Amish Benefit Dinner in Andover

I'm fascinated by the Amish and will do anything to get a peek into their lives. When I see them in the grocery store, I get in line behind them. I'll often drive the long way home just to go by Amish farms. And, when I see that there's an Amish Benefit Dinner or Auction, I make sure to go.

These pictures are from a dinner held to benefit an Amish school just across the Ohio border, in a little town called Andover. Dinner was typical Amish fare - meatloaf, ham, noodles, peas, 'smashed' potatoes, gravy, salad, pies, and homemade ice cream (you can see the men making ice cream in two of the pictures). The Amish like their starches! They also served an amazing date pudding, which was really more of a date cake with a carmel sauce and whipped cream. 

Each Amish sect has its own set of rules. These Amish, for instance, dressed slightly differently from what we see near Conneaut Lake. Mens' hats were a different shape and buggies (see above) were white instead of the black we're accustomed to. 

In the top left picture you can see a father taking care of a baby. This was very common at the dinner because the women were all busy, busy, busy running the show. In the bottom right picture you can see a woman running from the house (home to the kitchen and 'washroom' for the evening) to the dinner. They cooked, served, and cleaned all evening.

I'm still craving that date pudding. I found several recipes online. Has anyone ever made it? 

~Becky

Walking Tacos

Have you ever had a Walking Taco? They're delicious! My aunt and cousin had the whole crew over to their new cottage for Walking Tacos earlier this summer.

They're incredibly simple to make. You'll need:

Small individual sized bags of Fritos (cut the side open)

Chili

Grated cheese

Any other toppings you want (onions, guacamole, etc.)

Top the Fritos with chili and cheese and serve with a spoon! 

Look at the fun presentation.

 My cousin being a wonderful hostess, below.

~Becky

Grandpa Visits

We are so incredibly lucky that our kids know all four of their grandparents. When we're in Conneaut Lake they get to see three of their grandparents daily and the fourth when he visits the lake. Here are a few pictures of Grandpa's last visit.

With his granddaughters.

And with his grandsons.

We're going to miss the lake and all the goes with it. It's time, though, that we move on to other summer adventures. I still have a lot of pictures and adventures to share from the summer, so I'll continue to blog a few times a week. I won't have a daily post as I have during out time at the lake, but I'll get something up every few days, so please check back.
~Becky

Midway Civic Club Dinner

We love going to the Midway Civic Club Dinner on the beach each summer. A bargain at $4 each, the catered dinner is surprisingly tasty. And hey, who doesn't like to have dinner plans every now and then.

On the menu - burgers and pulled pork, green salad, pasta salad, baked beans, cookie, and brownies.

How cute is my nephew?! He can barely see over the table.

Bob and I at the dinner.

The White Elephant and the Scavenger Hunt

Each summer, when all of the cousins are visiting, the kids go on a Scavenger Hunt. They're divided into two teams, boys vs. girls. Among the items on this year's list were a Hank's flavor schedule, a packet of Sweet 'n Low, and a small American flag. After receiving the list of nearly 20 items, the girls head in one direction and the boys in the other. At a set time, they meet up at the cottage and we see who found the most items. One item on this list surprised us all...think White Elephant!

The girls look over the list before heading out.

 After returning, we read each item on the list and the kids hold up the item if they've found it.

One item on this year's list read, "An unusual item smaller than a breadbox...think white elephant".  Well, when we got to that point in the list, the boys beamed as they pull a white elephant out of the bag. The girls, meanwhile, said, "Oh, we couldn't fine a white elephant!" None of them had any idea what we meant by 'white elephant'!  Who would have thought that someone would have a real white elephant to give the kids.

Do you know what we meant by white elephant? I thought it was a common term.

River Ridge Farm in Franklin - Inside the House

A few days ago, I promised to post some interior shots from our visit to River Ridge Farm. Bob's grandfather grew up in one of the workers' houses on the property of this vast estate. Often referred to as a castle, the grand house is absolutely impressive. It is not, however, a historical site and has not been preserved as such.

Above are the three original walk-in refrigerators. The tops of the doors are on the bottom of the shot. The small doors at the top held ice that cooled the 'refrigerators' below. Each refrigerator was the size of a large closet. They're used for storage today.

The house is full of details that would make any historian cringe. Different owners over the years have adapted it to fit their needs. Acoustic tiles cover ceilings, rooms have been subdivided, wallpaper borders decorate walls, etc. Amidst all of these added bits, however, are many original details. Below is an intercom system that must have been state of the art when the house was built.

I love, love, love this original cabinetry in the butler's pantry. I wonder what the original countertop was made of.

This was the most remarkable thing to me. They still use this coal furnace today! All winter long, they shovel coal into the furnace to heat the house. I didn't even know you could still buy coal.

The view from a bedroom window, below, shows the Allegheny River on the left and the town of Franklin on the right.

~Becky

Pittsburgh Dad

Have you seen the Pittsburgh Dad series on YouTube? If not, you must! The creator has nailed the entire essence of being a Pittsburgh Dad. Chris Wooten grew up in Pittsburgh and is now an actor in Los Angeles. He and a childhood friend created the Pittsburgh Dad character based on one of their fathers. Each 'episode' is only a few minutes long. The Mister Rogers-like intro is a nod to Mister Rogers being filmed in Pittsburgh. I'm telling you, Pittsburgh Dad is hysterical even if you've never been to this neck of the woods. If you're familiar with the Pittsburgh area at all, however, it's even funnier. This really is how people in Pittsburgh (and Conneaut Lake) talk.
One recent episode was particularly funny. In it, Pittsburgh Dad is tricked into seeing Magic Mike, the movie.  There are always local references, like the Pizza Joe's shirt in the Magic Mike episode. As an aside, my own parents and my aunt were 'tricked' into seeing Magic Mike last week. I had asked them if they'd like to join the kids and I and go see the Katy Perry movie. They scoffed at that idea, and chose a different movie at the same time. Once they got in the theater, my dad saw he was the only man and knew he was in trouble. Let's just say, they wish they'd seen the Katy Perry movie instead.

Watch it, you won't be sorry!
~Becky