I got up at 5:30, as excited as I can recall being in the past few years, and drove into town to pick up some ice cubes to cool the worker’s soda and water.

I picked up Maria on the way back, and we went off to the Miller Farm. We were the first outsiders to arrive, but the path and the driveway filled up quickly; many people in town wanted to see the raising.

Moise explained to me what was happening and then got busy. Eli very graciously came over to shake my hand, and he also explained what would happen today. Behind him, a swarm of Amish men, young, older, and very young, was forming on the platform.

They gathered in a long line.  That was the signal for the wall to go up.

Spectators set up lawn chairs. It seems there is something in people that make them want to help the Amish, even though the Amish are the most self-sufficient people I’ve ever known.

Suddenly, a gasp went up, I heard Eli barking orders in Pennsylvania Dutch, and the first wall was raised with no equipment other than Amish arms, a spirit of co-operation, and the love for other people.

I talked with two elders about pictures, and they said once again that what they cared about was not having portrait-like photos close up. That was no problem.

The atmosphere among the outsiders was especially festive. The Amish have certainly loved her in my town; they feel they’ve given us a shot in the arm, turned the tide away from dying farms, and are also perfect neighbors and nice people.

It’s true the Amish have given the town a real boost, I think they remind people of the glory days of the small family farm. And they are nice.

Moise wants me to get up at 5 a.m. to drive some people to the train in Albany, but I can’t do it, I have another appointment. I told him to come back to me if it’s an emergency.

A lot of people are reading what I’m writing on the blog. I hope that is helpful, it’s certainly been good for me. Maria loved watching how they were working with so few tools or ladders. She was into it.