Cemetery Goats and Amish Country

A few weeks ago, John and I took advantage of the long summer days by taking a bike ride all over the District. John met me at my office after I completed my Saturday shift and we rode to the Franciscan Monastery nearby. We made a gourmet lunch the evening before complete with Italian pressed sandwiches, veggies and hummus, salt and cracked pepper chips, and old fashioned dirt pudding served in Mason Jars. We spread out our feast in the middle of the garden area and fueled up before heading to our next destination.

As the title of this post suggests, our next stop included goats and a cemetery. Yes, you read that correctly. The Congressional Cemetery in SE D.C. brings a herd of goats to groom the lawn ever so often and we were pumped to have the chance to see them at work. Unfortunately, the goats aren't grazing aside tombstones as we originally thought, but rather feast on the grass along the outskirts of the grounds. Goats in a cemetery in any aspect is still a hoot to watch though! Plus, we took a self guided tour of the cemetery and found some prominent leaders, inventors, and trailblazers of the nation during our stroll.

The following weekend- it was off to Amish country with our dear friends, the Browns. We rented a sweet little town-home through AirBnB in the quaint and historic town of Lancaster, PA. The first night we had an impromptu belated birthday party for Laura complete with sparklers and homemade sprinkle birthday cake.

Saturday morning consisted of an early morning wake up and a homemade breakfast. I contributed Cinnamon Raisin French Toast while the Browns prepared bacon, goat cheese scrambled eggs and mimosas. Yum! After we were all well fed, we took a trip to the Lancaster Central Market. The building where the market is housed is just as the name suggests and in the center of the town. Scents of spices, sounds of Amish folk speaking in German, and big barrels of freshly picked vegetables filled the market.

Then, it was onward to a touristy- but necessary part of our trip-- a trip to a working Amish farm and wood-shop. As we waited around for our horse-drawn buggy, we took a side trip to Bird-In-Hand, PA to take a peep at their farmer's market. While there, we scored some delicious honey before heading back to the farm. After riding around in the buggy, touring the farm, and oohing and ahhing at furniture in the wood-shop- we headed back towards Lancaster for lunch at the charming Rachel's Creperie. John and I went halfsies on a crepe and salad pairing and then split a decadent Nutella and peanut butter crepe for dessert.

Lancaster was surprisingly vibrant and had quite the art and local business scene. We spent the rest of the afternoon bopping around from shop to shop including,but not limited to Mise en Place and Sophie Stargazer. Then, it was time for homemade pizza and brews at The Fridge where the storefront selling craft beer doubles as a cozy cafe.

Maybe it's morbid of me, but historical places draw me to the macabre side of things. Historic cemeteries and an occasional ghost tale and I'm sold. Lancaster is one of the oldest cities in the country and played an integral part in the formation of the U.S. as we know it. James Buchanan, the only bachelor president, hales from the area and Milton Hershey, founder of Hershey Chocolate Company, got his start in the town. So, when you paired that  strong history with an evening ghost tour, I was in heaven. We had so much fun walking around while listening to historical recounts of the city's history with a few ghoulish details.

The next morning we had a delightful breakfast at On Orange downtown that included warm Swedish pancakes with maple syrup and stewed apples. Oh, my! Then we were Baltimore bound for an afternoon Orioles baseball game at Camden Yards. Before heading to the game, we made a pit stop in the small town of Ellicot City where locally owned boutiques and eateries line the winding downtown Main Street. I swear that it felt as if I had been teleported back in time to a mountain side town in rural Western North Carolina rather than a unincorporated community on the outskirts of Baltimore. It's a must see if you're in the area and totally worth the 20 or so minute detour outside of Baltimore proper.

It was our first time at Camden Yards and lucky for us, our nosebleed seats shaded us from the summer heat while providing us with a panoramic view of the iconic field. We left before the final inning, but the experience we had while there was a wonderful and a laid back way to end a most perfect weekend.

One of the many things that I have enjoyed most about living in this part of the country is the opportunities that we have had to explore the surrounding areas. It's fantastic and surreal to know that within one hour from a city so full of power and fast paced business that there are rolling landscapes full of hardworking farmers, families, and a slower pace of life. Heck, even within the city limits there are sanctuaries and escapes (goats may or may not be included). Cheers to a wonderful city and cheers to another fabulous week in the District!