An Amish August

 There are many things recently that I have intended to blog about. Numerous blog posts have been composed in my brain and stayed there, best intentions thwarted by baking schedules, wedding cake deliveries, homeschool classes, mile-long To Do lists and simple fatigue. I have files full of photos that would kick start a few blog posts if only I had the time or energy to write them.

Photos like this one, taken on our the visit to Michigan that I made with Samuel and Peter. I stayed for a week to spend time with my daughter, her husband and our special grandsons. After I left, Sam and Peter stayed for the whole month of August. They had lots of time to bond with their nephews, help their sister with garden chores and live the lives of true country boys in a community that still farms and savors the long summer days. They spent time with family but also experienced the unique opportunity of taking part in the activities of the local Amish community.

 

This was the first day that the boys got to tag along with the Amish neighbors who were putting up loads of freshly cut hay. Notice that Sam and Peter are on the back of the hay wagon, feeling awkward and out of place. They were anxious to participate in the exercise of bringing in the hay in the old fashioned way, but they weren't too sure how to make friends with these odd folks.

It didn't take long though, for them to make friends. Here they are with their new best buddies, Jacob and Jonathan. These two Amish farm boys showed our boys how to get the most out of summer- fishing in the creek, riding horses, catching horse flies, eating home-made ice cream, swimming in the pond and playing in the hay mow. They made a lifetime of memories in one long summer month.

I think the Amish were a bit surprised to get to know "English" boys that were so eager and able to work. Sam and Peter were at the farm nearly every day to milk the cows and help with whatever chores that needed to be done. True friendships were forged and they had a bittersweet parting when it was time to leave for home. There were promises to write letters and plan phone calls (Amish boys are allowed to use the neighbor's phones to call friends).

The night before the boys left for home, their Amish friends paid them one last visit of farewell and presented them with shirts that Jacob's sisters and mother had made for them. Now they're hoping for straw hats and suspenders too so they can be stylin' at the next barnraising.