While cleaning out his mother’s home in Scotland, Andrew Workman uncovered a time capsule that related back to his family’s vacation to Pennsylvania’s Amish country in October 1990.

“We visited several places, including New York, Cape Cod (where my dad, Tom Workman, loved the whale watching), Chicago, Niagara Falls, and Intercourse in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania,” Andrew Workman explained. “My dad, always keen to pick up a local newspaper wherever we went, bought a copy of The Budget, which we kept as a keepsake. We loved the local details in the paper.”

He noted that a main reason for a stop in Pennsylvania was for his mother, Catharine Workman, who has interest in patchwork quilting. At the time information on quilts in the U.K. was rare, but in the U.S. it was plentiful. “The beautiful quilts hanging on porches were a unique sight for us,” he recalled. “And as it was autumn, we were also struck by the pumpkins — different shapes, sizes, and colors — which was a new experience for me, having only ever seen them in cartoons like Charlie Brown.”

He noted that Zimmerman’s store and Zook’s really impressed his mother and father alike. The family in general was blown away seeing automobiles and buggies sharing the road. “It was fascinating to witness the traditional way of life,” Workman explained.

While in America, the family also discovered the joy of grocery store cookies. “One funny memory was discovering Soft Batch cookies in red packaging at a supermarket,” he recalled. “After warming them in the car, they became a family favorite for the rest of the trip.”

Since that time, quilting has remained a big part of Catherine’s life. “She started two quilting groups, one of which is still running today,” he recalled.

Since that time, Catherine and her late husband visited the United States several times — all for quilting-related trips. And Andrew and his wife Julie have also visited, but not returned to Pennsylvania’s Amish Country.

“Despite the challenges of aging, we often reminisce about that great family vacation — it brings back such fond memories of our time together,” Workman shared. “The trip, and the moments we shared, have become even more precious as time has passed. Mum’s love of quilting remains a bright spot for her, and it’s lovely to see how those experiences from 1990 still connect us today.”

This article appeared in The Budget on October 9. Used with permission. 
Editor's note: Zook’s store likely sold hex signs and was probably located in Paradise, Pa.