By Kevin Williams
I've been spending many Thursday evenings this summer at Chrisholm Historic Amish Farmstead south of Trenton, Ohio. The farmstead is part of the Butler County, Ohio MetroParks and they have weekly nature programs for children. It's a great way to get out of the house, get energetic Aster doing some outdoor exploration and crafts, and I love spending time in a place so deeply steeped in Amish history. For this was the site of a once pioneering and ambitious Amish settlement and, silly as it sounds, when I sit on the front porch of the farmhouse and feel the summer breeze blowing through the trees, I can almost channel those early settlers.
While Aster was engaged in the nature program and Bea was getting restless I decided to take her for a little walk around the grounds. I never tire of soaking in the serenity and it's changing face with the seasons. I never tire of admiring the beautiful brick farmhouse, it's angles sharp in the setting sun. I close my eyes and imagine the pioneer spirit of those early Amish settlements trying to carve out a community from scratch.
Check out some of these beautiful late summer scenes from Chrisholm:
The main farmhouse, constructed in the 1870s, bathed in late summer shadows.
The award-winning gardens at Chrisholm are groaning under the weight of fat tomatoes, the riotous colors of flowers, and the fragrant aroma of herbs.
Beautiful butterfly and flower gardens....
I always discover something new at Chrisholm, this is some signage about "summer kitchens." "Summer kitchens" are still in use in many Amish homes today, providing a place to do cooking in the heat of summer that doesn't add more heat to the house.
Each week's nature program has a "theme" and this week's was about colors. So the kids in attendance played under a colorful parachute. Here Aster disappears under the parachute....
Some little chicks made an appearance as part of the program (Bea wanted so badly go get her hands on one)
A peaceful panorama from the porch of Chrisholm, shows a windmill and a barn....
Aster walks back to the car after exploring the grounds with me...
Janet
Your evening with Aster is so beautifully written...cherish these moments, as they will pass far too quickly. And don't be surprised or hurt when Aster is an adult and possibly a mom herself, if she doesn't remember what the evening meant to you. My husband recently passed away and our "kids" came to say their good-byes, and as we reminisced about their childhood and things that we remember vividly, they couldn't remember; however, things they remembered us doing, and describing what it meant to them, WE couldn't remember. BUT in the end, we all did remember MOST of the important things, faith in each other and love of our beautiful country. They learned life's lessons from an great dad, and Aster is too.
Kevin
Thank you so much for the kind comment,Janet...I try.....