I’m off to Indiana this morning.  A few highlights of the past week in Ohio:

  • Sitting with an Amish friend one afternoon, we made plans to take my truck up the road to visit his father.  “Do you want me to drive?” asked my friend.  I turned around and checked with his wife.  “Can he drive?”  “Well, he can” came her response.  “I wasn’t asking about his ability, but for permission,”  I clarified.

   Permission was not granted.

  • Amish desserts.  I actually ate a lot of ice cream this week.   Summer time I guess.  Coconut bars and a snitz fry pie as well.  I have some Monster cookies waiting in the car.  Maybe breakfast on my ride?
bellville ohio amish produce

Amish produce near Bellville, Ohio

  • Getting re-educated on the stars and planets by the son of an Amish friend.  We were all sitting out by the fire after a delicious supper courtesy of his wife.  I forgot what it is like to watch the stars (“stargaze”, I guess we call it)  But that is just what we did (you see, their TV wasn’t working, har har).  I was reminded of things like 93 million miles to the Sun.  Eight minutes for its light to reach us.  And one million Earths could fit inside.  We are pretty small down here.
  • Amish bent ‘n’ Dents.  I’ve been to, I think 4 or 5 so far.  A couple in Holmes/Wayne County, one in Ashland County, and another in Pennsylvania.  Been buying lots of nuts and snack-type things (no eggs yet).  The one I was in today, in New Wilmington, PA, sold pipes and cigars as well as food.  That community is “lower”, which usually means less technology but more liberal on smoking.
  • The four kids, ages seven to maybe a year, who flagged me down with green peppers, thrusting them in the air and waving them enthusiastically as I drove down their sleepy back road.  It’s like they were lying in wait.  Well, you know I just had to pull over and buy a bunch.  It was like a tractor beam, those kids and their peppers.

   Hey, I used to be in sales.  I appreciate the effort.  And okay, it was pretty    darn cute.  Powerful salespeople, those little Amish kids.  Hang on to    your pocketbook.

mt hope auction buggies ohio

At the Mt. Hope auction

I am enjoying the comments very much.  Hope to respond more when I slow down a bit.

While in Indiana I plan to visit:

  • Elkhart and Lagrange Counties
  • Nappanee
  • Allen County
  • Adams County
  • Steuben County
  • Centreville (St. Joseph County), Michigan

Here’s more on Amish Indiana, if you like.

Off we go!

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