Tuesday, September 4, 2012

The Amish Way of Living...


The Amish are a devout people with a strong faith that live a very plain and simple lifestyle. By simple I mean...no electricity, cars, or indoor plumbing. By plain I mean...they only wear black or any other plain solid color, nothing bright. They have no buttons or other fancies on their clothing. In their place they use straight pins. I know what you're thinking...OUCH! But they do seem to manage.

We are in my opinion, very lucky to have an Amish community living nearby. They are the nicest of folks who are extremly hardworking and always happy to see you.


It doesn't take long to build up a homestead when everyone pitches in. A barn raising is a community event where the older and much more experience men direct, and the younger ones act as "gofers". The women and young girls are in charge of all the food and drinks. Doesn't that sound like a fun day? Free labor is what I'm thinking!

My husband and I have become great friends with some of the Amish families. We buy our eggs from them almost every week. Lately though, we've been getting them from my non-Amish real life sister. LOL! Thanks Robin!

 
My husband getting eggs from the Harvey Miller family.

We also love to go sit and visit with them. They love visitors! Lydia, one of the Amish ladies, used to ask me to come visit her in the afternoons while she rocked baby Mary to sleep for her nap. Mary is now 4 years old. I brought my neice over to visit and play with Mary and some of the other kids one day. It was so fun to watch them. The younger Amish children speak very little English if any at all, as Dutch is their language, but they were able to communicate without any problems. I don't think kids care about those sorts of things anyway.

I admire their simple lifestyle and often wonder if I could be as disciplined as they are, but I do love indoor plumbing and my washer. Maybe I could adopt just a few of the simple things....like riding in a horse and buggy. So romantic! I say that, but I haven't had to do it in the middle of winter when the temperatures reach well below zero. YIKES!

 
The Amish farms all look so inviting, don't they? Joe and I have driven by at night just to see what their homes look like when they are lit only by lanterns. So homey! Makes you just want to invite yourself in and warm yourself by the fire. Here are a few pictures of some of the farms.
 


 
 
I wish I could show you pictures of the inside, but the Amish don't allow that. I will tell you though that they are very plainly furnished. The kitchens have wood cookstoves and large harvest tables with either chairs or benches. Off that is the pantry where all the necessary cooking staples are kept. I think it's my favorite room. The living room is very sparse...a chair or rocker, and maybe a desk. The bedrooms have only a bed, desk and trunk. Very plain, but functional. Each family takes a turn holding "church" at their home. I think that is why the living room is so sparse.  Chairs get lined up in rows, with women seated on one side and men on the other. Everyone is dressed in their Sunday best and their is always so much food. It is truly a day of rest, as it should be...the Lord's day.
 
Here are a few more pictures to enjoy....
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we do. It certainly is a plain and simple lifestyle ~ One that my husband and I just love.
 
Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway! You have until Tuesday Sept. 11th. I hope you had a fun and safe Labor Day weekend. Summer is officially closed...until next year anyway!
 
Blessings,
Julie
 
 

6 comments:

  1. Hi Julie,
    Thank you so much for that post. I do so many on the Amish as I am enamored by them and visit Indiana country very often. I just did a weeks worth of pictures from my trip a few weeks ago. I am doing an Amish giveaway on my blog. Please stop by if you haven't already and enter.
    xoxo

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    Replies
    1. I just signed up for your giveaway! So cute! I too am enamored with the Amish. They really peak my curiosity.

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  2. Hello my dear Julie, This post has fascinated me! I love the Amish, It is fun to know more about them. Your pictures are wonderful. They truly do capture the real Amish and I loved learning from your words, too. It has been many years since we went to Lancaster, PA. What an experience. Someday we would like to go to Ohio and see the many Amish there. We have Amish in our Finger Lakes (of New York) area and we see them every so often.

    Very nice post, Julie.

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    Replies
    1. Susannah, I certainly share your curiosity. My husband and I would LOVE to visit Lancaster. We keep saying we're going to get there, but the timing just hasn't been right yet. Someday, though. Some of the Amish families up here are from New York. I think they said they were from the Northeast part of upstate New York. Not sure where, exactly. They have told us many times how much they love it up here, so that's nice.

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  3. Julie,
    I ran up to the Amish store Tuesday, when I saw the horse and buggy sign I thought that would make a good post for my blog, but of coarse I didn't have my camera. So you beat me to it, and looks like you've got it well covered (grin)

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  4. Hi Julie,
    I couldn't find your email address, you need to add it! I just wanted to thank you for my lovely gift package, it came in the mail yesterday and I love it all! I am so glad we found each others blogs.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete

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