Visiting Amish Country

Sunshine, Amish buggies and quilt shops - shared with a best friend, who could ask for more!  Thursday was great, considering that there was snow on Wednesday.  The sky was a bright blue and the temperatures were well into the 60's.  I met Barbie at Dover and we drove on down to Berlin to quilt shop hop.  As usual, we were sidetracked by the flea market, but managed to get out in under an hour.  Below is the view from the parking lot; Barbie is looking over the rolling southern Ohio hills.

Right down the road we came to Gramma Fannie's Quilt Barn.  Oh, joy!  I took pictures of a quilt that Barb is working on.  She bought the material and pattern from the shop, so they let me take a picture.

Snake River Quilt

Shop, shop, shop then on through Berlin and out to the little town of Charm.  Our next favorite quilt shop is Miller's Dry Goods.  I found the Minkee fabrics there, but didn't buy any - yet.  That fabric is so soft and now I know where to find it.  I love the atmosphere in Miller's.  It has old boards on the floor that creak when you walk around the store.  They are remodeling an old house close by - where you see the white trucks - to have quilt retreats and we can't wait!  Here is the link to their shop:  http://www.millersdrygoods.com/

Now we are starving and Barb knows of a nice little restaurant just up the road from Miller's.  It is built in the fashion of a Swiss Chalet; in fact it is called the "Chalet in the Valley" - very charming.   We enjoyed a nice lunch and of course I took some pictures.  ☺

After lunch we were ready to roll again.  We didn't get too far until we found Hershberger's market and some new photo opportunities.  I am very partial to clothesline pictures because it takes me back to my childhood when my mom always hung up clothes in the back yard.  We didn't have this high-tech, pully clothesline though . . . or better known as the drier in the sky.

The market had the biggest jelly rolls in the world, but we were too full to indulge.  We did see some Amish work horses, in fact a team of four across, at the market.   Horses and buggies share the road and you always have to be aware that you might come up behind some slow moving vehicles.

As all good days do, this one had to end too.  I am truly blessed to have a friend like Barbie.  We have been best friends since we were both kids and I'm not telling how long that has been.  We have traveled many miles together.  It is so true that . . . "A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same."  ~Elbert Hubbard