We love the Amish countryside. It's a slower pace of life than the big cities. The Amish mostly do not use electricity or drive cars -- horse and buggy are the main mode of transportation. But they have to share the roads with the rest of us in automobiles, and I wonder at times if they worry about their safety.
We went on a tour of the Amish farmland, stopping at some of the authentic craft stores. Quilts, woodworking, candles, and food are their specialties. We loved the Amish lunch buffet (stuffing ourselves, of course!), the warm salted soft pretzels and other bakery items, the homemade root beer, canned goods, sausages, but we could pass on the shoo-fly pie. I've been amazed at the soccer-ball size cabbage and huge cauliflower and broccoli for sale at their vegetable stands. The farmlands are neat and compact, with dairies everywhere, and often clothes drying on the line. We passed by one farm that was having a wedding with lots of buggies lined up and a tent brought in just for the horses, and an addition on the barn for the guests. It's an all-day affair, with two full sit-down meals, and a break in the afternoon so the farmers can go home and milk the cows, then back for another meal. They have weddings mostly in the Fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but never on Saturdays or Sundays. Saturdays are preparation day. Sundays are for worship. Each family hosts the gathered community in their home for worship once a year, which includes several hours of worship (sitting on benches without backs) and a meal prepared by the host family.
We didn't have an invitation to an Amish worship service, so we found an Open and Affirming UCC (United Church of Christ) to attend on Sunday. The interim minister quoted from Gordon and Mary Cosby (Church of the Savior founders in Wash. DC) about his new ministry of Zacheaus Economics. Gordon is in his 80's and starting a new ministry! We were definitely drawn in!
This area also has a fair amount of history. In nearby York, we saw a reconstructed Court House in which the Continental Congress met when York became the capital of the country for several months when the British captured Philaelphia. This is where they voted to accept the Articles of Confederation, acknowledging that the colonies were the United States of America. We also went through a 1740's half timber brick Tavern that housed travelers and Congressional delegates, learning many tidbits. Do you know where the phrase "Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite" comes from? The bed was formed with rope tied around the bedposts. Every day the rope would need to be tightened. The mattress consisted of material stuffed with hay, which often had bugs in it. So, "sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite" was a very good wish. Or, did you know that when we talk about storing things in a trunk, the original trunk was just that -- a hollowed out trunk of a tree, in which clothing could be packed. Each end was then secured with leather, and could be used in traveling. Or the term "bar" came about when the tavern owner would put a bar around his liquor at night so the guests couldn't steal his beer.
We enjoyed going through the indoor Farmer's Market in both York and Lancaster -- the oldest indoor farmer's markets in our country. They had aisles and aisles of fresh fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, baked goods, canned foods, prepared items, crafts... and not nearly as expensive as our farmer's markets.
We also enjoyed going through a clock museum -- a history of how "time" was invented and recorded from our earliest ancestors until now. We found the oldest existing girls school in Lititz and the Moravian Church next to it -- the church owned the whole town in earlier days. My friend Jane Differding's uncle was headmaster there when she was a child, and her father was a Moravian minister. The Moravians influenced John Wesley, founder of Methodism, so it was fun to make that connection.
This area also has a fair amount of history. In nearby York, we saw a reconstructed Court House in which the Continental Congress met when York became the capital of the country for several months when the British captured Philaelphia. This is where they voted to accept the Articles of Confederation, acknowledging that the colonies were the United States of America. We also went through a 1740's half timber brick Tavern that housed travelers and Congressional delegates, learning many tidbits. Do you know where the phrase "Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite" comes from? The bed was formed with rope tied around the bedposts. Every day the rope would need to be tightened. The mattress consisted of material stuffed with hay, which often had bugs in it. So, "sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite" was a very good wish. Or, did you know that when we talk about storing things in a trunk, the original trunk was just that -- a hollowed out trunk of a tree, in which clothing could be packed. Each end was then secured with leather, and could be used in traveling. Or the term "bar" came about when the tavern owner would put a bar around his liquor at night so the guests couldn't steal his beer.
We enjoyed going through the indoor Farmer's Market in both York and Lancaster -- the oldest indoor farmer's markets in our country. They had aisles and aisles of fresh fish, meat, vegetables, fruit, baked goods, canned foods, prepared items, crafts... and not nearly as expensive as our farmer's markets.
We also enjoyed going through a clock museum -- a history of how "time" was invented and recorded from our earliest ancestors until now. We found the oldest existing girls school in Lititz and the Moravian Church next to it -- the church owned the whole town in earlier days. My friend Jane Differding's uncle was headmaster there when she was a child, and her father was a Moravian minister. The Moravians influenced John Wesley, founder of Methodism, so it was fun to make that connection.
One of our surprises (and we seem to have them everywhere we travel) was going to Hershey to go through the chocolate factory. Oh, my. It wasn't just a factory -- it was a city, with huge factor buildings, plus an amusement park, a sports arena, an entertainment center, a huge hotel, museum, and who-knows-what-all! We just wanted to go on the tour, which we did eventually find. We were put on a little train that took us through a simulated factory, with a Disneyland feel to it. It was interesting, and we did get a free sample. The end of the tour was through a huge store with all kinds of chocolate-everything! A chocoholic paradise, for sure!
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