Saturday Drive to Lancaster County

The farm to the rear of the White Horse

Thanks to the loving protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I am home in one piece.  As I have written about previously, my father is struggling with giving up some of his independence and refuses to be tested to keep his license.  I agreed to go with them today thinking I would drive, but a large argument broke out and my father became quite belligerent.  In the end, I let him drive, but what happened is, I believe, enough for him and my mother to both agree something is amiss.  He could not negotiate turns, even on the simplest roads, without turning wide into the opposite lane.  Fortunately, no one was coming when this happened.  On the way home, just a mile from their house, he did not recognize where he was.  My mother then took over at the wheel.  Also, he had trouble counting out change, and when he got gas, he didn't get a full tank and couldn't figure out why.  He's frustrated because he is completely deaf in one ear and thinks we're talking behind his back.  We weren't but it doesn't help that he's not only lost so much of his hearing but always has a need to know everything.  At dinner, I noticed his hand shaking so much he could hardly hold the glass without spilling something.  It's just so difficult because he gets angry and nasty so quickly.  My mother is no help whatsoever.  So I think I will need to be a bit more involved than either one of them would like me to be.

The White Horse Inn, which is an actual inn offering food, drink and lodging and a superb view of the buggies.

Anyway, here are some photos from today.  The Amish were out in full force.  If I didn't have so much respect for their desire not to be photographed, I could have gotten some great pictures.  Today is the Annual Lyme Auction, where they buy everything from buggies to hand-carved furniture.  I saw an Amish volley ball game, tons of horses and buggies, and lots of adorable children on scooters traveling back and forth from the auction.  The weather cooperated as well.

Kaufman's, a wonderful little Mennonite grocery store which also sells apples from the family orchard and other locally-grown produce.  

The Bird-in-Hand bakery had, for the first time that I've noticed, fastnachts. I bought a half-dozen to compare to my own.  I picked up the donut mix and some other goodies from Kaufman's, shown in one of the pictures, and we had dinner at the quaint little White Horse Inn.  Across the road from the Inn is an Amish farm owned by a man I'll simply call Amos.  He owns a major Amish bakery and after the markets close on Saturday, what remains is brought back to his farm and sold at a greatly reduced price.  It's fun to watch the buggies come and go along with minivans, etc.  The house does not look like a typical Amish farmhouse.  In fact, my dad jokingly refers to Amos as a millionaire Amishman.

The house where Amish baked goods are brought back at the conclusion of the day for quick sale.

We saw a little of wooly white lambs and it won't be long before the broodmares drop their foals.  We are so fortunate to live so close to what is truly God's country.

Another view of the Amish farm at the rear of the White Horse.  You can't see him, but there was a paint who was very interested in what I was doing.  I'm not one for trespassing, so I didn't get any closer than this.