Back to School...or Maybe Recess!

It doesn't matter in which direction you drive.  Once you leave Terre Hill, you're bound to pass by a one-room schoolhouse.  You can usually tell the percentage of old-order Amish and Mennonite kids attending these schools by the number of bikes (Mennonite) or scooters (Amish) parked outside.

And it doesn't matter what time of the day you drive by.....I have noticed that they are very fond of recess.  I've seen so many cute pictures that I couldn't bring myself to take - an older boy teaching a younger one how to swing the baseball bat, kids eating their lunches as they sit on the ground next to the outhouse, teachers pitching softballs,, two girls giggling while they swing.  They all seem to get along...no matter what the age. 

Perhaps there's a lesson here for the rest of the schools. 

We hope you enjoy these pictures - taken by several of our guests (with long, long lenses).  Feel free to post any favorites of your own.

And, the next time you stay at The Artist's Inn, we hope you notice that the local kids are not only back to school....but also at recess here in Lancaster County!

 

Great Places to Shop in Lancaster County (Fifth in a Series)

If you are looking for unique gifts, I suggest you visit this weekend. It’s the start of the bazaar season in Lancaster County. You’ll be able to find locally-made crafts, home-baked goodies, art, jewelry, doll clothes, and great food. But be warned...most folks have to hustle to take them all in. And the locals are up and out early – some of the bazaars open at 7:30.

No need to hit the mall or the outlets. Local folks find the best gifts just around the corner from The Artist’s Inn – you can walk to several of these bazaars that are held in local churches or homes.

Most of all, it’s a great way to support the local community as many of the bazaars help non-profits. So get up early and go – you'll be able to find lots of coffee, hot tea and good eats.

Here’s a partial list of the events. When in doubt of where to go, just follow the signs!

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church – (105 West Main Street in Terre Hill) Offering 15 different kinds of homemade chocolate and great food, including soup “to go” to enjoy later.

Real McCoys Christmas Bazaar – (Held at the home of Doris Weidner, 128 Center Avenue in Terre Hill) – Holiday gift baskets, old-fashioned woolen Christmas stockings, natural ornaments and even dog treats.

Berean Church Bazaar – (407 West Main Street, Terre Hill) – My favorite local Jeweler will be at this one.

Weaverland Auction – On Precast Lane, just outside of Terre Hill. Lots of great crafts, including QUILTS. They usually go for low prices.

Bangor Church - Route 23, Churchtown – This is worth a stop just to take a peek inside this wonderful historic church.

Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church (9 Hahnstown Rd. in Ephrata) – Their Fair-Trade Fair will feature handmade crafts by artisans from 35 different countries.

Mount Culman Evangelical Congregatoinal Church (1885 Turkey Hill Rd, East Earl) – (just north of Terre Hill on Route 625) – Features local crafts and hot lunches.

The Happy Chapmans – Featuring Folk Art on the Farm – (Route 897 just north of Terre Hill) – Hand-painted signs, especially Christmas items. To read more about the Chapmans, see our previous blog: http://blog.artistinn.com/2010_08_01_archive.html

Liberty Auxiliary Fire Company – (330 East Main Street, New Holland) – You’ll find candles, Chirstmas ornaments, and handmade baby items and much more.

Annunication Orthodox Church of Lancaster – (64 Hershey Ave. in Lancaster) Greek Food Bazaar – Imported items from Greece, pottery and, best of all.....stuffed grape leaves and other Greek Foods.

Did all that shopping make you hungry? St. Paul’s UCC Church in Bowmansville (just north of Terre Hill at 133 Church St.) will be holding a Corn Pie Supper starting at 3:00 p.m.

Happy shopping!

Lancaster County – The Land of Pumpkins!

It’s pumpkin time! Whether they grow them for fun or food, Lancaster County’s farmers sure know pumpkins. I never realized there were so many varieties before moving to Terre Hill.  Of course, you have your typical “face” pumpkins – great for carving on Halloween.  They are at every farm stand this time of year.

See how many of these others that you know.  Some of the names are as interesting as the varieties - Jack-be-Littles (tiny orange ones) and Little Octobers are shown with Baby Boo's (the tiny white ones pictured above).

The New Moon is white-ish and small and sit in front of the wagon. The big white rounded ones are called Full Moons.

In the back right of this picture, you'll see one of my favorites.  French Fairytales are elegant and very proud - with a lovely blend of green and orange and deep ridges.

It’s easy to see why the SuperFreaks get their name.

These light green, small pumpkins are called Jarrahdales and are terrific for baking.

Cinderellas are beautifully bright orange and squat - as though someone sat on them.  They too are among my favorites.  They are a unique French heirloom whose correct name is "Rouge vif D'Etampes". Some say they resemble the pumpkin that Cinderella's fairy godmother transformed into a carriage. And they were also served at the Pilgrim's second Thanksgiving dinner.

The peanut pumpkins are not to be confused with the Red Warty things.

Another one of my favorites – and a little hard to find – is the One Too Many. So pretty.

Pumpkins are great for decorating, no matter how you stack them – all the way up to Thanksgiving.

The Autumn Cups are small and dark green.

The Turk’s Turban is easy to remember..

As are the beehive - or maybe they are winter squash.  To tell you the truth, sometimes I have a hard time telling the squash from the pumpkins, but they are so much fun to decorate with, who cares? 

Perhaps the best part of pumpkin growing is catching a glimpse of orange in the fields as you drive along the back roads.  Slow down and you'll see them!

So if you just can't live without a pumpkin, or two, or twenty, head to Lancaster County and support our local farmers.  We'll be happy to share a list of the best pumpkin patches near The Artist's Inn.  But be warned - once you buy one, you'll want more.

Great Places to Shop in Lancaster County (Third in a Series)

I saw these cute folk craft signs on the street corners in town one day last fall. They advertised “Folk Art on the Farm”. My friend Kathy noticed them as well and we were intrigued. So off we went to follow them. We travelled north on Route 897, just outside of Terre Hill and only about five minutes from The Artist's Inn. In no time at all, we found where the signs led.

To a barn behind a house, filled to the brim with all things painted - snowmen, signs, and trees.

Berries in the Meadow is the name of a local business run by The Chapman Family. In the back of their house sits a barn that is magically transformed – depending on the season. We first saw it just before Christmas, so naturally I purchased several gifts.

I particularly liked the old objects that were painted - like a child's hand-painted ice skate stuffed with pine decorations. Yep, you'll now be able to find that amoung my Christmas collection.

Lancaster County just seems to bring out the creative side in folks - often using old items for their craft. Ah yes, there are usually yummy treats at the open houses.

I loved the bright colors and cheery sayings.

The second time we visited was in the spring and I purchased stuff for me. Their next show is this coming Labor Day weekend, so if you are in town, make sure you stop in. If you aren't in town, call us at 888-999-4479 or visit www.artistinncom/reservations.htm and we can help with that situation! I can't wait to add to my fall collection.

Their motto is “Put a Little Happy in Your Life” and I’m hoping these pictures will help you do just that – in case you can’t make it to The Chapmans in person. To keep track of them, you may want to follow their blog: http://www.berriesinthemeadowart.blogspot.com/ or visit their online store at http://www.berriesinthemeadow.etsy.com/

From Fallen Tree to Dr. Seuss in Lancaster County

A nasty storm rolled through Lancaster County in late June. Terre Hill was right in the path. We lost a White Cedar tree behind the Olde Stone Cottage. I hate to lose trees, for they enhance the quality of our property and lives. Trees provide homes for birds, shade the yard and help clean our air.

As is common after every storm – winter or summer, we walk through town and talk with neighbors – seeing how everyone fared and assessing the damage. As we looked at the large broken limb, a name came to mind – Dean Fox (717-355-2566). Dean has been chain saw carving all sorts of creatures for our town park at our Terre Hill Days celebration each year. That would be a great tribute to our fallen tree.

The first job was to tear down the part of the tree that we couldn’t use. We called Jerry Ink in Terre Hill (717-445-7577)– he does a terrific job of putting the limbs down exactly where he wants them.

It is quite a show to watch him work - climbing all over the tree. In fact, the event drew a few spectators.

Unfortunately, we discovered that the tree, although healthy at the top, was rotted from the base up to 6 ft. – which is the part that Dean would need to carve. So Dean took what he could use for other projects and we went home disappointed. The rest of the tree was ground up for mulch. As you may know, cedar makes great mulch, because it doesn’t attract insects and smells nice when warmed by the sun.

Dean offered to carve a felled Red Cedar tree for us that had been drying at his house for two years. We agreed.

There was only one choice for subject matter.

As an inn that hosts four cats and seems to attract most of the neighborhood strays, it was only fitting that Dean carve a 6 ft tall Cat-in-the-Hat – our tribute to one of America’s most beloved poets, Dr. Seuss.

Thank you, Dean, for doing such a great job. We love it so much that we were inspired to write:

Come and meet our newest cat,
He’s six feet tall and wears a hat,
He does not shed or use his claws,
He stands and smiles with two gloved paws.
He’ll gladly pose for photographs,
To show your friends and share some laughs.

Great Places to Shop in Lancaster County (First in a Series)

Do You Yearn For An Urn?

The time had come to do something about our front yard. Years ago, Main Street in Terre Hill had been lined with huge oak trees. Their branches reached for each other across the street and met in the middle, creating a canopy that shaded sidewalks and cooled front porches. But when the electric and phone companies started trimming them, the trees began dying off. All that remained of the two that were in front of the inn was a tangle of roots and rotting stumps. Our ivy did a fair job of covering up the uneven ground.

So we replaced the sidewalk and had the rest of the old stumps ground out. But it looked so empty. That’s when I remembered Hoover’s Farm Market.

Located on Route 23 between Goodville and Churchtown (a mere five miles from the inn), they make concrete statues and urns.

It's where I purchased my beloved three-foot bunny for the back gardens of The Artist's Inn. He has survived several years – in fact this winter’s snow covered almost all of him.
My mom and I stopped at Hoover’s and I quickly found what I wanted-two beautiful large urns to replace the trees. She insisted that I get them. In fact, she paid for them too. Now you know where I learned my shopping philosophy: “If you see something and fall in love with it, you just need to buy it.”

There’s a wide selection of urns from which to choose – along with nursery plants, fresh vegetables and home-baked goods –

even "outhouses" - so it’s worth a stop whether you need statuary or not.

There is one drawback.....Hoover’s offers no delivery on urns.

Time to call some good friends for help. Good friends like Bob and Lynne. They own an inn, the Australian Walkabout. They also own a pick-up truck. And so we invited them to dinner.....

Getting the urns in the truck was easy - Hoover's had a contraption - sort of a cross between a backhoe and a forklift. Now came the moment of truth - unloading the urns without breaking them - or any other body part.

And so Bob and Bruce wrestled with the urns. (Funny, but neighbors seem to disappear from their front porches when a project like this gets underway.)

No job would be complete without a cheerleader, though I suspect that Taylor was more excited about the ice cream at dinner than the urns.

Lynne stood by with refreshments for moral support.

I was busy taking pictures.

The flowers are planted and now we just wait for the ivy to fill in. So if this gets you yearning for an urn, you’ll know to head to Hoover’s.

One of Lancaster County’s best secrets: great little shops that offer so much – they aren’t found on any tourist map and rarely do advertising. But the locals know about these jewels throughout Lancaster County. I’ll introduce you to some of my absolute favorites in this blog.....so stay tuned – after all, there’s always some shopping to do!

County Comes to Town….A Visit to New York City

There’s no better time to visit New York than at Christmas. Everyone seems to be in a happy mood – at an accelerated pace, but happy just the same.

It’s been five years since we were in the city…enough time to forget what a pain it is to drive there. We managed to switch lanes at the last moment, when the Lincoln Tunnel “green” sign on our lane turned to a blaring red “X”, and, after searching several levels of the Port Authority Parking Garage, ditched the car and set out on foot.

I couldn’t help but notice the contrasts between home in Lancaster County and this day in New York City. New York assaults all your senses at once – the horns, the rapid movement of scores of people walking and cars bumper-to-bumper, the smell of a dozen different kinds of food – and most memorable this time of year – the smell of chestnuts roasting on street corners.

Lancaster County is certainly known for its smells too - the most memorable being the fertilizer that is spread on the fields, especially in the spring. Certainly a visitor to both NYC and Lancaster couldn’t help but notice the aromas. And the chimes from the church across from our inn is very much a part of the experience of Terre Hill.
Instead of the brick walkways of downtown Lancaster, we walked across metal grids, beneath which could be heard the roar of subway cars below the streets of New York. And there in front of us were two horses (hey, we have lots of those in Lancaster!). These belonged to the mounted police but were no less majestic and well-mannered than the ones pulling a buggy.

There is an “energy” about both places….Lancaster’s large vistas of farmland give one a sense of peach and calm. It makes you feel small compared to all that is around you. NYC’s energy is infectious and also makes you feel small in comparison – the vistas are mostly vertical, rather than horizontal, with buildings soaring into the sky.

There is a mix of cultures in both places – the Amish and Mennonites blending with the “English” in Lancaster. In New York there’s a diversity of cultures coming together. Because New York and Lancaster County are big tourist attractions, you are likely to hear several languages on any street corner in either place.

There is a juxtaposition of old and new – from the dazzling electronic billboards at Times Square – (there used to be just a few, now they are everywhere) to the classic art-deco architecture. There are brand new shiny skyscrapers next to century-old churches. The bike-riding couriers fight for space on the street with a limo that would easily seat twenty.

In Lancaster, the Amish travel by horse and buggy, and use the same roads as modern vehicles. And both the Mennonites and Amish use the shiny new roller blades. Stores along Route 30 offer the latest in everything from fashions to electronics.

We walked past the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, stepped in to sniff the aromas of what Dean and Deluca had cooking, admired the tree in Rockefeller Center and waved to the skaters. Times Square was very busy – but in less than two weeks this will seem quiet compared to the million people that will jam this intersection to welcome the new year.

Lancaster, too, has its busy places – the hustle and bustle of Route 30, the excitement of the new downtown Convention Center, Gallery Row and all of the places whose business it is to produce food – from hand-twisted pretzels to chocolate to ice cream. Amish and Mennonites love to skate on the ponds and streams. There is skating all winter at Clipper Stadium as well.

We ate lunch at Tony’s (Times Square) at 2:30 and were lucky to get the last of the tables. Everyone here seemed to be celebrating – there were big tables filled with folks and their shopping bags. Downstairs I passed a little girl dressed in a green velvet dress with white fur trim, and a waiter carrying a huge tray filled with glassware and then piled with linens, all balanced on one hand and carried way high above everyone’s heads.

The restaurant was a study in efficiency as waiters hoisted the table next to us and carried it over our heads down to the front of the restaurant…no matter, a new one soon appeared, was reset, and ready for the next customers. Drawings of Broadway actors and actresses lined the walls, next to a huge menu board. I loved my dish of Tony’s Chicken – a chicken cutlet in a balsamic sauce with tomatoes and basil and, I am sure, lots of garlic. Bruce’s Chicken Parmesan was probably the best we’ve had since eating in Little Italy. The pasta was perfect and the sauce and bread to die for. I would have been happy to sit all afternoon and drink wine – as we were quite possibly the only two people in the restaurant without an alcoholic drink in our hands. There is no better place in America to eat Italian food than in New York City.

Lancaster County also has its share of special foods – showcased at the immense smorgasbords offering Pennsylvania Dutch fare. The sight is not unlike what we found in NYC, with big tables of families and friends gathered together….sans the alcohol.

We walked past the theaters where we had seen so many Broadways shows, past Spiderman (opening in February), Minnie Mouse, two of the Muppets, and two people being interviewed on the street by a TV reporter. Lancaster, too, has its own grand lady of the theatre, The Fulton, where we’ve enjoyed wonderful performances. We also have Sight and Sound, a huge new theatre dedicated to Christian stories.

Looking at the perfect blue sky and the helicopter overhead, I couldn’t help but think of that day in September nine years ago when people were going to work and sightseeing….and then the world stopped. We, too, had a tragic day in 2006 when a gunman opened fire on a one-room schoolhouse in southern Lancaster County. Citizens of both places will never forget, nor will the world that watched these events.

This day was a study in contrasts and similarities. Both destinations are special treasures – found only in America.