Amish Country Adventure

(...continued from Winter Weekend)

Saturday dawned.  It was SUNNY - and already about 40 degrees when we got underway.  I read more about the Ice Festival on-line, and it seemed to be mostly wine-tastings around town (not our thing), ice sculptures (probably melting on a day like today), and no snow, therefore gray landscape.  All of a sudden the picture-taking opportunities didn't sound so great -- so we opted out.

We decided to take off on an adventure, beginning with a local grocery outlet that we like to check out frequently.  Today, our best-buy was Corn Chex Cereal for $1.89.  Thank you, we'll take FOUR.  As we walked around looking in the other shops, my sweet hubby said, "We should've gone to Lehman's today!"

Lehman's is a little drive from us -- down in Amish Country.  It's a store that was started in 1955 to serve the Amish community and others without electricity. Their founder's vision was to "preserve the past for future generations."  That said, they have everything from cookie cutters in every shape, to giant jingle bells on a leather strap -- for a one-horse open sleigh, perhaps? You can also find oil lamps, housewares, tools, and toys -- and just about everything in between (including some beautiful handmade German pottery that I spotted this trip.)  It's a wonderful combination of past and present, museum and retail operation.  Completely unique.

Well, it was a beautiful day, so I said, "Let's go!" -- knowing that there was probably good Amish cooking at the end of this trail!

It was a beautiful drive, and I snapped pictures here and there along the way.  When we arrived in Kidron (home of Lehman's), I hopped out of the car to take a picture of the sign, and I could hear all kinds of noise echoing from the other side of the Lehman's complex. There's a livestock auction area over there, so I assumed that's what was going on (little did I know).

We shopped around at Lehman's, and as always, enjoyed all of the curious things they have -- both from the past and for the present.  If you're ever in Ohio Amish Country, you HAVE to stop in.  Ask anyone, and they'll tell you how to get there, or give you a map. (There are hundreds of pamphlets and maps at every establishment in the area!)  We hit a couple other local spots as well.  Here's one of my favorite finds from the day: a hand-cranked Kitchen Aid Artisan mixer!  Do you LOVE it?  I'm not exactly sure how this would be any different than using a WHISK, but I shouldn't knock it till I've tried it, right?

In the past, our visits to Amish Country would typically be on a weekday, using vacation time for a day-trip.  But, this was Saturday -- the big day for the Amish folks to be in TOWN apparently.  Previously, when we visited, I thought that perhaps the Amish felt overwhelmed by the amount of tourists in their midst.  But today -- I was much more aware that we were the visitors, and we were the ones that were DIFFERENT.  (YOU try wearing a bright purple jacket in a black and navy crowd, and you'll see what I mean!)

(to be continued...)