Holmes County Ohio

While in Holmes County, Ohio, Mrs. Yoder’s was recommended to us for a meal so we stopped here for lunch breaking up our country drive. The food was plentiful and at a good price. Many locals were eating here rather than tourists.

A fun fall display at Troyer Country Market. “The foods in our Amish Wedding line originate from time-tested Amish recipes and have out-of-this-world flavor,” Vogt said. “The Amish Wedding line is all about foods that are naturally good with clean-label ingredients. Read the ingredient list on our jars, it’s what you don’t see on the label that proves what’s really good inside.”

Linking up to signs, signs with Lesley and to Good Fences with TexWisGirl.

We came home from Eastern Washington yesterday. It was a 5-1/2 hour drive and

today we have been working at filling up some yard waste bins with the leaves that fell while we were gone.

Do you have to rake leaves? Dear used a leaf blower that sucks up and mulches the leaves. It’s noisy but it gets the job done. We aren’t done with leaves yet because more will fall from the maple, apple tree and pear tree.

Ohio

O is for Ohio. I have an abundance of photos taken while in Amish/Mennonite country in Ohio and Indiana. The sights we saw were otherworldly and original for us. You could hear me exclaim “oh my goodness, look at that!” Also, “oh my, look at all that pie”.

Other sights that made us look more than once.

Oink, Oink!

The schoolyards so very different from our experience.

Our room was outstanding too with lots of square footage and nice outside views.

The clip clop of the horse drawn buggies was the highlight in this part of Ohio and in Indiana.

Linking up to ABC Wednesday started by Mrs. Nesbitt and administered by Roger and the great ABC team!

We’re traveling today and unable to be online to see all your October posts. I’ll be back online soon.

City of Murals

In late September when traveling from Shipshewana Indiana to Sugarcreek Ohio we stopped briefly in Ligonier, Indiana.

The murals all depict historical places, businesses, and events. No tax money has been used for the murals. All money and time has been donated by local foundations, individuals, businesses, and industries, even to the bronze plaques on each mural.

Mier Carriage

Tyler Tank Oil Company

Mier Car

Blazed Trail Garage

Ligonier 1835. (I took this one from our moving car)

There are now a total of 31 murals. Artists have been chosen from Bronson, Mich.; Winona Lake, Ind.; Goshen, Ind.; Butternut, Wis.; Kendallville, Ind.; and Albion, Ind. from the Dept. of Corrections at Chain O’ Lakes State Park.

It would have been fun to go on a hunt to spot all 31 but we were in a time crunch to get to our destination for the night. They offer a map on the city web page showing where the murals are located.

I’m linking up to Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo.

Hope your Monday is going well.

A Church in a Barn…

When were were driving the Heritage Trail on a Sunday in Indiana it didn’t take us long to figure out that there was a church gathering happening in a room in this barn.

All the horses were unhitched from their buggies.

At one point a fussy little one had to be taken out to the buggy for something to soothe the tears.

I’m linking up to…

InSPIREd Sunday with Beth and Sally and

The Barn Collective with Tom The Backroads Traveller.

We are in the country again this weekend in Northeastern Washington State. The guys are working on finishing up a staircase project while us girls are walking and enjoying other things. The big storm that was suppose to hit the Western part of our state fizzled out. That’s okay by us. Hope your weekend is filled with peace.

Holy Spirit, Truth Divine ~ Hymn

Holy Spirit, Truth Divine

Holy Spirit, truth divine,
Dawn upon this soul of mine;
Word of God and inward light
Wake my spirit, clear my sight.

Holy Spirit, love divine,
Glow within this heart of mine;
Kindle every high desire;
Perish self in Thy pure fire.

Holy Spirit, power divine
Fill and nerve this will of mine;
Grant that I may strongly live,
Bravely bear, and nobly strive.

Holy Spirit, right divine,
King within my conscience reign;
Be my Lord, and I shall be
Firmly bound, forever free.

Holy Spirit, peace divine,
Still this restless heart of mine;
Speak to calm this tossing sea,
Stayed in Thy tranquility.

Holy Spirit, joy divine,
Gladden Thou this heart of mine;
In the desert ways I sing,
Spring, O well, forever spring.

Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Now my foul revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Words: Samuel Longfellow

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24 (KJV)

Escape from Seattle…

…to the country.

We were greeted by many country creatures upon our arrival.

We’ll be busy being country mice for a few days. I will get caught up with bloggy world here and there. Meanwhile back on the other side of the Cascades these warnings are being issued.

The latest look at the forecast models this morning shows they are still calling for a major windstorm this evening and tonight. This morning would be a good time to do your final preparations in case the power goes out in your area.

Right now a powerful low pressure center carrying the remnants of Typhoon Songda is off the Oregon coast. It’s expected to track inland across the Washington coast into southern British Columbia — a text book scenario to a damaging wind storm in Western Washington.

We have our home prepared and people in place to watch and let us know what’s going on…

Five More in Fall

When we (the MGCC Girls) were in Ohio our publishers brought each of us a gift of these great totes from Lands End with a personalized logo. My bag is hanging on one of our dining room chairs.

Some of the girls were at the airport together in Chicago on their way home and had a photo shoot with our new bags. I stole this photo!

When we were at a book signing at The Gospel Shop in Sugarcreek , Ohio it was fun to see our book in the new release section of the bookstore.

We had a few nice days without rain this week in the Seattle area so Dear and I took a drive to see if we could see some nice fall colors. This road above is off of Highway 20, the North Cascades Highway, near Concrete, Washington.

This week I posted this great cucumber salsa inspired by my daughter in law. You can find the easy recipe by clicking here.

We are always on the lookout for a good burger spot and we found one this past week close to home. This restaurant is called the Tipsy Cow. Good brews and good burgers.

Thankful for Bags, Books, Drives, Salsa, and a good burger.

Last night I had some bonus time with half of our kids. We went to a Sounders Soccer game together and were able to talk and get caught up. It had been awhile that we could see each other face to face with all of us going hither and yon. For the next few days Dear and I will be spending time with two more of our kids, doubly thankful.

Linking up with Foodie Friday and Everything Else at Rattlebridge Farm, Five on Friday at Love Made My Home and Friday’s Fave Five at Living to Tell the Story.

Dear bloggy friends, I’ll be late coming around today as we are traveling across the mountains to our son and daughter in love’s home. See you tonight or early tomorrow morning….

Shipshe Flea Market Signs

When we were in Shipshewana we spent some time at the Flea Market and saw these signs and other merchandise.

The Time Out chairs cracked me up.

“I had a Fit Now I gotta sit” and Time Out ~ “Have Mercy on me O Lord For I’m in Trouble”

There were lots of items I wanted to bring home with me but alas my suitcase wasn’t the size of a pick-up truck.

I bought this Celebrations sign with discs and hearts to add for our family birthdays and anniversaries.

We are being threatened with a mighty wind storm and lots of rain to blow through our region. We have been busy “battening down the hatches” at this old house. We’ve mowed and cleaned out the planters and soon we’ll have more leaves to deal with because of the mighty winds. Hopefully we won’t lose power. Hope y’all are enjoying Fall!

Linking up with Lesley at signs, signs.

Wednesday Washday in Amish Country

I don’t know if every Wednesday is washday but on this particular Wednesday as we drove the country roads we spotted many wash lines filled with clothing drying in the wind. This area has a large population of both Amish and Mennonite folk.

ON A WINDY WASH DAY MORN

Soaked and scrubbed in a round tin tub
with homemade soap
up and down the ribs of a wooden washboard
by hands rubbed red & raw
on a windy wash day morn.

Stiffened with starch, squeezed
and wrung to a twisted laundry rope
then hung on lines to flap
back and forth and snap dry
on a windy wash day morn.

Laid on the lawn like paper cutouts
clean shirts and sheets, towels and skirts
smelling of sun and clouds and wind
wait to be ironed and worn and dirtied
again for another wash day morn.

~ Brenda Seabrooke, American poet and novelist