Can’t believe I let 2 months tick off the calendar before sharing my pictures from Intercourse Heritage Days.

If you’re new to these parts, I live in Intercourse, PA and every June there’s a huge celebration at the park near our house filled with lots of food and lots of Amish folk. It’s called Intercourse Heritage Days, and it’s a hoot.

Here’s some visuals from this year’s event.

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Time for another edition of Living with the Amish (you can see the previous 14 editions here).

As always, these are actual shots from around Lancaster County, PA taken by yours truly.

Here we go…

Took my first ride in an Amish buggy ever a couple weeks ago.

Well, the cabin of the buggy was Amish.

But the engine was a lot more than 1 horse power.

I’m in talks right now for a sponsorship deal for BryanAllain.com

I took my buddy Tyler to the park to see what an Amish softball night was like.

As you can see, he was very uncomfortable with the whole thing.

Had to carry him back to the car and use smelling salts to unfreeze him from this position.

The biggest surprise for him was that Amish people will watch TV in public.

These guys are watching the Flyers play in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Of course, they spent the entire time marveling at the playoff beards.

Tyler also learned a valuable lesson in Amish attraction.

If you wear worldly clothes, you’ll have a girl on your arm in no time.

Throw in a Turkey Hill Iced Tea bottle and a cigarette?

One on each arm.

I asked this Amishman how he would defend a free kick from 30 yards with 1 arm.

Good answer.

and now for a few Amish equivalents…

Amish Viking.

Amish training wheels.

and finally…

Amish Car Wash.

…only in Lancaster County.

thanks to Kevin S. for sending in the viking and car wash pics.

I’m so very sorry for this.

Was just going through my pictures on my phone and realized I messed up.

This concert was yesterday and I forgot to tell you about it.

My bad.

I did, however, find a video collection of their best work, so here it is.

(make you sure catch the poem and twinkling star action halfway through)

Obviously I’m poking fun because this isn’t my cup of tea at all.

But there’s a lot of folks here in Amish Country who eat this stuff up, so good for these folks for doing what they love.

You play that paper bag, Ryan!

(and if you’re new here and looking for more Amish Country humor, check this page out)

23 years ago I was a scrawny 6th grader with bald armpits, a big nose, and a squeaky high voice.

I signed up for the spelling bee that year and I knew my word list well. I knew vacuum had one ‘c’, I knew rhythm had no traditional vowels, and I knew the longest word they could test us on was electroencephalograph.

The day of the bee came, and before I knew it I was standing in front of the microphone for my word.

“Diphthong,” the moderator said.

“Diphthong,” I stuttered, “D-I-P-T-H-O-N-G. Diphthong.”

*ding*

I was confused. I thought I had spelled it correctly. Why the heck is there another ‘h’ in that word?

Fast forward 23 years to this past weekend at the Annual Heritage Days celebration.

I was 4th in line for the 16 and older spelling bee, awaiting my turn. The first 2 words were easy: “appellate” and “bazaar”. I would have nailed both, but the contestants got them wrong. The next word, “carafe” was a tough one. I couldn’t remember if there was one ‘f’ or two. The woman in front of me spelled it ‘karaf’. Good grief.

Then it was my turn. I stepped up to the mic and THIS is what happened.

(you’ll need to turn your volume WAY up because the volume is low.)

A couple things to note:

1. Did you catch the Amish Volleyball happening in the background? Classic.

2. Did you catch my word? It was “diphtheria”, and ONCE AGAIN, I missed the first ‘h’!

3. If you listen closely, the moderator misspells the word without the last ‘i’ when he repeats it back. maybe i should protest?

4. Two decades later and I still hadn’t heard my lesson. Diphthong and Diphtheria, 23 years apart. What are the stinking chances?

5. Next year that spelling bee is MINE.

(thanks for taking the video, Than)

Good food, good friends, and stealing the souls of the Amish with my Canon XT. That’s what Heritage Days is all about to me.

For the past few years we’ve descended upon the park near our house in Intercourse, PA mid-June for Intercourse Heritage Days. We always have a good time, and I always get some good shots for the blog. Tonight and tomorrow when we’re chilling at the park I am expecting more of the same.

If you’re new to BryanAllain.com, here’s some linkage to past Heritage Days posts.

Heritage Days 2009 – Part 1 and Part 2

Heritage Days 2008 – Part 1 and Part 2

have a great weekend, y’all!