spring in the cotswolds.

Ron

OK Maths never was my strong point - make that 35 years (and no rest!!!)

I didn't want to imply that you had a problem with the Amish--I was just sending along some of my own experiences with this interesting group of people. They're subjected to a lot of incorrect stereotyping. One problem that has occurred in this area with more frequency are road accidents involving cars and Amish horse-drawn buggies--the buggies don't generally fare very well against a fast-moving automobile! There are road signs throughout our region that have a silhouette of an Amish buggy in order to warn drivers to watch for the slower moving vehicles.

Urmi--The Amish, sometimes called "Plain People" for their austere and old-fashioned dress and lifestyles, are closely related to the Mennonites--both were early Protestant sects mainly originating in Switzerland and southern Germany in the 16th century. Many of the Amish settled in Pennsylvania in the early 18th century to escape religious persecution. And like I told Cathy, I still would love to have that photo of my daughter and the little Amish girl staring each other down--it's a really precious memory for me!

Rob -Thank you for the interesting information.It is really intriguing to learn about people who have chosen to ignore the trappings of 'development' and lead simple lives even in these crazy times.I am reminded of a tribe who live in the remote Himalayan ranges and apparently still converse in the old Sanskrit dialect.If you ever get the scene of your daughter meeting the Amish girl painted do share it with us.