Jersey Girls Rock!

Hee hee, I bet you didn't think I was talking about cows! I LOVE Jersey cows. I dream about someday owning one. They are so sweet and those doe-like eyes I could stare into all day. Their faces truly melt my heart. Last night we went to the last day of the Manheim Farm Show. I live in Lancaster County, PA so many of the towns have farm shows in the fall and this was the last one. Not a large show but enough for me to get my cow fix for awhile.

 How could you not fall in love with that face?

 This Brown Swiss was just as pretty and she won Grand Champion.

The barns were kept very clean and nicely decorated.

 Cute little red Holstein heifer.

 "That'll do pig."

Even Zoe found a friend from preschool to walk around with. 

Graven Images

I have a thing for cemeteries, the older the better. I've been wanting to visit this Lutheran graveyard in Manheim, PA for over a year now. I could see from the road that the graves looked old and may have some interesting artwork carved in them, but I never had the chance to stop until this week. When I'm in a cemetery I do not dwell on death as much as I do life. Most of the graves were for people with a German heritage, some were in German, many you couldn't read at all. I wonder what these people did in their life. Did they contract a disease or illness that we have eradicated? Did they have a good life? Arrive here on a boat from Germany? So many stories that will never be remembered. I thought that Manheim's founder Henry Stiegal would be here but I couldn't find him...


This angelic face looks pretty happy.


An interesting stone with a pinkish color to it belonging to Hier Ruhl. I liked the carved flowers. The two rosettes on the corners remind me of PA Dutch hex signs.


The gorgeous carving on this stone has stood the test of time. I like how the face has a body. I don't see this very often.


A man who was in the Revolutionary War. How neat is that?


Here is a man who died when they were 25 years old in the early 1800's. I find it odd that someone who lived so long ago, and for such a short time, still occupies valuable real estate.


You see a lot of these graves with a weeping willow. I like how a real tree is trying to grow in front of it.


I like this photo. A robin, symbol of hope and renewal, in an old graveyard.