Are you a “quilt person”? I’ve slept under them, written about the people who make them, and watched them go up for auction. But I have to admit, I’ve probably under-appreciated Amish quilts, and quilts in general for that matter. Lately that has begun to change. I’ve got a section on quilts in an upcoming book. That led me to learn a bit more about…
Amish housewives have quite the workload. They do get some help in managing the household, though. Amish homes often feature modified appliances, built to run on power sources other than public electricity. Depending on what is allowed in a given church, you might see an air-powered mixer, or gas-powered refrigerator. Wringer-style washing machines are common. The most conservative Amish groups use only minimal technology though….
From an Andy Weaver Amish home, a quilt in frame: Zooming in: Thanks to Karen Johnson-Weiner for the photo. Here are a few more Amish interiors: Amish Kitchen Amish Living Room Amish Wall Decor
Over the past few weeks we’ve tried to show the diverse interiors of Amish homes, from the plainer to the more progressive. I hope you enjoy this shot today from a more conservative Swartzentruber Amish home: What do you spy on that dresser? Hanging around: Special thanks to Karen Johnson-Weiner (author of New York Amish: Life in the Plain Communities of the Empire State) for sharing…
You might think that Amish people would ride horseback often. After all, they certainly have much familiarity and experience with horses. Horses pull Amish carriages, and provide brute force on the farm, powering a range of farming equipment. Yet Amish rarely saddle up. Simply put, Amish riding horseback is not common. I see it from time to time, but it’s usually youth, mostly girls. You…
I’m away from the computer for a couple of days, but have auto-posted some hat shop photos. The first is from the Nappanee, Indiana Amish community. Nappanee is the 3rd-largest Amish community in Indiana, and 6th-largest in the nation. There is also a small Old Order Mennonite community near Nappanee: You can see a few different styles here (notice the bottom row). And even more…
You might remember a photo a couple weeks back, of an Amish kitchen that some people found a bit on the fancy side? Today we have a shot of another room in the same Michigan home: This place looks like it has some nice spots for taking a nap. Just as long as those clocks aren’t too noisy. A close-up: Another Amish wall decoration: Special…
Another photo today, of an inspirational wall decoration from an outhouse at an Amish school (thanks again to Karen Johnson-Weiner). If there is any place that could use a little livening up, I guess it is the outhouse. And why not include an uplifting message? Actually I guess this is more of a lesson in humble sharing: Outhouses have been in the news lately. USA…
When was the last time you went car shopping? Have a fun time? If you were buying new, odds are you had to pick through a whole pile of choices. Amish buggy buyers have their fair shake of options to choose from too–everything from the upholstery to the lighting to the dash to the battery holder (a relatively new feature in Lancaster County has the…
When I first began spending time with the Amish, I felt like I was entering another world. I would drive my car from gritty Decatur, Illinois, where I was living for the summer while selling books, 45 minutes southeast to the farms, fields and fresh air of Moultrie County. Crossing into “Amish territory”, it seemed like I passed through an invisible border. Much of what…