So we hit the road for a trip to the Linden/Lobelville area about an hour and a half away.  The trip was nice, with more Tennesse Country.  It's unbelievable how many old structure, barns, etc...stil exist in Tennessee.  One property that we looked at was in the Cane Creek community, which is home to one Amish group.  We drove around to enjoy the inspiring nature of the Amish.  I learned a lot , and left with an overall idea that these are a wonderful bunch of people.  Very family oriented and their beliefs are generally that the ways of the world, modern society is what has corrupted Gods people.  I think most of us will agree.  The fundamental belief of the Amish is that your life should be based on God, the family, and Gods land.  Their beliefs are based on the King James Bible.  And I can relate , or see where there interpretations have come from in the Bible. I was curious about marriage/polygamy/children , etc.  I learned that they are one big family, in a good way, they are not polygamist. One spouse, for life.  The girls are married at about 21...I'll tell you more about this subject later. They rely on each other.  If one unit of the family is broken, the community is.  They help each other with the farming and such.  They are very smart, land smart.  The children old enough to walk are following behind the horse drawn plows, on foot, as daddy guides the way from behind the plow.  They collect rainwater from the runoff of the metal roofs on the houses.  Some of them have large collecton bins, others have smaller ones.  They use this water that is colloected for washing clothes, bathing, and just about anything else you can think of.  They have hand pumped wells, that they dig on their own and springs that are used for cooking, drinking, etc.  They use wells for keeping milk and such cool also.  They place the cow milk in a bucket and lower it to the well.  They make their own soap and a variety of other things, like honey, leather goods, furniture, quilts, candles, and lots of baked goods.

The Cane Creek Community specialized in log cabins.  They have their own lumber yard.  They have chickens, cows, horses, donkeys....lots of mini horses too.  I wondered why I didnt see goats.  There's something to that I'm sure, as I asked one later in the trip if they use goat for anything other that soap making, she said "no", but I'm not completely sure she understood....landuage barrier, as some speak English....but I'll tell you more about that later too.  As with mules.  They believe that mules were a mix of Gods creatures and that their being sterile is a result of a wrong.  And they will not allow a mule one their planting grounds.  They believe that if a mule plows or walks on the field that the crop will not thrive. A sort of curse on the animal as a result of mans doings.  They just believe it was not created in the natural order of God and as with everything else, it should be of God or beware.  I got no sense at all of a cult like environment.  Only of God, family and nature orient.  They are very happy people, they don't condemn outsiders, they accept who we are and are very friendly, they just believe that modern technology is what draws family apart from God, the land, and each other.  Can't say I don't agree. They dont want to bother others and visa/versa.   I found them to be very admirable, although they don't want to be admired.  That in itself is a sinful, of the world type thing, and they keep themselves plain because of that.  They believe the glory should be to God, not to a man....true.  You'll also notice in the pictures I took, they are only of the beginning of our trip.  I instantly new their was something in their beliefs about picture taking, when I took a picture of two little boys.  They were the sweetest things, so friendly .  But as soon as I took a pic they immediately turned their heads and proceeded like I wasn't there.  I felt awful, because it was at that moment that I realized I had offended one, unknowingly.  So, after that, my pics stopped, scenery yes - of the people, no.  Believe me, there are some unbelievable pics that are forever ingrained in my mind, but I will never be able to share them with you.  I would never want to offend these wonderful people again.  It was not a good feeling, and I regret doing it, but I didn't know.  

k.....will continue mre later!