I’m not sure when my fascination began.
It’s like wondering when you began loving nature, or having a dog by your side.
But I know I’ve always been fascinated.
Mystified.
If asked, my boys could remember back in their childhood and teen years, traveling through Amish country. I would give them a dime or quarter, and later, a dollar, to inform me of any sightings of the “plain people”.
Our vehicle was famous for traveling the blue highways. (Those lines on the map which signify the back country roads.)
Appreciating life in the slow lane, we also traveled by Amtrak train to Pennsylvania to visit the Amish of Lancaster County.
My sons were 7 and 4 years of age, carrying their little backpacks on their tiny shoulders. We saw beautiful, immaculate farms and clotheslines abundant with bright, colored broadcloth. Clip-clop rhythms were the norm.
We also traveled to Harmony, Minnesota.
And Cashton, Wisconsin.
But truly, we didn’t need to go any further than our own state.
Michigan.
Sunday, May 14, 1995
Yesterday was a dream come true. I attended the Amish Auction in Clare. We watched the buggy and horse auction take place. There were 10,000 people estimated to be there ~ on the John Henry Yoder Farm. After the auction, we traveled one town over, Beaverton, and stopped by the H farm to see Delilah. Husband, Sam, had driven the buggy to the auction. (10 miles – 1 1/2 hours). Too bad we didn’t see him on the way. We visited. I held Jacob, one of the twins. Jeff (my 4th grade teacher friend) asked to see the barn. We all went to the barn, leaving Naomi (age 7) in the farm house with the twins, who were just a little over a year old. Delilah tells me on the way to the barn that she is expecting her 12th baby in August, but the other children do not know…and she does not want to tell the other children just yet.
How did I get to know the 13-member family and get to be a part of their lives?
Slowly…stay tuned for more of my Amish Sojourn.
Until tomorrow ~ God willing and always in the lead,
Woodswoman
