Gathering with some of our Escapee Christian Fellowship friends in Ohio

We left Michigan on Monday, heading to Ohio to join up with some of our Escapee (SKP) Christian Fellowship friends -- Ruth Ann and Keith and Jane and John. We were meeting up on the farm where Ruth Ann and Keith raised their family.

First, some pictures from Wayne County Fairgrounds Campground where we were parked -- it was a good campground - the sites were close at the backs of the rigs, but the "yard" for each space wasn't bad. It was too bad that a previous occupant at our site had left a rug down for too long and so the grass right next to the rig was destroyed.

Carl was unhooking everything (water, sewer, electric)... it is hard to see in this picture, but... there was a Blue Bird in the next row over (you can barely see the front of it between Gracie and the rig backed in to the right of Gracie).

Here is another picture that shows the Blue Bird side view in the middle of the picture -- it is "The Alan Darson Project" -- one of the folks that I had met while we had Miss Doozie and were going to Blue Bird rallies.

On our way south to Ohio, there was a portion of the highway that was closed (I looked up information and found that a railroad bridge had been hit by a truck that was too tall causing damage that needs to be repaired: https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2021/09/15/milan-faces-traffic-issues-after-damage-to-railroad-bridge-closes-part-of-us-23/). We ended up driving through Milan (that article indicates that people like us who choose to follow their GPS devices are causing all sorts of issues in Milan! Sorry, Milan!) - and I took a picture of the pretty storefronts at the corner where we were turning.

Fellowship and conversation in Keith and Ruth Ann's apartment, upstairs in the barn.

Tuesday morning we went out to 8 Sisters Bakery -- these were some of the words of wisdom posted on the wall!

 Information from their website:

Since 2010, 8 Sisters Bakery has been providing delicious, Amish-style baked goods to the residents of Mount Gilead, OH, and the surrounding communities.  8 Sisters Bakery is a dream come true for its founder, Emma (Schwartz) Lister. The bakery is named in honor of the 8 Schwartz sisters, each of whom learned the art of baking as child, under the watchful eye of their mother, an accomplished baker. Emma’s passion for baking and her commitment to excellence through the use of top quality ingredients coupled with traditional baking methods is mirrored in the exceptional popularity of our 8 Sisters Bakery products. (http://www.8sistersbakery.com/)

 

Buffet on Tuesday evening -- Carl smoked the chicken on his smoker.

Keith and Ruth Ann welcomed us to their apartment each evening.

Ruth Ann, John, and Jane at the table, Carl getting his food in the kitchen.

On Wednesday, the day was predicted to be rainy all day, but regardless, we drove to Owl Creek Produce Auction and enjoyed seeing the produce and watching the auction.

We stayed in the area where they sold "small lots" - more practical for us to consider buying. The other area had large pallets full of goods that probably grocery stores or other retailers were purchasing.

As we were leaving -- an Amish trailer with pallets of pumpkins that they are bringing to be sold.

We drove up to Mansfield, Ohio to the Blueberry Patch Cafe (http://www.theblueberrypatch.org/).

Outside of their new building...

Inside the building in the foyer area there are these beautiful tall slab wood column-looking pieces...

Jane and John

Keith and Ruth Ann flanking their daughter, Tara

Carl and me, Ruth Ann and Keith, Jane and John

The fellow who seated us was one of the sons who, with their father, works the farm. If I remember/heard correctly, he told us that they purchased the property with plans to have an apple orchard, but the soil test indicated that the soil was acidic and they were encouraged to grow blueberries, because there are not many places in Ohio that are so well suited for blueberries.

Inside the restaurant... I don't think I heard from him how the restaurant and gift shop came about...

In the gift shop, a tea towel that says: "Mom, I'm sorry for all the dumb stuff I did when I was a kid. If it helps, you only know about half of it."

Blueberry plants -- the owner/son said that being on a hillside was also very good for blueberries.

We've had a wonderful time being together with friends and seeing this area of Ohio!