By Kevin Williams
VERMONT AMISH: Â The Amish quietly "sneaked" into Vermont last year and planted roots. Â The only surprise, from my standpoint, is that their arrival took so long. Â Northern New York has a very robust and growing Amish population and nearby rural Vermont seemed like a logical next place. Â Sounds like their presence is expanding and local officials are grappling with how to ensure everyone's safety on the narrow, dark, winding roads. Â This sort of hand-wringing and adjustment period is quite common in areas where the Amish are new arrivals. Â This is a pretty good article about them and gives good insight into Vermont's new Amish community. Â They are, it seems, comprised of Swartzentruber Amish. Â Read more here.
MAINE AMISH: Â The Amish community at Whitefield, Maine has taken root over the past year, this makes it the southern most settlement in the state. Â It's been interesting to watch the "Amish wave" wash over Maine. Â The community's pop up and usually stay small. Â One church district and then they'll subdivide and plant a church elsewhere in the state. Â Counting Whitefield, according to my tally, there are now 5 Amish communities in Maine with the others being Patten, Fort Fairfield, Unity, and Smyrna. Â Â There is a Plain church in Corinna. Â Click here to read how those around Whitefield are adjusting to their new neighbors.
AN AMISH QUILT OF COMPASSION: Â And while we are on the topic of Whitefield, Maine....This is an interesting story that highlights an incredible streak of compassion among the Amish. Â A group of Amish in New York selflessly made this quilt as a memorial to a grieving mother in Maine. Â The Amish are such a large, diverse group that they are tough to "pigeonhole", I've seen this type of tender, no-strings-attached compassion in groups of Amish, while others in other communities have a general aloofness. Â But this is a good story, click here to read.
FARMERS MARKET IN WICHITA: Â By the way, the town is pronounced "Which-ih-tah." Â I heard a funny story from a friend about an airline employee who announced a flight over the intercom as being non-stop "from Dallas to Whicheeta." Â Ha, but she didn't last long on the job. Â I've passed through Wichita several times over the years and always regretted I didn't have more time to explore, it seems like a very vibrant urban oasis in the middle of Kansas. Â Click here to read about a farmers market in town and the Plain presence there.
Caption: Â Deviled Eggs photo by Gretchen MacKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
DEVILED EGGS WITH A TWIST: Â What to do with all the leftover hard-boiled eggs from Easter. Â I just sprinkle them with salt and enjoy, but you can make deviled eggs, but not just any ol' deviled eggs. Take a look at THIS recipe!
AMISH SEWAGE STINK: Â Amish in an ultraconservative southeast Minnesota community are fighting local sewage laws. Â Click here for the latest.
SARA MILLER'S AMISH CORNER: Â What a wonderful column this is in the tiny Geauga Maple Leaf. Â This is an Amish woman that writes a bi-monthly feature for the local paper and she just does a superb job. Â She's one of the best Amish writers in terms of delivering a authentic slice of Amish life to readers.
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