Just an Ohio Girl at Heart

Hubby was career Air Force and we have lived in many places from Hawaii to North Dakota, from Florida to California, Texas to Colorado, and many more.  I have always loved wherever we were stationed but I am an Ohio girl at heart.

We're leaving on a jet ✈️  

This past week son, Chris, escorted me back to my native Ohio, my first trip since I lost hubby.  It was so wonderful to go back and spend quality time with my sister-in-law and her family and play the role of tourist.  We pack four jam filled days with as much as we could.

                                 
                                                  First Presbyterian Chirch, Fremont, Ohio

The first morning we went to worship at our home church First Presbyterian, the church where we were married so many years ago and where our three boys were baptized.  Our longtime friends John and Diane were there and a few tears were shed during the service as the good memories floated back to mind.

Betty Lou with John and Diane in the pink Flamingo room

Monday I had lunch with John and Diane's at their beautifully home tastefully decorated with antiques.  We are sitting in the flamingo sun room when the picture was taken and I said to Diane, whenever I see a flamingo I think of her.  She responded, that's fine, just think of me but please don't send me any.  I think she is in flamingo overload.  We go back a long ways and there was lots of reminiscing of days when John was a cadet at  the Air Force Academy and Diane came and taught her first year in Colorado Springs.  A delicious lunch of homemade chicken noodle soup, apple broccoli salad and homemade bran muffins.  Diane has always been an excellent cook and through the years she has been like a little sister.  We have so much in common and much the same taste.  As I looked at her, I saw that we even have the same haircut.

In the afternoon, son Chris, wanted to take a drive to Lake Erie and see some of the places we used to go swimming and picnicking, East Harbor, Gem Beach, Port Clinton, etc.. Along the way always remembering his Dad and grandparents and things we all did together.

Son ,Chris, remembering the lazy days spent at East Harbor

The trip to Amish country was our venture the next day.  The three hour drive was beautiful but I was glad Chris was driving, as we got closer to Amish country the roads narrow and many blind curves.

First stop was Lehman's Amish General store in Kidron.  The store is like no other, room after room filled with everything needed for Amish life and caters not only to the Amish community but tourist as well.  I did see a few made in China labels but not many.  These are just a few of the many things that caught our eye.

Wood burning fireplace 

Wonderful collection of vintage toy sewing machines

Doing my best Betty Furness interpretation 

Wood burning stove and oven

Son,Chris, and I modeling our Amish  hats

Next it was time for lunch at Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen in Mt Hope.  Be sure and have an appitite when you enter as the food is all homemade Amish food.  Chris and I both ordered the buffet and we were so stuffed after one plate we passed on their delicious pie.  Sure wish I had a piece now..

It was mid-week and there was an Amish horse auction going and on with many locals in town, while the men were at the auction the women and children were shopping.  Lot of buggys everywhere pulled by their magnificent Morgan horses.

Across the street was an Amish fabric shop where the ladies can purchase fabric for dresses, denim for pants and much more.  I was surprised to see that most of the ladies were wearing dresses made of plisse.  In the corner was a rack of what appeared to be ready-to-wear black dresses.  I didn't go over there as an Amish lady was shopping and I didn't want to disturb her.  They also had the ready made little white caps of different styles, boys stiff white shirts, hats, etc.  This was definitely where the Amish shop and I didn't want to intrude but of course I had to buy some 100% cotton, a yard and a half of modded blue.

 The girls at the register were sisters and I enjoyed talking to them about sewing machines, etc.  I asked what kind of machine she had and she said it was an old one and she was saving to buy a new machine.  She asked about mine and I told her I have a Bernina but enjoy most sewing with my 1953 Featherweight.  She wasn't familiar with them and I told her what a beautiful stitch they made and you could do most of the repairs yourself, if you had a a problem just look on the Internet -----oops.  By then it was late afternoon and we thought we should make the trip home.  Chris spotted a few black squirrels along the way, he has an eye for any moving animal or insect. We shared the road with buggys, ladies on bicycles, a few walkers, and cars.

Our last full day I had lunch with a few of the girls in my high school class of 1952, we laughed, exchanged memories, and a few tears.  It was so good to see them and it made my trip complete, as the years go by there fewer of us left.  I had a very light breakfast as we were meeting Bud's sister and family for lunch at Applebee's.  Back to the hotel to rest and then Connie's to say good by to everyone.

This has been a trip to remember and Chris took such good care of me, just like his dad did.  He would be so proud of him.

Hugs and stitches