A Sign you Won't see in California

This is the sign to warn you that there may be a horse drawn carriage just on the other side of the hill.

I had only heard about the Amish through the media. I have never seen any until moving here. The Amish here are mostly farmers. They do not permit electricity or telephone in their homes. They feel that access to these things would bring them in touch with the modern world which could taint them.

The Amish won't use tractors in the fields but they will use electric powered equipment to to milk the cows. Go figure.

The Amish don't like their picture taken. I could see how tourist might try to take their picture. And I can see how this would be an annoying invasion of privacy. However, their reasons are because they don't take any pictures. No pictures of their children growing up, no wedding pictures, none, nada, zippo. It's a Biblical thing with them... taking a picture is making a "graven image."

They wear plain clothes and are also known as "The Plain People". The women wear solid colored dresses with long sleeves and full skirts which hang right below the knee but before hitting the ankle. The women all wear capes and aprons. The women never cut their hair and most wear it in a bun. If a woman is married she wears a white cap on her head, if she is single she wears a black cap on her head. The women wear no jewelry (no watches, no wedding rings), perfume or makeup. The men where dark colored clothing. The men are not allowed to have mustaches. Once that a man gets married he grows a beard. Their beliefs keep them humble and separated from the rest of the world.

Ciao