Pinecraft-Sarasota: October 2014

The Beginning of Snowbird Season

I was gone for a week and these are yesterday's photos of biking a bit here and there in Pinecraft. The week I was gone this brand new Scat bus stop shelter was erected. The original bench is still there.

The Pioneer Trails bus left, going north with thirty passengers more or less.

I didn't know if the squirrels at the park still recognize me but this one did. It couldn't wait to dig his teeth in a fat salty, roasted peanut.

And it was Shuffleboard Tournament. The right hand side has all women at the far end. They watch and cheer for their men, plus it is a good opportunity to visit and catch up with each other. After all on Tuesday two full bus loads rolled into Pinecraft.

The opposite side.

A Glimpse of My Day

Pinecraft is saturated, but the storms passed and the sun is shining brightly. The forecast doesn't look like rain for the next ten days or so. And the night temperatures are to be down under 70 degree.

These and more men with similar shirts were cleaning up along Bahia Vista.

I don't know where this man is from or where he was going, but he did a complete U-turn on Bahia Vista when he spotted me sitting and watching people in front of Big Olaf. I appreciate our little visit.

These girls were on the bus yesterday from Ohio. This is their first time they have ever been in Florida.

There are now enough people here for some good Shuffleboard games. Tonight this is the women's side of the game...

and this is the men' side. In this crowd are Henry Wagler, Bill, Junior Fisher, Joe Fisher, (I think) Ben Miller. Elmer Nolt is at the fence.

These two are cousins, something I didn't know until tonight. They are taking a look at the 2015 Pinecraft Calendar.

Alligator or Pizza

On Saturday Erma my neighbor offered me some Alligator meat from Detwiler's Market. I took a few pieces because I really wanted to like it. I fixed with all of my favorites like onion, garlic, peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms. It tasted good according to my taste buds, although the meat was tough and I had to chew it a long time. The toughness wasn't such a big problem either, because I chew my food well and eat slowly, just like my Dad did. Even so when the meat reached my stomach it didn't know what to do, so it wouldn't settle down. So I had enough Alligator, at least for today and tomorrow...

So to make myself feel better I biked up to Emma's Pizza Shop and got the best meatless pizza. My stomach was happy and so I was happy too.

Overholt Landscaping

Back in September when Omar and Laura Miller Beiler were here for a few weeks, Omar mentioned that the Overholts are scheduled to plant a few Palm trees in their yard while they are gone. So I kept an eye on the place and it just so happened that I was around at the right time this afternoon.

A tree is off the truck...

and being carried into the yard...

and put into the prepared hole.

One of the workers cleaning up and putting everything back in place.

Overholt cousins who came with their Daddys.

Mother and son Matthias.

Vera crossing Bahia Vista to her home.

Nixa Atlee's Great Grandson

Years ago there were three brothers who went by the names of Freckles, Grandpa and Nix. To this day I am not sure I know what their birth names were, but I think Freckles was Levi, Grandpa was Moses and Nix was Eli Troyer. I learned to know Nix the best when we moved north of Apple Creek Ohio in 1969 we were in the same church district as Nix was. I think his wife's name was Emma. Iva and Davy were still single and lived at home. Melvin, Dannie, Levi, Eli and Dena were married and lived within the same church district. Atlee and his family had moved to Juniata County Pennsylvania. I never learned to know Atlee until I moved down here in 2008 or so. He was a widower and spend his winter months here. Being we knew many of the same people, we enjoyed visiting with each other. About 2009 I took a picture of Atlee with my cousin's husband Abe Weaver at the Pinecraft Park and put it in my first photo book that Yoder's Gift Shop and Der Dutchman's sell.

Anyway the first picture here is Nixa' Atlee's great-grandson looking at his great-grandpa. They were browsing the Pinecraft Photo Books and Great Grandpa's photo popped out. I can not put in words how pleased I am that these little boys get a glimpse of their great-grandpa, because I took pictures. Also Atlee didn't care if I did, for he knew his descendants will appreciate the photos I take of him.

For those who know the Amish linage of names. The young Daddy is married to Nixa Atlee's John's daughter and they live in Fremont Michigan.

They got on the Pioneer bus this afternoon, heading for Shipshewana Indiana where someone will take them to their Michigan home.

This is the oldest of three boys and those who know the Nix clan, doesn't he look like Nixa Atlee? And also like a lot of the Nixa grandchildren did back in the 1970's?

Pioneer Trails Came In

This is the first bus run in October and it was a full load at least from Cincinnati. In Cincinnati the Indiana and Ohio people merge onto one bus and head south with the final destination being Pinecraft Florida. Most times there are some drop offs along I-75, so it is not always full when it arrives here.

The bus was a few hours late today, but nevertheless it arrived.

The first driver off the bus was Noah Chupp and the first passengers were John Schlabach and his wife from Indiana.

Noah helped Al Miller from Geauga County Ohio off the bus. Ever since he retired his arrival date is always the first run in October and stays for six months.

His Pinecraft friends are here to meet him, Joe Fisher and Menno Bontrager.

It looks like this gentleman made friends with these children on the bus.

Mose Yoder, Andy Byler, Martha Hostetler and Wilma catching up with each other.

Last winter I knew who the man is on the left, but today I don't. This happens every fall when people start coming back.

Autumn has Arrived in Pinecraft

On Tuesday morning I biked up to Yoder's Amish Village and stopped to take shots of the making of a tractor by Janet Casserley and Shannon Emrich. This corner always gets beautifully decorated in the Fall and again at Christmas.