Thanks everyone for wishing Jimmy and I Happy Anniversary! We had a wonderful time in Holmes County, and I wanted to share some pictures and tell you a little bit about the area. First of all, I have to make a correction. In my previous post I said Holmes was the second largest Amish area in the country. It's actually the first, even larger than Lancaster, and 80% of the population is either Amish or Mennonite.

Today's post is about the fabulous B&B we stayed at--The Barn Inn. The B&B is owned and run by Loretta and Paul Coblentz, who were such gracious hosts. Not only have they converted an old barn into an elegant and comfortable place to stay, they provide a delicious breakfast (the french toast is to die for) and give guests recommendations on places to visit in the area. Jimmy and I have been to Holmes several times, but the Coblentz's sent us to places we didn't know anything about and which are off the beaten path. One of these places is an Amish home where the family makes beautiful baskets--I'll be talking about the baskets and posting pictures in a future post. The Coblentz's don't just tell you about these places, they also give you maps and mark the areas for you, and they have an information sheet with the addresses and GPS coordinates. Talk about added value! Not only that, they tell wonderful stories about their family, the area, and the Amish lifestyle. If you visit Holmes County I highly recommend staying at The Barn Inn. I know we plan to go back soon!

'Til next time,
Kathleen

 This sign is gorgeous--Jimmy loved it.

 Front entry.

 18th century bombe.

 Remmber I'm a writer, not a photographer! I tried to get the scope of the room--the ceilings are really high! This is were we ate breakfast. Notice the quilts hanging--Loretta is a quilter and she has made some gorgeous ones.