During our weekend away we meandered through Mennonite country in southern Ontario.
I thought you might enjoy some photos of the scenes we passed along our way.
The farms in this area are full of life. Everything waking up for the busy growing season.
There are many groups of Mennonites, the horse powered are the most interesting to me because they represent such a visual reflection of simpler times, self reliance, hardwork and sense of community.
As a general statement, they do not like being photographed so I have kept my photos to the general scenes we passed.
This beautiful horse caught my eye and my heart, he would have been happy to chat all day.
There was a group of young men having lunch at a picnic table, the camaraderie was very evident in their manner and body language.
Hungry and full of anticipation for a good meal after a mornings work on a shed.
I would have loved to snap a picture but it did not seem appropriate so I contented myself with the snapshot in my mind.
This is by far my favorite image, such a wonderful array of children’s clothes airing on the porch,
The simple beauty of it affected me greatly.
I have always found it fascinating how although Mennonite women are restricted in personal adornment in their choices of clothing and hair styles, they air their creative lively spirits in the complex colourful quilts and hooked mats they make for their homes.
It shows me how important an outlet for creative expression is to human nature.
This is a painting by my uncle, Peter Etril Snyder, many of you will be familiar with his work, he is a well respected and admired Canadian artist.
His work touches on many subject matter ( I personally am very enamoured with his English garden scenes) but he is widely known for his depictions of Mennonite life.
This painting is titled ” Airing the Quilts” here is Peter’s discription of it.
“Family life and personal history are at the heart of the Amish/Mennonite idea. Even within something as simple as a quilt, the family connections are restated as those heirloom items contain patches from the clothing of family members who have gone before. These children are taught and told through everyday items about the sense of continuity and family history.”
I am pleased to be representing Peter’s work, many of you may have already taken time to browse our online shop where his pieces are available.
If you would like help making your home everything you want it to be please contact me.
We now offer e-design packages for distance clients and our shop carries a delightful selection of beautiful items to enhance your home.
