P.L. Gaus's Blog: From Ohio's Amish Country, page 12

Photos From Ohio's Amish Country: Spring-36

Because of tourism, Holmes County is peppered with signs for commerce of all imaginable varieties.  Among tourists, it is the furniture stores that seem to be most popular, restaurants and basket shops aside.  And among the furniture stores, I appreciate the ones like Raber's here, where an Amish family makes its own furniture on site.  These are better than the stores with large show rooms and even larger parking lots.  Raber's little carpenter's shop is located in Maysville, Ohio.  You can't call them, because they don't have a phone.  But if you stop by, they'll show you what types of desks they have in stock, and if you take the time, they'll draw up plans for any type of custom office furniture that you might need.  I'm having my new writing desk made there, and although it will take a long time to make it, I know it will be a custom-designed, hand-made Amish work of art.  I can't think of anything more appropriate for inspiring my next Amish-Country Mystery.  I think I'll send Professor Branden there to order a custom writing desk for his office at Millersburg College.

Photos From Ohio's Amish Country: Spring-35

Electric power bypasses this Amish parochial school in Maysville, Ohio, but not the bookmobile.  At all of the schools where it is permitted, the bookmobiles in Holmes County make regular stops.  The drivers tell me that their service gets heavy use.  Amish youngsters (scholars, as they are called) are inquisitive and well educated for their grade level.  It's just that very few of them ever study past the eighth grade.

Photos From Ohio’s Amish Country: Spring-34

Here’s what’s left of the field corn after a long and hard winter in Holmes County.  This is the bottom third of a double corn crib, and I’d guess that this family stored just about the right amount of crop for the livestock to be fed through the winter and spring.  On a modern and mechanized farm in the heartland, this would not represent a significant amount of corn.  But when you consider the labor that was necessary to harvest this corn by hand last autumn, it is a very significant amount indeed.

The post Photos From Ohio’s Amish Country: Spring-34 appeared first on P.L. Gaus.

Photos From Ohio's Amish Country: Spring-34

Here's what's left of the field corn after a long and hard winter in Holmes County.  This is the bottom third of a double corn crib, and I'd guess that this family stored just about the right amount of crop for the livestock to be fed through the winter and spring.  On a modern and mechanized farm in the heartland, this would not represent a significant amount of corn.  But when you consider the labor that was necessary to harvest this corn by hand last autumn, it is a very significant amount indeed.

Photos From Ohio’s Amish Country: Spring-33

Here is an Old Order Amish farmhouse (black roof) and Daadihaus (second black roof), with a wood shop (silver roof) at the back.  This is a typical setup in Holmes County.  The Daadihaus is for the grandparents, and the wood shop is a way for this family to earn extra cash.  As expected, the buildings are plain and simple, and so are the people.  The furniture they make is beautiful in its simplicity.

The post Photos From Ohio’s Amish Country: Spring-33 appeared first on P.L. Gaus.

Photos From Ohio's Amish Country: Spring-33

Here is an Old Order Amish farmhouse (black roof) and Daadihaus (second black roof), with a wood shop (silver roof) at the back.  This is a typical setup in Holmes County.  The Daadihaus is for the grandparents, and the wood shop is a way for this family to earn extra cash.  As expected, the buildings are plain and simple, and so are the people.  The furniture they make is beautiful in its simplicity.

Photos From Ohio’s Amish Country: Spring-32

Here is an Amish fellow driving his livestock wagon home from the Mt. Hope auction.  The wagon is empty, so he surely has cash in his pocket.  That meant a good day for him.  But for motorists in Holmes County, this image means something else entirely – seven miles an hour, with two hills coming up in the short distance, and no immediate opportunity to pass.  On Wednesday afternoons around here, you might as well figure on a slow drive.

The post Photos From Ohio’s Amish Country: Spring-32 appeared first on P.L. Gaus.

Photos From Ohio's Amish Country: Spring-32

Here is an Amish fellow driving his livestock wagon home from the Mt. Hope auction.  The wagon is empty, so he surely has cash in his pocket.  That meant a good day for him.  But for motorists in Holmes County, this image means something else entirely - seven miles an hour, with two hills coming up in the short distance, and no immediate opportunity to pass.  On Wednesday afternoons around here, you might as well figure on a slow drive.

Photos From Ohio’s Amish Country: Spring-31

What do you see here?  The horse and buggy, right?  But what else?  This is a store in Holmes County, and like most stores here there is often a horse and buggy parked in front.  It’s so commonplace that we don’t take notice any more.  But there is something else here that is unusual.  Most Americans don’t regularly see it where they live.  It’s the hitching rail.  Throughout Holmes County, the stores have hitching rails in the parking lots.

The post Photos From Ohio’s Amish Country: Spring-31 appeared first on P.L. Gaus.

Photos From Ohio's Amish Country: Spring-31

What do you see here?  The horse and buggy, right?  But what else?  This is a store in Holmes County, and like most stores here there is often a horse and buggy parked in front.  It's so commonplace that we don't take notice any more.  But there is something else here that is unusual.  Most Americans don't regularly see it where they live.  It's the hitching rail.  Throughout Holmes County, the stores have hitching rails in the parking lots.