Hello, Beauties🌸 Today’s post, I went back to Amish country for a photo shoot.
My Bestie and I converged on Lancaster in July to the Wheatland Mansion for a day of photo-op shenanigans. This photo shoot, just me at the Strasburg Rail Road, one of the twenty-five short-line rails in Pennsylvania.
When I call on medical offices for my job, I see pockets of the Amish in their buggies or on bikes. I secretly harbor a fascination and want an understanding of their lifestyle. The chance to see an interesting historical steam engine train amidst the 2,500 acres of breathtaking picturesque Lancaster County farmland is also inviting.
Don’t we all want some insight into the Amish? According to the Lancaster County Visitor’s Bureau website, the Amish residents of Lancaster County practice a faith tradition. These customs don’t allow modern conveniences such as automobiles, televisions, and phones in their home.
One of three “Anabaptist” faiths (the other two, Mennonite and Brethren, are generally less strict with matters of technology), the Amish practice “believers baptism,” where church members are baptized as adults when they can make a conscious decision to join the church -usually at the age of 18.
The site goes on to say that the two most visible differences in Amish life compared to the rest of the world are the horse and buggy and the style of dress. The horse and buggy are the most apparent examples of restricted technology. In the minds of the Amish people, automobiles, televisions, and electricity tied to the power grid are temptations that weaken a close-knit community.
Amish dress is also deliberately modest and symbolic of the wearer’s age and marital status. If you see an Amish man with a beard, that means he is married.
The Amish educate their own in one-room schoolhouses and at home. Children attend Amish schools until grade 8. Church services are held in the house, with church members taking turns hosting the service.
There are approximately 35,000 Amish people in Lancaster County today.
The Strasburg Rail Road is America’s oldest continuously operating short-line steam train, dating back to 1832. A visit to Strasburg reminds me of stepping back in time when traveling by rail was the way to get around.
A heritage railroad is a great way to lure children and adults into a learning experience — my last Strasburg adventure when my children were young to see Thomas The Tank Engine. Heritage is a railway operating as living history to recreate or preserve railway scenes of the past. I didn’t take the 45-minute ride but watched all the families with their young children.
A special thank you to the Strasburg Rail Road conductors who didn’t mind helping to capture fun photography moments. The Age of Grace designated photographer, my niece Kenya Pickles of Face Forward Photography, and her daughter, Qayla, thank you.
We had a fabulous day amongst the passengers looking to chug along the 9-mile journey in the cold, damp, about-to-rain day. I plan to return for a ride on the President’s Car or Dining Car for wine and cheese. Have your travels taken you to any old trains? How about the Rocky Mountaineer Train Tours? Do tell in the comments section.
Thank you for reading. Have a fabulous week.
