the food

Our first memorable food stop was here in Lancaster County. Love the way the Pennsylvania Dutch cook. According to our tour guide it is not technically PA Dutch, but PA Deutsch. Which explains why the Amish speak German. I never could figure that out.

Hard to describe because it was smorgasbord and I think I ate a little of everything. It was all good. All good.

In New York City, we stopped here for lunch. We were very surprised to find Amish in New York City too. Read the reviews, I totally agree! My sandwich was fantastic. Wonderful combination of flavors, both sweet, tangy and sour. Honey glazed turkey slices with Jarlsberg cheese, honey mustard and coleslaw on whole wheat sourdough bread. I wonder if they deliver?

Supper was kind of up for grabs. We had tried to make the 4:00 train to Port Jervis, but missed it by about 10 minutes. So, we found ourselves in Hoboken, New Jersey with two hours to kill. Mom was a trooper the whole day. She is scheduled for knee replacement surgery in October, but willingly and uncomplainingly tromped up and down New York streets and stairs.

Once in Hoboken, we had to walk again. This time 3 blocks and we stopped at about the first place we saw. Mexican. I had the best quesadilla I've ever had. Grilled chicken on it, enough but not too much cheese. Either it was very yummy or I was very starving. Or both.

AR fed us very well, too. I loved her broccoli casserole. I think it goes something like this:

Broccoli-Corn Bake

1 16 oz. cream style corn

1 10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli cooked and well drained

1 egg, beaten

1/2 C. coarsely crumbled Ritz Crackers (about 12 crackers)

2 T. butter, melted

1/4 C. chopped onion

1/4 tsp. salt and pepper

1/4 C, coarsely crumbled Ritz crackers (about 5)

1 T. butter

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl and mix thoroughly. Seaason with salt and pepper. Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl and sprinkle evenly over top. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes.

All this talk of food has me hungry. There are some blueberry pancakes in the kitchen with my name on them. Have a great day everyone!

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.
Psalm 34:8

country bumpkin in the city

I sat in the subway and thought about this.

I walked over a steam vent and thought about this.

I walked under a construction crane and thought about this.

I know that as a tourist, gawking at the sights of the city, I was probably an obvious target for pickpockets.

But I didn't dwell on any of these potentially dangerous scenarios. I fully enjoyed the day - soaking in everything I could.

I need to remember to do that every day - not just on vacation. To not be afraid for what the future holds, but to enjoy every moment to the fullest.

Can I get an amen?

Isa 41:10:

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

underground to ground zero

After debarking from the train at Hoboken, NJ, we began negotiating the unfamiliar maze of the NYC subway system. And we did it pretty well. Our first subway train was labeled 'World Trade Center. '



Only the World Trade Center isn't there anymore.



When we got off the subway we entered the streets of New York City. I had heard that the empty space where the World Trade Center once stood, now known as Ground Zero, was a very emotional/spiritual place. I had no sense of that as we stood next to what is now a busy construction site. Huge earth moving machines and large cranes and trucks and people in hard hats fill the area where once the imposing twin towers stood.



The emotions came later as we entered this place.



Remberances of that day: September 11, 2001; pictures of loved ones lost; tales of survivors and workers and family members left behind, filled the World Trade Center tribute. Boxes of tissues were scattered around. I carried a lump in my throat throughout the tour. Tears threatened to spill over onto my cheeks as I considered, now up close and personal, the events of that day.



Quilts, tiles, cards, letters and pictures from children across the world were displayed on the walls. The events of this day affected the whole world, which by in large, responded with sympathy. It was strange to hear a nearby parent explaining the events to their 10 or 11 year old daughter. Is it possible that there are now people who have no memory of that tragic day? It seems like it happened yesterday.



One of the audio accounts of an eye witness (a worker for the Dept. of Transportation) described the events and gave her perception of how New York changed that day. My perceptions of New York stem from this horrible story, which occurred during my childhood. I remember her name to this day. Kitty Genovese. New Yorkers, according to this worker for the transportation system, no longer have the attitude that 'it is none of my business'. They now, generally speaking, look out for one another. Signs all over the city encourage passers-by to report suspicious activity.



Through the course of the day, we had to ask for directions several times. On each occassion people were very friendly and helpful. Not the big, scary city I was expecting. Instead a city united by grief and resolved to do what can be done to insure that this never happens again.



Later that day, after we had taken our last subway ride, we were sitting at a Mexican restaurant in Hoboken. The food was the best Mexican food I had ever had. We sat in close proximty to a couple about my age.



I mentioned something about the World Trade Center Tribute Center to Mom and Dad during our dinner. The couple on my right did not speak for the rest of their dinner. I wondered, Had they lost a loved one that day? Had they been there? Had my casual comment brought their grief to the surface, grief that they had carefully put away for an evening so they could enjoy a dinner out?



I'll never know.

jes' chicken in

taken at Amish Farm and Home

Got a busy mornin'. I'll return with some bloggy blabberin' this afternoon.

Hawk's Nest and home

One of my earliest memories of going to my Grandma and Grandpa's house includes the scary ride over the winding Hawk's Nest portion of Route 97. This road is often featured in car commercials because of its beauty and because the 1000 foot drop off to the Delaware River makes it easy for scenes to be shot from a helicopter. It is gorgeous and filled with blind curves. It seemed to a young me that my dad was driving way too fast and the short rock wall which lines the highway would not be enough to keep us from plummeting over the edge. We made it though, every year and finally this time I got to travel over it again for the first time in 18 years. The last time I was on this road was for my grandmother's funeral procession. See another picture here.

Passing that road meant that Grandma and Grandpa's house was not far away. Now, Grandma and Grandpa are gone, the house has changed hands and appearance. Suzi, the old tree is gone, the tree with the homemade swing that kept us occupied for hours. We have our memories, though, don't we?

It was so good to see my aunt again (AR). Apparently we came a day earlier than she expected, but she welcomed us with open arms and fed us like royalty. Over the course of our time there we enjoyed spaghetti and meatballs, New England boiled dinner, stuffed peppers, broccoli casserole, and breaded pork chops - from a pig raised on the farm where my cousin works. Everything was delicious.

AR and I spent a little time singing together. I played the organ and we warbled in unison on several songs. She patiently answered my questions about family history and drove us all over the county showing us where different family members live or lived. We also spent time in the cemetery. Remembering, missing and reminiscing.

She showed me some of the sewing projects she is working on. I'm energized now to get that quilt of mine done.

My cousin George took me for a ride in his very cool restored Model A. Now that was fun. The rest of the time he and Dad talked about rocks and trucks and gas lines and big machinery and nuclear reactors. I was way out of my league.

My cousin Darlene very generously shared information with me about how to study your family's genealogy. She gave me all kinds of interesting websites to look at, showed me the notebook she has compiled of her side of the family and generally inspired me to work at finally getting everything in order for Pat's side of the family. Thanks, Darlene!

And my cousin Loie, closest in age to me came down to see us. We spent many happy childhood hours playing together at her house and out in the field next to Grandma and Grandpa's. She helps operate a farm stand, now that she is retired from teaching, and does all the things I would love to do -pick, plant, raise animals, preserve food. The years melted away as she and I spent part of one afternoon walking and talking. Our lives have taken very different paths, but the family ties and the love for one another remains strong.

The time went by all too quickly. The happy memories of my childhood have been reinforced and compounded by a very lovely visit. I want to visit again before another 18 years flies by.

Lancaster County, PA

Our time in Lancaster County went by all too quickly. As anxious as I was to get up to New York to see family, I wanted to also soak in and savor all the sights of this beautiful area.

Now, not all of Lancaster County is beautiful. In fact as Mom and Dad's GPS system took us through some of the seedier parts of town, I was surprised. 'Jane', Mom and Dad's nickname for the GPS, was later relegated to the trunk.

Another surprising thing was how commercial Lancaster County was. Never having been there before, I really didn't know what to expect, but I wasn't expecting a large outlet mall, a theme park (mini golfing, water park etc), nor did I expect the Amish house and farm that we toured to be right next, I mean right next - a literal stone's throw- to a Target and Panera. But they were.

To see the real Amish countryside, you need to get off the beaten track. And of course, there are bus tours that will take you To See Where The Real Amish Live and Work! You know us, we would not fork over good money for that sort of thing. We took off for the countryside ourselves.

And we were not disappointed. We were driving through at about eight o'clock in the morning and already, laundry filled the clothes lines. At almost every home. Black pants, blue shirts for the men, black dresses and different colored blouses for the women.

Did you know that the Amish are not allowed to wear red, orange or bright yellow? These colors call too much attention to one self, which is not allowed. Humility is enforced.

The houses we drove past were fairly close to the road. Neat gardens surrounded the houses. Beautiful flowers. Orderly lines of laundry. Men working the fields with horses. A little barefoot boy on a scooter going as fast as he could (bikes are not allowed). A grandmother with a grandchild pulled up to the stop sign in a horse and buggy. I was charmed and enthralled.

One things I appreciate about the Amish is the deliberate way they live. They make their decisions about what technology they allow into their community very thoughtfully. If having a certain thing will detract from family life or promote the individual or encourage pride; it is not allowed.

One surprising thing: one of the main cash crops in Lancaster County is tobacco. And the Amish have no restrictions on smoking the stuff themselves. There is nothing in the Bible that says 'thou shalt not smoke', so they do permit it.

We ate at a restaurant that served a smorgasbord of Amish food. The family that ran this particular restaurant was formerly Amish and many of the servers were young Amish girls. The food was mouth wateringly delicious. All three of us ate too much.

Once again, I had a delightful time. If you can get to Lancaster County, I highly recommend you do so. But don't settle for the main stream tours. Get off the beaten track and see the countryside.

(I do recommend this, though.)

something is Amish

If you were looking for the tour of the Amish House and Farm where would you look?

Next to the Target and Panera Bread, right?

No? Then you would be wrong because that is exactly where we found it. I'm sure the Amish family who built the place never in their wildest dreams imagined that someday it would be on a busy highway next to an even busier shopping area.

Nor could they have imagined that there would be a sign in their bedroom saying, "Be kind to thy neighbor and turn off thy cell phone."

We thorougly enjoyed the tour. It was pretty easy to ignore the Target next door after we went into the house and back into the 1800's.

Here is an interesting article about the Amish.

course correction

The nice thing about flying by the seat of your pants is that you make mid stream course changes (sorry about the mixed metaphor).

Natural Bridges turned out to be a disappointing Tourist Trap. With two capital t's. I'm sure the

rock formations are quite beautiful, since God made them. But man came in and added a:

Wax Museum!

Gift Shop! (the size of a small mall)

Drive Through Zoo!

Get Your Picture taken with the Baby Tigers! (while you are driving through?)

We kept the exorbitant admission fee in our own pockets and kept driving. I guess we are too accustomed to the Great Smoky National Forest and the Nicolet National Forest where you can see God's creation for free (or a small donation).

We are leaving the beautiful state of Virginia shortly and will be heading for Lancaster County, PA.

Amish Country.