Amish Country

Monday, August 4, 2014

This morning I woke up to the clip clop of hooves and stepped outside to see the popcorn, paintings, and bikes, all unlocked.  The sleepy little town still nestled in their beds knowing that all their goods were safe.  I’m in Amish Country.  I am staying in the driveway of a Mennonite man named Kenny’s shop in the middle of town.  Mason has made friends with a man named Clarence.  As Clarence and Mason go get the buggies and horses, the little boys are filing the horses’ water buckets and IMG_3112Aidhttp://4boysrvtrip.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/IMG_3112.jpgen is watering the flowers.  I love that they are putting these boys to work.

This was an unexpected detour and by far, the best cultural experience for my family and I.  We were heading through Indiana and in one of my travel guide books, “Across America,” we read about the Amish Country and thought we would take a drive through.  When we got to Topeka and found an Amish diner on yelp, we pulled into the diner. There were buggies parked in the parking lot and little girls with no shoes and little bonnets buying ice cream.  We ate fresh bread with apple butter and Amish peanut butter. It was Yummy!  My trip could have been complete there. But,  Ohhh no!  I was reading the “coffee shop” and stumbled upon buggy tours.  Well we got more than a buggy tour!  We toured Kenny’s son’s dairy farm and went to his daughter’s house for dinner.  Aiden describe it perfectly. “This place just makes me feel warm!”

After dinner, we had not settled for the night so Kenny let us just pull up at his shop on the boardwalk.  All morning long people have been stopping to talk and visit.  They are asking about my way of life and telling me about theirs.  I’ve learned the differences between Amish and Mennonites and about some of their fundamental way of being.  I have caught just a glimpse of these extraordinary peoples lives and I will forever be grateful to them for allowing us that glimpse.

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Aiden Feeding the cows

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Our camping spot

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Amish Barn