Henry, Oats, potatoes, and the orb lady

Yesterday my mission took me to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Amish Country.

As the day unfolded I did something I'd never done before: ate a handful of potato chips that only seven minutes before had been whole potatoes.

Wafer-thin tantalizingly-crispy still-warm curvy discs fresh from the hot fat, kissed tenderly with a dusting of dendritic salt, still tasting of all the goodness the earth has to offer ... oh my soul y'all.

Why anyone would ever eat a cold potato chip from a bag is beyond me.

And yet I'm sure I will again.

Not long after that stellar experience I was walking in the cool quiet of an old cemetery next to an historic brick church while little Amish children played a game of ball in the next field.

As the shutter of my faithful Nikon clicked away, capturing what it could of the glut of calm beauty, the bells of the tiny schoolhouse rang.

Yelling with pure joy, the kids ran inside, a little laughing herd of sober navy blue, flying apron tails, tiny snow-white caps, and jaunty straw toppers.

I met a lady who was there to tend the grave of her beloved husband. She was elderly, very kind, and eager to point out to me the nearby graves of many of her kinfolk and much-missed friends.

Her voice and her eyes were full of both the acceptance and the ache of unavoidable, inevitable loss.

Please do not construe my next revelation as being intended to make fun of this lady. I think the word "surreal" may be used too much and often improperly, but I must apply it here.

I had offered to take the lady's photograph beside her husband's grave, which she let me do. I wrote down her email address and promised to send the picture to her. She looked pleased at the prospect.

We chatted a few more moments and were preparing to say our goodbyes when she said it.

Pictures taken of her in recent years reveal an "orb" in her midsection.

On the picture.

I stared. Not often I'm speechless -- as you know -- but for a few beats I actually was.

(For the record I do believe she meant "aura" but she distinctly said "orb.")

At any rate I had to check to make sure I hadn't been drafted by David Lynch for a revival of Twin Peaks, flyover-country edition.

Finally, "Oh," was all I could manage.

She wondered aloud whether said orb/aura would show up on my picture of her.

We agreed we'd have to wait and see.

My next foray into the paranormal combined seamlessly with the bucolic and the espionagic involved riding directly behind two horses -- names of Henry and Oats -- in a carriage right out in the road, past farm after farm worked and tended by English and Amish alike.

Oats didn't like passing too near fences or signs on his right, giving me pause more than once when trucks were approaching ten feet to our left and he began his snazzy little avoidance maneuvers.

Then he started biting Henry as they trotted and let me tell you, Henry gave as good as he got.

On my way now to meet my contact at Independence Hall, exactly forty-four paces southwest of the Liberty Bell.

I hope they remember to bring reinforcements in the form of extra pirate eyeliner and a fresh decoder ring.

Keep good thoughts until our next update.

Which, if all goes as planned, will be from the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge.

God bless America.

Comments

['Aunt Amelia']

She may well have meant 'orb.' Isn't that what they call those....... "blops-of-light" or something, which show up in some photos? Perhaps the camera which took pics of her in recent years, was one of those, which showed those "blops" on pics it took, and her "middle" had one. :-)

Although, why would the "blop" always show up, on her middle? Eeeeek! Best leave this topic, before I get in any deeper. :-)))

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching." ~Unknown
~♥~ ~♥~ ~♥~

[Donna (Texas)]

I have photos of Orbs on my children...I'm a Full believer in them...
Wonder if there is one on hers...
hughugs

[Sue the hobbit]

How did you know it was Henry and Oats?

[Mari]

Now I'm wondering how those pictures turned out! Sounds like you're having a good time!

[Debbie]

The potato chips sound wonderful.

[kev]

Is it sad my knowledge of Amish country is restricted to what I learned in a Weird Al Yankovic music video? I must visit one day.

[irene]

I'm so anxious now to find out what your trip was all about, and if the 'orb' is there? Keep in touch. Strangely enough we were talking about the cemetery today, you've made me feel way too comfortable around the cement park. My family is getting creeped out. Keep safe, and have a chip for me. Love Aunt Amelia's saying about One life... Yours sure will be.