we have run into.   We understood his concern but since there were no people, we didn't understand that.   Anyway, here are some more pictures!

And as of right now, I have caught up - now I join J as we watch a real old Jackie Chan movie!!

If I post some more Niagara pictures, forgive me as I can't seem to get rid of them.