In my childhood home, there needed to be a utilitarian reason for everything I did. When I walked two, three, or five miles on a Sunday morning, it was a means of transportation to a church service. Then on Sunday afternoons it was necessary to walk the same distance to return home. On weekdays I’d sometimes walk to someone’s home […]
Why Couldn’t It Have Been Something Useful? Read More »
Many people have asked me what I see as the challenges for cultural survival of the Amish. Most people first think about technology creeping into their culture as being a major threat. While that is undoubtedly one of the challenges they face, I believe their concentrated gene pool poses a greater threat to their cultural survival. I have written blog
The Amish tend to migrate to new areas when their “mother” settlements become overcrowded (the Amish definition of this is different from what most consider overcrowded). Normally “scouts” (men from the mother community) go looking for suitable farmland in new places. Eventually they will settle down in an area, and hope other Amish will follow. This is the case of
New Amish Settlements in Prince Edward Island and Manitoba, Canada Read More »
Sometimes we discover something just at the right time to give us that “AHA!” moment. This happened the day after I wrote that last blog post. I was reading the book Nature and the Environment in Amish Life by David McConnell and Marilyn Loveless. I’ve mentioned their study in an earlier post. I will be coming back to more about
When Amish Horse and Buggies Share the Road with Bicyclists and Pedestrians Read More »
I have set up Google so that it alerts me to anything in the news that comes up with the word “Amish” in it. I cringe at how many news stories are about vehicular accidents involving Amish buggies. The latest one I read about happened in Minnesota last Friday. Before that there was a hit and run accident in Holmes
When Cars and Buggies Share the Road Read More »
I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving. My prayers are with those holiday travelers who may be experiencing inclement weather. David and I had a quiet and reflective Thanksgiving between the two of us. We look forward to Christmas when our sons will both be joining us for the holiday, along with Tim’s girlfriend, Niina. I am still struggling
An Amish Homespun Art Read More »
