My Latest Adventures in Dutch Country 
Because I enjoy spending time
with Sam Stoltzfus, I sometimes offer to drive him around on his business
calls. Usually, he has to hire drivers to take him, but I am always
ready for a new adventure. Recently, I took Sam on his tooth floating
calls. Many of his customers live as much as two hours away, which
I find amazing.
Yesterday at 1:00, I went up to Sam's to drive him around to deliver his
horse supplements orders to various farms. We started by going all
the way down to Oxford right near where the Bookplace is and from there,
went to Honeybrook! I didn't get back home again until 8:30!
And I had a wonderful time. The farmers seem to regard Sam as someone
to consult about their horses' health problems. One man brought two
out of the barn for him to examine. He picked up a front foot and held
it for a couple minutes, then felt the shoulder. The horse was a little
gimpy out of the barn, but when Sam was through, he was really limping!
He told the farmer to call the vet, which he should have done already, but
obviously hadn't. He did buy joint supplements for both horses, however.
At another place, the farmer was way WAY out in the fields and we started
off down a dirt road. We did come across a road block which Sam had
to get out and deal with.. We drove on through the fields and around
mud puddles, stopping every once in awhile for Sam to open the electric
pasture gates..
After awhile, Sam said, "Look, look, LOOK! There's
a fox over there with something in his mouth. Get out your camera!"
I stopped while Sam was digging into the console for the camera. I
got the fox in the viewfinder and took a few shots before the fox ran of
into the meadow. Sam is all excited and called me at 7:30 the next
morning to see if the fox pictures came out!
Eventually, we did find the farmer, who was working out
in the fields with his three children. Sam got out and walked over
to talk to him and had quite a conference.
There were more cows staring as us on the way back to the
farmhouse.
While driving around, Sam pointed out this funny little
garage, which he thought was worthy of a picture. I had to wait to
shoot the picture until all the Amish ladies and children moved away from
the building.
Late in the day when we were about to turn onto Sam's road, he suggested
we go up to the top of the hill in the new development which overlooks the
country surrounding the Stoltzfus family farm. Sam's place is the
farm in the middle.
When we finally pulled up in the driveway at Sam's house,
he wanted a lesson on how to use my Palm Pilot! He had borrowed it
earlier for the calculator function and was interested in finding out what
else it can do. His wife Mamie finally had had about enough and came
over to the car. She commented that Sam doesn't need one! Before
I left, Sam asked her if there were a few strawberries she could get for
me, which she did, although she was saving them for Sam's breakfast.
This morning, Sam called at 7:30 to find out if the fox pictures had come
out. I had thanked him for the wonderful day and said that I had a
great time. Then he wanted to know what about the day I liked the most.
He does make an effort to show me things he thinks will interest me.
Such a sweet man!