It’s already sweatshirt weather here in the Endless Mountains! Front porch sitting now requires that, since we are not ready to give up that favorite place to be. It’s also great sleeping weather!

It’s now dark at 6:00 a.m. My early morning activity today was disposing of our paper trash in the burn barrel. We were also pleasantly surprised to discover that a scout group organizes a recycling day each month and it is practically right next to our house.

I wonder if anyone else in town has noticed that there is a horse hitch missing. There were three in town–one in front of the fire company, one next to the bulk food store, and one at the sidewalk in front of the ATM (honest!). These are used by the significant Amish community when they come to town. I don’t know if the Amish actually use the ATM, but their buggies were regularly hitched there when they came to town. The sidewalk was recently replaced, and the horse hitch is not there. I can’t seem to find anyone who knows how (or why) that happened–or anyone who cares.

It bothers me. I just finished reading Lies My Teacher Told Me which showed how the history we know and pay attention to is (partial, hero-ified) Euro-American history. The consequences of that to all groups (including the dominant group) are significant and heartbreaking. I have noticed that the Amish here are often the “invisible” people; that is, they are not considered to be part of the community. And sometimes they are the “other” people; that is, they are talked about disparagingly (“They don’t take care of their horses” etc.). There are some ways that people openly affirm the Amish. The opening of the Amish store has been applauded, and lots of people use the store on a very regular basis. Our church has offered financial support to some Amish families when they have faced crises. However, most of the ways that Amish “come up” in conversation reminds me of the way the dominant culture generally refers stereotypically of blacks, Native Americans and welfare mothers. I have been unpleasantly surprised to discover this.

It’s just a horse hitch, but something has been erased from the picture here. I’m not sure that I want to let it disappear without notice.