Today is the first day of spring (also known as the furthest day possible from next winter). Depending on your latitude, you may need the calendar to tell you that. But even if your weather this morning doesn’t seem so springy, it will be here soon enough. With spring, plants know the wait is over. They may now officially begin to sprout and grow. Of…
There’s been a change in Illinois:  Amish gun owners will now have to “say cheese” for their gun IDs. According to this news story, if things stand Amish will apparently now need to have pictures on their Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) cards. This story might shed some light on a couple of lesser-known topics: photo IDs for Amish and other religious minorities, and the Amish approach…
A few items of interest for your Friday: Amish winter headwear Reader Slightly-handled-Order-man recently asked: Â Could you write an article on Amish winter clothing? Well, I don’t know about a whole article, but why don’t we start with the head? Â The Amish straw hat is an icon, and comes in a wide range of styles. Â But did you know that when it gets chilly many…
When the going gets tough, sometimes low-tech saves high-tech. The video below was shot last week during heavy snows near Ottawa, Pennsylvania. I doubt either of these guys imagined they’d be doing this when they woke up that morning.  Hope they ate their Wheaties, but looks like the horses certainly did:  Did you catch the field mouse running for his life in the middle…
Since I’ve been back in the US I’ve finally had a chance to watch the National Geographic Amish specials (on ex-Amish, and Amish courtship and marriage) in full. You may recall a couple of posts on these last fall: Leaving the Amish and Amish dating.  I didn’t comment too much at the time, having only seen the short excerpts available online. Leaving other issues aside, I found…
Did you know that Amish have light switches in their homes? Neither did I. Well, I should say some Amish do have switches that don’t turn anything on. Â For instance, when they buy a home that was previously English-owned, then tear out the electricity, as they’d be expected to do. Â The wall switches remain. Not those. Â I mean a light switch that actually brings light…
I just got back, late Saturday, from a great trip visiting friends in Lancaster County and elsewhere. I’ve got a lot to share in upcoming posts. Â But for now, a little summary. Here are 12 key numbers from last week’s travels to Amish communities in PA, DE, VA, and MD: 7-number of settlements visited. Â In addition to the ones I mentioned in this post, I…
I’m a big fan of trains. There is something about riding the rails that is impossible to replicate in any other form of transportation. Â Perhaps it’s the feeling of open-country freedom, or the sheer might of the multi-ton machine, or the leaving-the-station romance that train travel conjures. Trains seem to fit Europe. Â Roads are generally poorer, fuel more expensive, and population clustered dense in cities….
Happy Groundhog Day! (UPDATED BELOW) Something tells me that with the weather lately, old Punxsutawney Phil might just see his shadow, dooming us to 6 weeks more winter. Â Punxsutawney, of course, is the central Pennsylvania town known for holding the most prominent Groundhog Day celebration, complete with a tuxedoed band of residents known as the “Inner Circle” who care for Phil and interpret his prognostications….
One of the highlights of President Obama’s State of the Union speech last night was a call for clean energy. The president put forth a goal: “by 2035, 80% of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources.” Â “Clean energy” in this case means “wind and solar…nuclear, clean coal, and natural gas”. To me, that sounds a bit ambitious. Â Solar currently accounts for less than…