PHEEBS & I SWING THROUGH AMISH COUNTRY

AMISH CHILDREN AT PLAY

Had been a few months since Pheebs and I had wandered our way up through Amish-Mennonite country so starting out this morning we had us a destination.  Slipping through McDonalds in Goderich we decided to forego our usual routine and instead of swinging down around the harbor and beach areas we headed north out of Goderich and kept on going.

WHITE HOUSES AND RED BARNS ARE OFTEN A GOOD INDICATION OF AN AMISH FARM

A WELL MUSCLED WORKHORSE STEPS IN THE DAY’S COOLLING SHADE

HOW DO YOU KNOW  WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED AMISH-MENNONTIE COUNTRY??  BUGGY TRACKS AND HORSE BUNS:))

MENNONITE SAWMILL

WE EVEN PASSED THROUGH BUZZARDVILLE

What a marvelously magical morning we had going on for us.  With temps in the low 60's and a brisk easterly wind blowing it was an absolute joy to be outside under bright clear sunny skies.  Our slow relaxing travels took us up west of Dungannon Ontario along some of the nicest secluded roads in this area.  Each time we stopped for a leg stretch I was reminded of the beautifully peaceful pastoral scenery we have surrounding us here in Ontario’s Huron County.  Only other human being I had to interact with this morning was the lady at McDonalds Drive-Thru.  "One small Senior coffee with cream please".  This lady likes Pheebs and this morning called her a Princess.

AT THIS MENNONITE FARM THEY SPECIALIZE IN MAKING WOODEN PALLETS

THIS SAW MILL IS IN ST. HELENS AND IT’S BUSY

NOT SURE IF THIS IS AN AMISH OR MENNONITE HORSE OR DOES IT REALLY MATTER

With the wheat harvest pretty much over now country roads were free of big farm machinery and young fellas with their Dads pick-up trucks racing up and down the rural roads in clouds of swirling dust and flying stones.  Birds fluttered in the tree tops and Deer occasionally bounded across the road in front of and behind us.  We even drove through Buzzardville where the big feathered brutes just sat and watched us go by.

DRIVING THROUGH ST. HELENS

West of Dungannon we continued in a northerly direction before swinging onto Belfast Road heading east right into the heart of Amish-Mennonite country.  I consider the little hamlet of St. Helens the heart of Mennonite territory in that area and any time I've passed through there I've been able to catch a few photos of the local folks.  Today was no exception. 

THIS FARM PROBABLY STARTED OUT WITH THE HOUSE ON THE LEFT THEN LATER ADDED THE HOUSE ON RIGHT

‘THOUGHT I SAW SOME WILD CHICKENS UP THERE DAD’

PHEEBS LIKES TO ALWAYS STOP AND MOO AT THE COWS

THOUGHT WHEN I EDITED THIS PHOTO I MIGHT SEE SOMEONE SITTING ON THE PORCH BUT NO SUCH LUCK

ANOTHER TWO HOUSE PROPERTY

I'm always walking a fine line taking photos in Amish country and I must admit it makes me a little nervous.  Knowing when to take a photo and when not to take a photo is always a concern and I certainly don't want to make people uncomfortable.  I take these photos to show their beautiful and immaculately clean farms and homes, their lush vegetable gardens, their hard working lives, magnificent work horses, and cattle, the hard toiling people themselves, their non violent lifestyle and old ways of doing things.  They are the type of people we could all take a lesson or two from.  No they are not perfect people but every once in awhile I like to slide up through their neck of the woods and bring back a few photos of a people being themselves, working hard, keeping to themselves, and staying out of trouble.   

SAW THE LADY BUT DIDN’T SEE THE SMALL CHILD BY THE TREE UNTIL I EDITED THE PHOTO LATER….I HAD ABOUT A TWO SECOND WINDOW TO QUICKLY SNAP THIS PHOTO BEFORE I WAS PAST THE DRIVEWAY

THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE IN THIS PHOTO, BOY OUT IN THE FIELD BELOW THE CATTLE AND A LADY BEHIND ONE OF THOSE TREES WITH A LAWN RAKE….I SAW THE LADY BUT DIDN’T SEE THE BOY UNTIL I EDITED THE PHOTO LATER

DID YOU NOTICE THE LADY IN BLUE

It was a three and a half hour drive and we were home again by 11:30 with 167 more photos to edit.  I was able to pair that down to 82.  Again, it was too hot and humid for me to comfortably be outside and with lots of photos to edit I didn't mind being inside.

KEEP IN MIND I NEVER STOP TO TAKE PHOTOS LIKE THIS, THEY ARE ALL DONE WHILE DRIVING BY OUT ON THE ROAD AND LATER CROPPED IN CLOSER

FARM ANIMALS I AM COMFORTABLE WITH STOPPING TO TAKE PHOTOS OF:))

 

WITH THIS MORNING’S BRISK WIND IT MADE FOR A GOOD WASH DAY

TOW AMISH LADIES IN THE GARDEN

In a blog comment Kawarthagal asked,
“Have you ever thought about entering any of your photographs either in the magazines or the Local fairs”?  This is a question I have been asked a few times over the years and my answer is always the same.  'Yes' I have thought of it but 'No' I have no interest in doing that.  No interests in contests and no interest in trying to sell any of my photos.  I went through all that back in the 35mm days and don't want that stress anymore.  As long as I keep photography as a hobby with no commitments or pressures it is enjoyable for me with the icing on the cake being the opportunity to share my photos with my blog readers each day.

THIS NEW AMISH HOUSE IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

NOTICE HOW MOST OF THESE FARMS HAVE A WHITE HOUSE AND A RED BARN

THERE IS AN AMISH LADY IN THIS PHOTO JUST ENTERING THE HOUSE

In our Shout Box Nick asks, 'Is Richard moving somewhere close enough to keep your bimonthly visits?  Unfortunately Gayle and Richard plan to relocate back to an area where they once happily lived in the Gravenhurst/Parry Sound area about 200 miles away to the northeast.  This area is commonly referred to as the Muskokas.  Our bi-monthly rousing country coffee tours which we have both so much enjoyed will be over.  Richard will be turning 81 soon and I will be 74 in a couple months so the reality of our ages coupled with the upcoming shift in geography our chances for coffee anytime in the future are greatly reduced.  Life has a habit of marching on regardless of what we do but the great conversational country road coffee tour memories we have of these past number of years are ours to keep forever.

AMISH FARM GATE INGENUITY

GROANER'S CORNER:(( After receiving his medication from the pharmacist, the customer asked, "Are these time-release pills?" The pharmacist replied, "Yes, they are. They'll begin to work after your check clears."

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A man speaks frantically into the phone, "My wife is pregnant, and her contractions are only two minutes apart!" "Is this her first child?" the doctor queries. "No, you idiot!" the man shouts. "This is her *husband*!"

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“The workers at the lumber mill went on strike, putting plywood production into suspended lamination.”

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The American tourist stood staring at the highland sentry standing guard outside Edinburgh Castle.  After a few minutes she went up to the sentry and asked 'I've always wanted to find out what's worn under the kilt'.  The sentry replied: 'There is nothing worn, Ma'am, its all in perfect working order'.

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Q: How did the blonde break her arm?

A: She fell out of a tree while she was raking leaves.

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