I remember well my mother and grandmother descending below the roadway to pick from the dense thicket of watercress. It was an annual tradition in the spring to get the plant at its most tender.

Making lace can be extremely time-consuming. The most “sophisticated” way is through traditional needle lace.

The Pennsylvania Dutch loved to add decorations all over. An old Bible in the Tuliptree Collection has a curious decoration on the tail edge of the textblock.

There have been far too many heated debates about the purpose of decoration among the Pennsylvania Dutch. Some say it’s “just for nice,” others point to deeper meanings — even back to pagan symbolism.