Monday, June 27, 2011

off the map in amish country










there was hay and horses.
there was blue and white laundry
strung across porches and lawns.
there were jars of jam
and wooden toys
and hand sewn quilts.

 there was me with my camera
and the irrepressible urge to take photos.

but the amish don't like themselves to be photographed.

i didn't want to be invasive or disrespectful.

i failed on a few accounts.
because when, when do you see
hay being harvested by hand and horse?
but the discreet and distant photos
are nothing, nothing compared to the
shots i didn't take~

the ones of the barefoot toddlers in bonnets
and short brown dresses
that waved from their gardens.

the matching boys in blue shirts and hats
walking together along the dirt road.

the 2 women in  blue skirts and bonnets with the toddler~
a miniature version of themselves~
in a perfect triangle on their open buggy
in front of the perfectly weathered barn
where blue laundry soared above their heads,
strung from the house to the top of the silo.

it was an impromptu  masterpiece
of texture and placement for the taking.

and i left it.

i left it.

with admitted artist's regret mixed in the respect.

5 comments:

  1. Wonderful photos, Graciel! Even though you left others behind out of respect, I think you did them justice with your words. :)

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  2. i am smiling. daisy is right - your words paint the pictures beautifully.

    xoxo

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  3. This brought back memories of a time I visited the Amish country. Oh yes, how I wished I could photograph the people. Love your words and photographs, especially the clothes hanging on the line.

    I will be posting my little house in a few minutes.

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  4. how kind of you to respect their wishes, and yes, i could still see it.
    plus, i want that kitten... :)

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  5. These are wonderful photos that capture a way of life most of us know little about. I have had a few opportunities to observe the fringes of Amish life. The town where I went to college was surrounded by Amish farms. And there are two Amish communities within an hour of where I live now, so a short car trip can take me back to a place that marches to it's own drummer.

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I always appreciate the time you take to comment on my blog. Thank you for stopping by. Peace from my heart to yours. xo, Graciel