Last night we went visiting to some Amish friends of ours to have a dinner in celebration of a wedding tomorrow. Our long time friends Irv and Betty are gettin' hitched. Their house was crowded with family and friends, along with the "English" friends as well. They fried up 60 pounds of chicken to feed us along with macaroni -n- cheese, green salad and your choice of the 35 pies they made in about 4 different varieties. The Begians shown above belong to Patricia Polacco. She boards them here and they learn their manners as well as how to work.
While we ate, we watched the littlest of the Amish children lean a church bench up against a picnic table and use it as a slide. It was the cutest thing. Amish kids get along like no other group of children I have ever watched. The older children talk with the adults, visit amongst themselves, help with the youngsters, assist with the serving, cleaning, adjusting of tables and benches, etc, anything to be useful.
The Amish community that we are friends with use buggies with no cover and no rubber on their wheels. They are a conservative, Old Order Amish sect.
This is the bench wagon, usually pulled up to the home having church. They will be used for the wedding on Thursday. The legs on the benches fold in under the bench itself, making for easy storage and transportation.
As far as the eye can see, there are Amish farms, fields and gravel roads. Like stepping back in time, it was a relaxing evening enjoyed with dear friends who celebrate family and community every day of their lives.