Amish – Where the Dutch Ovens Roam

Old Church in Canton, MN started in 1856 Original Flag with 44 stars

The Farmer and I had a few final days in Iowa before returning to the prairie home. We did some tourist things. We went to see the Lidtke Mill in Northern Iowa and took a different road on North in Minnesota. We were met by hundreds of old tractors on the road. They must have been having an old tractor show someplace close as they were driving these old tractors. It was fun for the Farmer and I to get to see all these restored old iron relics.

“We travel, not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”
-Unknown

In Lanesboro, MN we had signed up for an Amish tour. The town of Lanesboro was packed that weekend but we found our tour departure and were on our way. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the area and the history of the Amish folks who had moved to this part of Minnesota in the 1970’s from Pennsylvania. We visited a quilters home and even though it was afternoon it was dark in the home with no electricity. I love to quilt but need to have many lights on. I did see that her treadle machine was set right in front of the window. She had made some lovely quilts. We visited a furniture shop, bakery, and basket shop. The Farmer has been looking for a nice narrow belt but narrow doesn’t seem to be in style. He found a handmade one at one of the Amish shops.

The farmer’s wife kept her eye open for quilt shops. We were able to find a few and she bought some more fabric that is just crying out for use. It brings her joy just looking at these fabrics. The quilt store in Osage, IA is her favorite. The quilt store closest to her home just closed. This was seen as such a tragedy. Fabric and quilting are the answer. I don’t care what the question is.

“Wondering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and universe.”
-Anatole France

The Farmer loves his barn pictures, so we spent some hours looking for just the right photos before we prepared to travel home. There was some wonderful prayer time with the other SOWER friends as they left for some time with grandkids and a new SOWER project, and prayer time with director Brian as he and his family moved to Texas and with Sarah, the interim director of the camp.

It was difficult to leave this beautiful place with precious new friends but many new adventures awaited us at home. The farmer’s wife was scheduled to speak on salvation at a women’s retreat closer to home and we had agreed to read 1 Samuel outside and out loud in Gove County. So, the journey had to begin.

Back roads and scenic byways, were the order for the trip home. We made it to Genoa, NE the first night and camped in their city park with full hookups for $10.00. We got an early start the next morning and planned to see our prairie home by afternoon. We were detoured off of the highway due to an accident onto a country road. Three semis were in the lead. One semi made it through but the other two were too tall for the railroad bridge that we came upon. It took some time but the semis were able to move over and let us through. They were going to have to back out that last mile.

Home looked so good. Now to clean the camper and put it away until the next adventure.

I was privileged to meet Ella yesterday on our drive west of Hazleton, Iowa. We went in search of barns that needed their pictures taken. The farmer/windmill man and I love old barns and windmills. When our children were young they helped their dad work on windmills. When we traveled we didn’t play the usual car games like I Spy or Alphabet sign games. We played what kind of windmill was that? Was that windmill a Dempster, Aeromotor, Monitor, or Fairbury or Woodmanse? The children were experts at this game. The windmill man and I still play this game as we travel and we reminisce of times when we had the four children along with us. It’s a lot quieter in the car now. It was our day off as retired folks only have a four day work week with this SOWER group.

Round Brick Barn and Windmill on Amish Farm

As we traveled west of Hazleton, IA we discovered we were in an Amish neighborhood. A community auction was just completed and horses and buggies were everywhere. The farm homes were beautiful and huge! The clothes on the lines were impressive. Some of the clotheslines went to the top of the barns. There were large barns and we even saw a round barn.

We saw farmers mowing hay with horses and several others were cultivating the corn. Children were working in the gardens and helping around the farmstead. Of course an Amish bakery was discovered and rhubarb pie, cinnamon rolls, and jams and jellies were relished. After enjoying some delicacies and getting filled with sugar we headed south.

There is where we saw a sign for “Quilts, Crafts and More”. The farmer was instructed by his bride quickly to turn in. As we pulled into the drive a beautiful lady with gray hair was walking over from the nearby house. Two dogs were in the lead though. As Ella led me into her quilt sanctuary, my breath was taken away by her lovely quilts. Gorgeous colors and perfect stitches. Her machine was a trusty treadle machine. No electricity here to take away the quiet, contemplative nature of the place. Aprons, pot holders, painted saw blades, and other crafts were readily available. Ella and her husband were unable to have children but they have lots of neices and nephews to spoil. Her grandparents were from Yoder, KS. She sends her quilts to Yoder for their big quilt auctions. She would love to visit Yoder some day. It would be a long trip to Kansas by horse and buggy.

I remember my dad talking about the long trip from Quinter to WaKeeney with his grandpa. The trip was made by wagon. Oh the visits they had as they traveled that way. No time for ipods, ipads, video games; only talk. Grandpa’s had lots of stories to tell their grandsons. And grandsons had time to listen.

My short visit with Ella, the quilter made me reflect on the noise of our society. What if we sang our own praises to our God instead of turning on the radio? What if the TV was off and birds could be heard singing? How about shutting off the news in this world gone wrong and enjoying peace? I feel the stress of this world lifting when I still my heart and listen to the still, small voice of my God. Not even the sound of an electric fan or motor but the birds and His creation. I wonder if Ella would let me stay?

Be still and know that I am God!
Psalms 46:10

Tag: Amish

Final Fling in Iowa

Ella, Amish Quilter