A Little Amish Reading

The more time I spend with Andy and Lizzie (my Amish friends) and their kids the more I want to learn about the Amish.

A long time ago I had a dream that I wanted to somehow get a little yellow school bus and paint it up really cute, stock it with food and water and lots and lots of books.  All kinds of books. And comfy places to sit and read. Then I wanted to be able to go up the hollers in WV (the state that was born into my bones) and read to the kids and teach  the ones that couldn't read how to read. It is still a dream but I think I have found a way to scratch that itch.

If you don't know me you wouldn't know or understand that I am very intrigued with the Amish way of life.  I admire the hours of smalls stitches that go into the quilts, I could just hug everyone of those little children all dressed up in their Amish clothes,  and the simple way of life...meaning no distractions like TV, phones, electronic equipment...the unbelievable work ethic and the humbleness, and the deep faithfulness.  I could go on for hours, just ask my family!

For some unknown reason God made our paths cross.  He has enables us to grow a friendship that I cherish with my entire being. The farm is my happy place. I am learning so much about the Amish and what makes the communities work.  And Andy and Lizzie are learning some English things from me, believe it or not!  On my last visit Andy told me that he considers me to be half Amish now.  I took that as a great compliment!  Don't think the transition will ever happen...don't think my brain is up for learning Pennsylvania Dutch...even though my kids got me a Pennsylvania Dutch dictionary for Christmas.  Maybe I could be Amish for a week?

So back to the book bus....

The Amish community that surrounds Cedarmore Farm and I know have developed a lending library.  Andy and Lizzie share their books with me and I buy books off the Internet for a penny or something like that, and share with them.  We have our own little book club.  I usually write my questions in a notebook and we go over them at my next visit.  Now I just write the questions in the back of the books.  Once Andy and Lizzie ready them, they are passed to other families in the community.  Eventually I get them back.  And I now have a 2013 Pathway Publishers Book Catalog that is filled with everything you could ever want to read and all of it is about the Amish.

 

Lizzie and I use this book all the time.  I now have some deep tissue oil that her sister made, some Amish antibiotic (horseradish juice), B&W ointment and a burddock leaf for wounds, some sinus medication (honey, garlic and horseradish).  And I have learned that ground cayenne pepper put in my shoes will keep my feet warm this winter.  Amazing stuff in this book!  And so far everything I have tried has worked.

I specifically wanted to find information about the Swatzentruber Amish.  This was an excellent book.

I have been emailing with the author of this book and also reading her blog.  She is my Amish/English buffer.  Her story is very sad.  But her life now is a good one.  She is married to a wonderful English man.

And I thought I had a lot going on everyday.  I don't know how the do all that they do.  And Lizzie never complains.

 

These are just a few.  I will be posting more later...as soon as I get them back.

 

In trying to simplify my life, I turn off the TV and computers and everything else that has to be charged...get a cup of tea and a quilt and sit a read and dream of someday being able to live like the Amish...but just for a week.  I think I am way to English!