October 14, 2025 (Tue.) – Basket Making in Shipshewana.

Today was our much-anticipated basket-making adventure in Shipshewana! Lynn had spotted a Facebook ad for a wooden basket workshop hosted by a local artisan, and Lynn jumped at the chance (Kirk just went along for the ride, LOL). Our appointment was set for 10:45 AM, so we were up early to make the drive into town, grab some breakfast, and get ready for our creative morning.

We stumbled upon a delightful little spot for breakfast—Country Lane Bakery 2.0, conveniently located near Teaberry, where our class would be held. Their breakfast sandwiches were absolutely delicious and the perfect fuel for the day ahead.

Right on time at 10:45, we arrived at Teaberry for our basket-making session. To our surprise, we were the only ones signed up that day—private class perks! Our instructor, Heather, was a young Mennonite woman in her early 20s. She was warm, knowledgeable, and a fantastic teacher. As we worked, she shared insights into the differences between the Amish and Mennonite communities, which we found fascinating.

Heather also gently dispelled some of our assumptions. We’d always imagined Amish and Mennonite people mostly staying within their communities and not venturing far. But Heather herself had traveled extensively—across Europe, throughout the U.S., and she even had plans to visit Hawaii. Her openness and curiosity were eye-opening and challenged our preconceived notions in the best way.

Here’s what we learned (as best as we can remember):

1. Amish and Mennonites are distinct groups—we hadn’t realized they were separate!

2. Amish are more traditional, avoiding modern conveniences like cars and cell phones. They travel by horse and buggy or bicycle.

3. Mennonites are more progressive, using cell phones, driving cars, and dressing differently (though women in both groups don’t wear pants).

4. Education differs—Amish children typically attend school through 8th grade, while Mennonite kids often go through high school and sometimes college.

5. Worship practices vary—Amish families rotate hosting church services in large barns since they don’t drive to centralized churches. Mennonites, who can drive, usually attend established church buildings. Weddings are also held in the barns for the Amish and if they don’t have one, they have to build one if a daughter is getting married. However, the community bands together to build one, often in one day. Now we realize why the barns are so spectacular out here.

6. Each community’s progressiveness is guided by its bishop, who sets the tone for what’s acceptable.

By 11:30, we wrapped up part one of our baskets and took a 30-minute break while the glue set. We wandered around town, then returned at noon to finish up. By 12:45, our baskets were complete—and they looked amazing! Kirk turned out to be the speedier basket-maker, often waiting on Lynn to catch up (much to his amusement). The baskets are made out of maple and wenge woods and its much harder than it looks (according to Lynn)! 

After class, we couldn’t resist heading back to Country Lane Bakery 2.0 for some sweet treats we’d been eyeing earlier—donuts and more. Everything was just as tasty as breakfast. We browsed a few local shops afterward and were greeted by some adorable “shop cats” lounging around—a friendly one at a furniture store and another at a hardware store, complete with a sign assuring customers the cat wasn’t homeless, just fond of the outdoors. Apparently, someone tried to take it home thus the need for a sign went up.

We wrapped up the day with a few more chores (gas, car wash, hanging a new clock), relaxing outside and later settled in for some TV. All in all, it was a wonderfully peaceful and enriching day in Shipshewana.

Lynn’s biggest take-away from today’s pics = she needs her hair done! LOL.

Weather – High 74*, Low 57*. Winds 3-13 mph. No rain or humidity.

Traffic – None.

Food – Country Lane Bakery 2.0.

Notable – Basket Making! Country Lane Bakery 2.0, Kitties!

Screen time – The Last Frontier.