Friday, September 3, 2010

Good Food - Menno-Hof - Restocking

(Goshen, IN) - It was a more relaxed day.  It felt like the last few days dealing with our refrigerator issues were "work" days, so today was going to be an "off" day.

We had our coffee and headed to Middlebury for breakfast. A few of the RV'ers mentioned a little diner called Middlebury Hill.  It's in a very plain looking building and is hard to find unless you know where it is.  Their breakfast was awesome!  We finally got something besides toast for breakfast.

After breakfast we went back to Shipshewana.  We wanted to go to Menno-Hof, which is across the street from the flea market that we went to last week. Menno-Hof is a non-profit center that provides information about the faith and life of the Amish and Mennonites.  It's done with many exhibits and multi-media displays.  We took the tour, which was guided for some parts, and self-guided for the rest.  Very informative, and very enjoyable!
These are the rooms in a replica of an Amish house, as it would be lived in today.
Amish houses are very sparse, with no electricity or modern conveniences.

Outside is this flower quilt.  There are many locations in the county that have flower gardens arranged to look like quilts.  They call it the "quilt tour."  
 
I grew up in this area and was used to being around Amish people and their way of life. I had a very close Amish friend while in grade school, but never did go their house. It just wasn't allowed.  You see them riding their buggies all over this area.  Usually they're seen one at a time, but today we passed three in a row.
By the time we were finished at Menno-Hof it was time for lunch. We went back to Rise and Roll for a sandwich, and of course a doughnut.   Jim came up with the perfect description for their doughnuts.  He said, "it's like a cloud in your mouth."  They literally melt in your mouth.

On the way back to Goshen we took a short detour to Millersburg, where the Carriage factory is located.  We wanted to check out their "Courtesy Park" for Carriage owners.  It's an RV park behind the factory with about 15 sites with full hook ups.  It's mainly for those who are getting maintenance done at the factory, but anyone who owns a Carriage product can stay there for free.  We were considering staying there for the three days before the rally when we have to leave the fairgrounds.  But we already have our reservations at Elkhart where all our friends will be, so we decided to save the Carriage Courtesy Park for the next time we're in this area.

It was time to get home, but first we stopped at Walmart to resupply the refrigerator of the foods that we lost.  We got our frozen meats that Bob and Molly were keeping in their freezer, so now everything is back to normal.  We can have regular meals at home now.

Here's an example of how area businesses accommodate the Amish.  This is a buggy parking area in the Walmart parking lot.

It only got to around 70 degrees today, and it's going to be real cool tonight, maybe as low at the upper 40's. We shut down our a/c and opened up our windows.  The wind is picking up a bit this evening and we feel a little rocking, but nothing serious.  Tomorrow we're headed back to son Rick's in the Chicago area for the day.  Other son Frank is driving up from St. Louis with Kyle and Kendall, so we'll have a day with both sons and all three grand sons.  What a joy that will be!

6 comments:

Gypsy said...

Have fun in Chicago!

I remember going to Lancaster PA a couple of times, and it is so relaxing to see the horse & buggies ambling along. Life seems to slow down.

Vera said...

Very interesting post and pictures, It's nice to hear that your fridge is back to normal and you can have your home cooked meals again.

Karen and Al said...

I enjoyed the pictures of the Amish house. I noticed the iron and the fact that there was no tv or closets.

Jessica Riker said...

Interesting post! There is a smaller Amish community up near Ogdensburg in upstate NY. You will often see their buggies on the roads up there. LOL Many years ago, I ended up in someone's front yard one day when I was trying to find a strawberry farm and took a wrong turn. I figured out I had gone the wrong way when the road dead-ended and I found myself surrounded by maybe a dozen kids of various ages in dresses and straw hats staring at me in my car! ;)

Sam&Donna Weibel said...

I took a bus group to an Amish town in IL. We toured a farm, and had lunch Amish style in the farm house, if it is a farm, they are allowed a phone but it is not in the house but outside in a little shed, they can also have electricity for milking machines, but they must generate their own with a generator. Kind of weird with what the rest of us are used to. The house we visited had normal water and bathroom facilities. It was a really educational tour. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

GGuncle said...

hi dee & jim, we have a large amish area in western new york ... they are scattered in two counties here. dom

St. Patrick's Day - Council Meeting - Concert

 Shalimar, FL   (Hi  63  Lo 47)    I'VE BEEN ASKED THAT THE FONT IT TOO SMALL. JUST DO A CONTROL +  AND IT WILL ENLARGE. CONTROL   -(min...