the four of us ventured to pennsylvania late july. i have always wanted to visit amish country, so after the thrills of hershey park we headed to lancaster, where the farms were sprawling. there's a lot to be said about these strong people. in most ways, it's a trip back in time. the amish are frozen in time so to speak. their beliefs are simple yet complex and their lifestyle the same. with the rejection of modern convenience, the life they lead consists of constant hard work. they are self sufficient and take pride in their independence from our modern society. i couldn't help but feel calm and serene among the sparse bedrooms or grassroots kitchens and meditative on our buggy ride through the farmland. i have so much respect for their simple ways and focus. even their dress is intriguing. at first, as an artist, i felt there must be very little room for expression, and there is, but it does exist, if you look closely. the quilts are complex and beautiful and their craftsmanship is like no other today. one thing that really hit home was that they limit all education to eighth grade and anyone who pursues further will be shunned from the family. education and knowledge are luxuries to most people of this world and to reject it in a place where it is so openly available and offered is very bold and to me, must feel so utterly and internally frustrating. i cannot imagine knowing that there is so much out there to know and learn but that i cannot tap into this for fear that i will lose my family and community. wow. i found the people to be very pleasant but i couldn't help the feeling i got that they were content and somewhere in the center of happy and sad. that may sound ignorant but i do not mean that in a negative way. i cannot entirely explain it, but what if that is the key to this life - somewhere in the middle...
in contrast to the above (i don't know how else to segway...) some summer indulgences of mine :)
my new little pleasures are keri smith's books that pull you in and nudge you to create and collect and observe and mess around and just do something different. i am really enjoying these fun activities such as, document any natural occuring faces you find on your travels. "life is a scavenger hunt" is the theme to how to be an explorer of the world. doing stuff like this reminds me of my childhood. i still find it hard not to collect things on walks (or on shopping trips) but keri smith gives me an excuse to do so. these pages are fun and liberating for those of you that yearn to create or just escape from the monotony of daily life. some of her other books are wreck this journal and living out loud. check them out!
eden and i made tressa some homemade gifts for her second birthday. i made her a rainbow elephant named "bo." eden tried her hand at embroidery and stitched a little rainbow hanging. i think it's divine.
among my other summer indulgences, such as fresh berries, iced lattes, pie, staying up way too late, wearing my pj's way too long, getting to take a shower every day, wine, movies and time with my 3 fav peeps, i do love these these wild flowers from blue hill farm in blauvelt that i get at the nyack farmer's market on thursdays. they make my day :)
1 comment:
Hi - enjoyed your post today, Melly. Some years ago I read "Plain and Simple" by Sue Bender - it's about a woman who goes to live with the Amish for a year and discovers lots of things about herself. Like you, it does seem unimaginable to me to deprive yourself of education after 8th grade! I'll have to look for the Kerri Smith books. Did she also inspire those beautiful stitching projects!?
Post a Comment