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Sunday, April 22, 2012

An Amish Evening Walk ----

Last evening after dinner Marti and I took off down the country road from her house…..am I the only one that didn’t know that Dover Delaware has it’s own Amish community ? And I didn’t know that I’d be in the thick of it!

The walk was lovely ---there is a school house right up the road. Conversation lead to topics including how you can tell the school year is over when planting gets going in full swing – the kids are needed on the farms.

The boys finished the school year a bit earlier than the girls --- Marti knew this because all of a sudden, it was only girls walking to school, the boys were in the fields with their dads and older brothers.

Kids “graduate” from school after the 8th grade. I thought back, trying to remember what I was doing when I was graduating from 8th grade ---where my maturity level was ((NOT!!)) how sure I was of what I wanted to do or be when I was 14..((NOT!!)) and then my mind traveled to where my boys were when they were 14 --- ((WHERE IS THE PROZAC!?))

It’s just such a different life style.

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Oh, how I love to see silos and wide open fields and windmills!

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This is how you know that you are on a well traveled buggy road – see the narrow track marks?

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Though there are electrical lines along the road --- there are no lines that connect these homes --- this is an Amish farm house. Around back are the buggies and horses….we saw young boys playing on push bikes and scooters, loving a late Saturday evening at home.

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Love the farm house and the trees just leafing out! The clouds were gathering, there is rain in our near future!

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As we made our way toward the one room school house in the not-so-far-distance, I heard the clip clop of horses hooves coming from behind us…..We moved aside to the shoulder, to see the buggy returning home from town. Is this priceless or what? See the left rear blinker flashing to turn?

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Some homes had horse and buggy just pulled up to the barn – someone must have been visiting!

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This is Rose Valley School on Rose Valley Rd in Dover, Delaware – is this not cute?!

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We continued our walk up the road ----I’m enjoying the last of the spring blossoms here in Delaware, the rains will soon take these petals to the ground.

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Irises are blooming tall and regal against the chain link fence ----Purple!

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Such a heavy laden wysteria ----just dripping with purple --- it’s getting to it’s tired stage, it’s not going to last much longer!

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Can you imagine this heady fragrance?! It was here that we turned and started our walk back…..and all at once the sky opened up to a gentle spring rain ---steady, but not pounding ----we laughed and started our way back to the house.

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It wasn’t long before Marti’s friend Deb pulled up in her van, coming to save us from getting drenched……we weren’t the only ones trying to get to home and dry --- we passed this wagon of young Amish guys-- Horse in a hurry to get to where they were going! See the rain on our windshield?

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Blurry as we hurried on past ----so much fun to see!

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Marty’s house is straight ahead……as we neared the stop sign, another buggy came rolling by. At least this family was under cover inside their buggy!

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And just because it’s funny -----I loved this stop sign! :cD

Class went great today. Photos of that are to come --- even with the rain that continues, our spirits are high --- what a better time to stay in and sew than a drizzly rainy day?

Tomorrow – String Spider Web! I’m ready!

21 comments:

  1. I'm glad you got to see some of the charm of our state that is little-known to those who don't live here! We may be small, but we have a lot of nice things here in Delaware.

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  2. Thanks Bonnie so much for sharing your experiences with us. I could never get to experience the places that you do and really appreciate the photos and words of your travels and experiences as a traveler and quilter.

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  3. Thanks, Bonnie! Hubby has an aunt & uncle that live there and it's been awhile since we've been there. It is especially pretty in the fall also! Uncle has a small plane that he took us up in, and we saw the most amazing farms and sites. Dover is quite pretty and you never hear of it.

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  4. Anonymous8:10 PM EDT

    I love your story, with pictures! I can only imagine what it would be like! I would love to visit a beautiful community like that, maybe one day I will have that great opportunity! Thank you so much for sharing your adventures.

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  5. I love Amish country! Such a simpler kind of life style even if it is hard work - such family life!
    Karen

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  6. So glad you're enjoying the quiet part of Delaware! We live a few miles up the road and just love it here. Have fun and happy quilting...there's nothing better to do on a rainy day!

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  7. I have come to the conclusion that you have the perfect occupation. Quilting and traveling! I so appreciate it when you post all the info on your quilting activities and the travel log is an added bonus for those of us who can't enjoy the sights in person. Please don't ever stop posting your adventures in both arenas.

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  8. I enjoyed reading about your walk, the surrounding nature and all. The pictures and your writing were so picturesque.

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  9. We love having you here in Delaware! It was such a good time today. Careful, we might not let you leave! Thank you for comming to play with us!

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  10. Bonnie, this is a story I needed to read and pictures I needed to see tonight. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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  11. I never knew there was an Amish community in Dover, DE!! How far is it from the AF base? How's that for a study in contrasts? Amish living close by the Air Force.
    Shows how much of a melting pot our country really is, doesn't it?

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  12. One of my Amish neighbors was originally from Delaware. They may travel by horse and buggy but they hire drivers and travel all over the country. Their families are just as scattered as the English(all the rest of us). That little white schoolhouse looks oh so familiar. I went to a similar one through the eighth grade. Of course by then the little country schools were on the way out here in rural Nebr.

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  13. The clip clip of horses & the Amish are like ano world Enjoy yr blog.Using the leader & ender method w/1" postage stamp!!! Great fabric& thread saver. Yr an inspiration. HAPPY QUILTING JUDY CRUMPLER

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  14. The clip clip of horses & the Amish are like ano world Enjoy yr blog.Using the leader & ender method w/1" postage stamp!!! Great fabric& thread saver. Yr an inspiration. HAPPY QUILTING JUDY CRUMPLER

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  15. The clip clip of horses & the Amish are like ano world Enjoy yr blog.Using the leader & ender method w/1" postage stamp!!! Great fabric& thread saver. Yr an inspiration. HAPPY QUILTING JUDY CRUMPLER

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  16. The clip clip of horses & the Amish are like ano world Enjoy yr blog.Using the leader & ender method w/1" postage stamp!!! Great fabric& thread saver. Yr an inspiration. HAPPY QUILTING JUDY CRUMPLER

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  17. Oh, what a beautiful Amish area, thank you for posting such great pixs!

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  18. SO interesting that I had to put a link on my blog for French readers!
    http://quilteuseforever.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/des-amish-en-delaware/
    Thanks Bonnie!
    Katell, France

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  19. Great post Bonnie! I really enjoyed your trip.

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  20. Anonymous9:05 PM EDT

    Bonnie.
    It was so great to have you here in Delaware instead of in the Atlantic. Rose Valley School house. There used to be a wonderful quilt shop across the street. Best visit on sunny days though. You were really close to me. I live 1 street east of the school house.

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  21. Just down the road from my hometown is Jamesport Missouri and they have an amish community. I love going there to visit whenever I get back to Missouri.
    Beautiful pictures

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