Lancaster Market.

April 28, 2017.

I'm a month behind in blogging, sorry!  There has been so much going on .... but I want to share this with you ....

From reading tourist books, I learned that the Lancaster Farmer's Market has been in operation since 1790 and is the oldest-running Farmer's Market in the country!  Cool.  Okay, Doug, Barbie Tour Director here.  We gotta go.  

The market is currently held three days a week in the beautiful red brick Central Market in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

For years the Amish and other local farmers and producers have been selling their wares and if you're ever anywhere close, please go.  It's a smallish market but the quality is fabulous and the Amish are genuine and friendly and well, ya gotta experience it.

Here, you can buy everything from fruit to flowers, incredible luscious vegetables, whole, freshly skinned rabbits (you know how I feel about rabbits but ...), whole fresh milk, homemade cheese and butter, breads and goat cheese fudge and pies and stuff and everything in between.  Parking is a piece of cake.

I know, I have had a pie problem in the past but I'm conquering it.
No need for intervention, ya'll. I even declined a test taste of this smooth creamy fudge.  Such self control.  Such willpower.  

Because we were traveling, we purchased non-perishable items like lovingly-made preserves, bread, cheese and, uh, a decadent apple pie.  It was a small one.  Don't judge me.  

                      

The Amish vendors make astonishingly beautiful quilts, placemats, etc., all sewn with serene patience and care.  

When I got home I dusted off a fancy yard sale saucer and made an early a.m. snack with black raspberry preserves and I would have been totally embarrassed mortified if anyone had a secret camera on me because the sound of breakfast was well .... think food porn. I've never seen porn but this black raspberry jam does it for me. 



Speaking of which, the tour book suggested a town called Intercourse so OF COURSE I had to drag Doug there! The travel book said "buy postcards there and mail them from nearby Paradise" so seriously, who wouldn't just do that?!  So I totally did it. Like, I mean, I bought a few postcards and mailed them and yeh .... 

I bought some pot holders from a lovely Amish lady, they're truly works of art.  Both my Mum and Doug's Mum were Master Seamstresses (like, Master Gardeners with a sewing machine); they would be thoroughly impressed by the love and care and attention to detail sewn into  these quilted pieces.  I will treasure them forever. These are reminders from the special people who take the time to make the world a more beautiful place.  

You know I'll never use these pot holders, right?  No lasagna splatters are heading their way, ever.  Such special works of art, formed serenely with gentle fingers guided under soft evening light .... memories of days gone by .... 

#amishcountry #lancastermarket #lancastercountypennsylvania

Amish Country: A postcard at every corner.

April 27, 2017.

Ocean City to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Lancaster County, PA.  At every corner, a postcard.  

The pastoral life of the Amish (and Mennonites) is unpretentious, organized, raw, honest and its people are extremely property-proud. Such precious qualities in these fast-advancing times.  These people work from sun-up to sun-down.  They live in Days Gone By.  We stayed here for a few days on our return to Maine and I'd like to share with you some of the million magic moments we experienced.

About 5 minutes into the rural farming community we saw this. Three horses and a mule waiting patiently for the farmer to return to plowing.  That pretty much sums it up for the humble, honest farmers whose steeds stand steadfastly in place, obediently waiting to work.  Discipline and dedication.  That says a lot about the Amish people.  We surmised the farmer went for dinner.

And so did the team.

 

The following morning we toured the side roads and saw five horses and two mules hooked to a plow, 
basking in the sunshine, ready to start their day.

How impressive to witness 

a young woman standing up, ploughing with a team of seven.  

Her dress, apron and bonnet are made by her own hands.

  

I have nothing but admiration for the Amish who work so incredibly hard to create food for their family and the animals who support their farms.  This is a team of nine, turning over the sod in a lush green hayfield:

The Amish people use mostly ex-race horses for transport (they don't generally use cars); some equines are utilized for tourist buggy trips.  These two guys were especially handsome and happy to chat.  I've missed the smell of horse.  And sh** on my shoes.

Look at these lovely heads.

                                       Nobility at it's finest.                                       

This part of PA is a living postcard.

Driving by sights like these Amish children playing in a schoolyard at an Amish School, it's impossible not give yourself whiplash, there's so much to take in:

Manicured fields.

A simple, pastoral life.

Driving by, we saw this team hauling a hay baler, making round bales.  Usually a job for a large tractor, these mules have it covered.

As does this mixed team.

We saw many Amish on these cool scooters.

On every road there are horse-drawn buggies.

(Mennonite buggies are black, Amish buggies are gray).

This area has been on my Bucket List for decades.

It was Heaven to spend a few days to soak it all in.

I took these photos one evening from the parking lot of our hotel.

Such a peaceful few moments .... a day in the life .... 

I watched the farmer and his helper unhitch this horse from a team of seven; they'd been plowing all afternoon.

The Chosen One.  

We're pretty darned thankful we had the opportunity to see this.

We will go back.

#lancasterpennsylvania #amishcountryinthe spring #mulesandhorsesploughing #mulesandhorseshaulingjohndeerbaler #amoresimplepastorallife #amishlife #pennsylvaniaamish

Ocean City Part 2.

April 26 - 27, 2017.

The beach and Boardwalk in Ocean City 

is as ever-changing as the tide.

No trip to the Boardwalk is complete without some 

famous Thrasher's French Fries.

These two became friends 

once the Bulldog realized Zu was not a threat.

She gets this "What the Hell is That?" look often.

She's used to it.

My Dad used to say "You wear your feelings on your face".

Yup.

We had some good runs on the beach.

Zuma loved the freedom.

The mist of the sea made for an eerie atmosphere.

We loved our quiet time with sand underfoot and a crashing ocean.
Peace and Craziness and Harmony.
That pretty much sums it up.

Ocean City Revisited.

April 25 - 27, 2017.

Ocean City, MD.


Ocean City was pretty much just as we left it over a year ago.  Phew.  Thank Gawd. 
Great energy, all positive.  
Clean, uncluttered, welcoming and friendly.  We had a great three days there.  Off Season/  It's The Best.  
We watched for Zuma's reaction to a familiar place that she knew so well a year + ago and she was clearly elated to be back in OC.  She got on a big ole sniff in the parking lot (we went to our usual parking space) and immediately her tail went into reckless abandon mode smashing furiously into the car and it was obvious that she recognized the hotel, the elevator, the stairs and the smell of the sea.  It was dangerous to be in the elevator.  That tail is a weapon when in full swing.  By the time we dumped our bags in the hotel room and trotted to the Boardwalk she was over the moon 
and played with me on the beach like a puppy.  
No rules.  Just jump around and be a total puppy goofball.

 

I always like to try something new but with the rain and the transition, Doug and I agreed we needed comfort food so we had a nice dinner at the across-the-road-from-the-hotel Italian place. Remember The Kissing Chef?  Yep.  He's still got it going' on and he's still puckerin' up.  Handsome and charming as ever.  What a great character.  The staff (who likely had no idea we ate there a bunch of times a year ago) sincerely greeted us like we were family and the food was fantastic.  Ristorante Antipasti.  Food for the SOUL.  A warm welcome is what a traveler needs more than food. But freshly hand-made pasta and sauce created with warmth and love nourishes a weary body, mind and soul.  You can taste the love.  Plus, the staff occasionally bursts into song and they're pretty darned talented.  It's a great night out.

For three days we toured around the area, walked the Boardwalk and strolled around the shops; Zuma loved meeting new people and K-9s.  We connected with old friends we met over a year ago who still remembered her (not us, but her, they knew her by name.  We are invisible.  Love it).  She sniffed us into old haunts and wagged her tail endlessly when she met up with people she remembered.  It was awesome. I love this dawg.  She has no clue that her chops are all over FB.  She's just so humble, she doesn't mind.  She loves everybody and that's why she is such a Scooby Doo Dork of a Dawg and why we love hangin' out with her.

In the drizzly early mornings there were few tourists/joggers/dog walkers so we got in our 5 miles a day and it felt fantastic to return to our fitness binge (i.e., no more chips and dip on the couch).

  
One morning we saw this pair of helicopters flying in unison:

another morning we stood and oogled these kites 
being flown by a local Kite Flying Club.

If you have the need for a "feel good" minute in your life, check this out, you will pass this on to friends, it's amazing.  Be sure to watch it until the end and I challenge you to keep your mouth closed throughout the entire video because you can't do it.  I least I can't.  The winner of this challenge receives a free all-expenses-paid 2 week vacation to Fiji.  Nah, I'm messin' with ya.  But check it out!  This 80+ year old man is deaf and flies kites like you've never seen. Clamp your jaw shut.  I dare ya.  

Go on, then, make a cuppa .... you'll thank me.
This is ROMANCING THE WIND.  

   https://vimeo.com/4121199

You're welcome.  Didn't that make your day?!  
Iiiii know!  Well worth a simple wrist twist to cut and paste, huh?!

  

#romancingthewind

#oceancityinapril2017  #amazingpeopleontheboardalkinoceancity #bestitalianrestaurantoceancity  #travelingwithagreatdanedog #ontheroadwithzuma  #kiteflyingoceancity #boardwalkoceancity #awesomepeopleoceancity