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WHUMP, THUMP...It's possible I've landed back on earth again. No doubt you thought I'd spiraled off into a musical obsession. Well, even if you didn't think so, I did.

Whether I'm truly back or not, I can't be the judge, but at least I'm going to straighten up and act as though I am. And there won't be any more blogs about the great L. Cohen (unless...oh, I mustn't think of it...but...well, I'll tell you if I get to...no, no, it's not likely...but you know, if I would get to see another concert! Well, I'd have to mention it. Yes, of course I'd mention it. But that's it... I would just say the facts and move on. Like I'm going to do right now.)

So here is what I promised: a blog about Amish. Well, honestly it's just about how I got a photo of my Amish friend. Because you see, I'm not an expert on the Amish, but I do have an Amish friend who has been helping me with cleaning at Fair View for many years. Actually, Naomi cleans for me and I help her occasionally, mostly for the chance to visit with her while we work. We like to discuss politics and we are squarely on opposite sides of most issues. But it doesn't hamper the friendship in the least and that's the fun part about it...we both enjoy the debate.

About a month ago, I picked up Naomi to take her to the apartments to clean. Her yard looked like this:


Lovely, isn't it? and I told her so. "Oh," she said, "If you think this is pretty, you should see my aunt's flower garden! It's just up the road, but you don't see it when you're driving by because it's back a long driveway. Compared to hers, mine doesn't look like much."
"Well," I said, backing the car out onto the road, "I'd like to see it. Why don't we go look at it right now?" It was one of those few truly spring mornings that we had, and as we drove back the side road, of sorts, I knew we were approaching the garden she'd been talking about. The vibrant bed of flowers was spectacular, and there in the yard was her aunt, working at mulching.
Now that would be a great shot, I thought. Tentatively I suggested to Naomi that I'd love to have a picture. Did she think that her aunt would mind. Not hesitating a moment, her emphatic response was "Just do it!"
Well, okay then.


To my pleasant surprise, in no time at all Naomi and I had her aunt posing for a photo in front of her impressive work of art (click on the picture for an amazing view).
And now I have these photos to share with Naomi:




















And this one, which was what I really wanted all along.




















I didn't ask.

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