A Visit to Amish Country Without Leaving New York State

Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Have you ever been to Lancaster, PA - Amish Country?  I haven't.....yet anyway.  But that hasn't stopped me from becoming totally infatuated and intrigued by the Amish culture.  As I've said on here many times before, I love the country......open fields, farms, old barns, the simple life the Amish live.  Back in the fall we happened upon an Amish community not far from home, a rather large area on a few roads in the country.  I wrote a post about our first visit then - the Road Less Traveled Where Time Stood Still (http://www.lifeasiseeitphotography.net/2015/11/the-road-less-traveled-where-time.html).   Well, we took a ride recently, back to Amish Country, and today's post is a pictorial tour of life there..........a life that looks much different than the life most of us live.   Come along and imagine life in an Amish community.

First thing you'll notice when travelling the roads in this area is the lack of motorized vehicles in driveways.  What you will notice though are beautiful buggy's like this one....    You better drive carefully too because chances are you'll meet a few on the roadway.


Not to be disrespectful, since I am aware Amish do not partake in vanity of any sort, including the use of mirrors or posing for cameras.....I couldn't resist this quick shot of a group walking towards us.
 

It's easy to spot the homes of the Amish....at least in this area....because they are all painted white with light blue trim.  I've researched extensively and can't find anything definitive regarding why this is so. You will also notice in all the homes featured in this post - the curtains are tied back to one side and are all white.


Notice the blue sap bags......



In the photo below, if you look at where the arrow is pointing, you'll see a buggy - possibly a good indicator that this farm is Amish owned.


Friday appeared to be wash day in Amish land.....most every house had miles of laundry hanging out to dry....mostly in a simple color palette of white, dark blue, blue and black.




Below, a newer home, just built and not yet painted white, but the laundry and curtains tell me it's Amish.  But I didn't need the laundry for a clue, because as we drove past, a toddler girl played on the porch in her traditional Amish clothing - dress, coat and bonnet.  


Notice below, the buggy sticking out of the end of the barn door and a gentlemen.





At a time in a world as advanced as we are, it's hard to believe people still live such a simple life - dedicated to work and prayer, without any of the modern convenience we all take for granted....electricity, indoor plumbing, technology, tv, phones......  It's a world where people work hard, help each other, pray together in their homes as a community and somehow tune out the outside world and most of it's influences.  No matter how much I see it, I still am amazed by it and am in awe and admiration of the devotion and dedication the Amish have for their religion and way of life, a life that is by no means easy.

If you're as intrigued as I and missed my last post, use the link provided above to read more about the Amish culture and see many more photos from our last visit.  And stay tuned because as soon as the grass is green again, I promise we'll be taking another trip to some of the most beautiful countryside we've seen yet and I'll be sharing it here at Life As I See It.  Thanks for reading!  I hope you'll come back soon.

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