Sunday, May 24, 2015

a weekend away......

We have a farm sitter!!!! and maybe that news doesn't seem all that exciting... but it is, because it means now that Ed and I can take little vacations and know that things will be in good hands!!! so.... now that we do have a farm sitter, we are going off for the Memorial Day weekend to visit with an Amish friend, Noah and his family. 

But our mini vacation actually started Thursday evening... when we had been invited to the opening night at the Playhouse. We saw the play Sister Act, and it was such fun!!! Ed and I have always enjoyed going to the Playhouse, and when the girls were little, we always tried to take in at least one play each summer. We have seen some great plays there, and sometimes I forget just how much fun they are. This summer there are some good plays lined up, so we hope to get back there again.


The summer seems to be finally shaping up... we've had some real pretty days... the guineas are on tick patrol and must be doing a good job, because we don't seem to have any real issues with ticks. Lots of folks, especially my dog students have been complaining about the ticks, so I am so pleased at the job these critters are doing!!!!  But, back to our mini vacation. 

We met up with my Mom and Dad early Friday morning.... Dad had some clocks and watches that he is bringing to Noah (which is how they met.. threw the clock business)...and it's a six hour ride, or things are done by mail. Because, being Amish.. Noah does everything the old ways.. no phone, no computers... nothing of the "modern world".. Our drive up was fine, weather was decent -- ran into some rain -- but over all a nice ride, and a change of scereny ... it was nice to have the long ride, to sit and chat with Mom and Dad.. and just catch up on all that life has to offer these days. We arrived at the hotel around dinner time... had some supper, and called it a day...  


Saturday morning, I woke and need to walk Camille (she was the doggie of choice with this trip).. I headed outside and found....



THIS!!!!! 


SNOW!!! the end of May.... really????
I called back to Ed to take a look outside.. and then tried to snap a photo of his expression.... he couldn't believe it either... 
Dad was up and out too.. walking with little Amy.... and if this picture makes it look miserable.. well.. it was. The snow was heavy and wet, and the wind was howling... one would think it was more like January than May...
Camille got her morning business done quickly, and we came back to the room, only to hear that the news was announcing that "snow was falling in north Maine".... no kidding I thought. I called home and Kass said it was windy and cool, but sunny and certainly not the weather we were getting. We knew that it really wouldn't last long, and either way, it wasn't going to ruin our visit.....
Poor Camille... I have to wonder what she is thinking about all of this!!!
The ride from the hotel to Noah's was a bit longer... but it was a chance to see the country side. This is potato country... lots of open fields (which is nice to still be able to see)... and in a number of towns, they have gone to trying wind power. So there are a lot of wind mills around. 
The morning got brighter and brighter, and soon just the mountains in the back grounds, and the spots that didn't have sun yet, had the snow... but much of it disappeared quickly. 
However, the cold didn't... and the wind. It was very windy.....

We arrived at Noah's farm, and everyone was so welcoming. Here we are referred to as "the English"... but this Amish community is right in the middle of "the English" community, and Noah had a few neighbors popping in and out while we were visiting as well. 

I got to meet Noah's wife and children.. my parents have been here before so they knew them.. but it was fun to see his family. The kitchen was warm with the cook stove going, the girls were baking... pies and breads... and though I didn't know it at that moment... our lunch. The little boys (ages 12 maybe down to 8) were quite fascinated with us.... but they were heading out to the fields.. it's planting time and there is much for them to do. 

We had a nice visit, and got to learn abit about the life of an Amish family without prying too much into their personal life. All I can say is, if we had Amish neighbors, they would be great neighbors. Noah showed us his clock shop, and then did a little tour of the barns... they have cows that they milk (by hand... and then sell the milk to the Hood company).... Noah's wife had plants in her green house, waiting to get into the ground.. (but not today for certain)...and the farm was busy with all kinds of folks coming and going. 

Noah's son in law had made a run to get some fertilizer ... course everything is done by horse power  (and you can see how windy it was by the way that horse's tail is blowing)... These horses have the best manners, but of course, they are worked every day and have an important job to do. 
Belgians seem to be the work horse of choice, but we saw plenty of Percheron as well. And for the light work, the Standardbreds are the ones that they use.... This boy could have been Duke's or Tonka's brother. Course Noah and I had the chance to talk horse... (one of my favorite topics)....

We visited all morning and then Noah said that we were invited for lunch. Well, lunch to me is a sandwich.. but not today. The family had prepared a complete turkey dinner!!! topped off with pie and or cake for dessert... and can I say.. it was just so yummy. 

The boys came in from the fields.. we were in the barn when they came in... and I just watched in amazement. Now I know this is their way of life and they do it everyday, but to see these little ones handle those big work horses, and everyone just knows what to do. The horses came in, bridles were taken off.. and then (harness and all) they walk to their stalls for a rest and some lunch, while the people have their lunch as well. The boys said it was cold out in the fields, but again.. time is short and these people don't waste one moment....
After lunch, I was talking with one of the girls, and heard the sound of horses coming down the road... Amanda (Noah's daughter) said.. "here comes Dan with the new wagon".. and I looked out and saw the most beautiful team of Shires pulling this beautiful new wagon. Course the moment they pulled up and stopped, everyone had to come out and see. 
I'm hard pressed to say what I liked better, the team... or the wagon. Either way, they were grand... and it's easy to see that Dan is pretty proud of them....
If I heard correctly.. this wagon was actually made for a client (English) of Dan's. He still needs to paint or stain it, but the wood needs some time to dry out a bit before he can do that. I had a great time talking to him about both the wagon and his team. 
Now the boys had come back in from the field with a little problem. The fertilizer spreader was acting right. So Noah went over to see what the trouble was. Well.... being kids and probably wanting to rush threw their work.. they had filled the hopper too full, and it had jammed.... which meant they needed to shovel everything out and start all over. 
Noah just smiled and shook his head... "they'll listen the next time... because they just doubled their work"... he told us..... 
It didn't take them too long to get things straighten out... and then they did what Dad had suggested.... they took the hopper out empty.. and the other wagon and team had the fertilizer and they loaded the hopper in the field....
and off the go.. back to work.....
Dan and his wife live just down the road a ways from Noah... Dan makes furniture and other wood items. We wanted to see his shop... so he said he would head home and we could come and see. As they were getting ready to go, Noah asked me if I would like to ride home with Dad and have a try in that new wagon... Well it took me all of a half of second to answer that question. So Ed and I bundled up and hopped on and had a nice ride with Dan and his wife Iva..... 


We visited with them for a while, Dan showed us all around his wood working shop.. and he and Ed had a good conversation about different pieces of equipment and such. We actually have a lot of things in common.....

Mom and Dad came along too (in the car) and we just had such a nice time. 
The day went zipping by and since Sunday is their day of rest, we knew the families had much to do to finish up their Saturday work. We didn't want to overstay our welcome.. but I could have visited for much longer. I have a new appreciation for these folks, and though they choose to live a simple life that seems so foreign to us... they are just people.. and it's nice to think of them as friends. 
Sunday was the ride home... we talked and just shared the fun time we had. We brought back some gifts for the kids.. one being an Amish straw hat for Reagan. One of Noah's little boys had out grown it, and he was happy to pass it on.... 
I have a hat too, that Mom and Dad got for me the last time that they visited with Noah... I love it....


Such a great weekend... and I'm not sure what part was best... the fact we have a good farm sitter (thanks Astrid) and we can now get away.... or this special time with my Mom and Dad... or meeting Noah and looking at life from a different angle...



At any way I see it..... I am extremely blessed.....