Residents of Powell and Brandywine Creek Roads are finding it a little easier to pull out onto, and off, Route 162 now that both intersections have three-way stop signs. Locals call this stretch of road "suicide curve" because both Powell and Brandywine Creek join the winding main road at acute angles and on a steep upgrade, making sight distances very limited. Now motorists traveling from Unionville toward Embreeville (and vice versa) have to stop at both intersections.
"You have no idea what a relief it is to have those stop signs," reports one resident. "It was bad enough with a car, but with a truck and long trailer, turning left off 162 onto Brandywine Creek was a heart-stopping leap-of-faith experience."
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Recovery
The Aug. 25 edition of People magazine has a story about Kevin Pearce, age 22, who is recovering from a severe brain injury he suffered Dec. 31 in a snowboarding accident while preparing for the Olympics. His father, Simon Pearce, owns the glassblowing studio, shop and restaurant along the Brandywine at Lenape as well as one in Vermont, where the family lives.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Online again, gratefully
A giant THANK YOU to the friendly folks at the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library. A couple of times this summer, due to power outages and hardware snafus, I found myself computer-less. Not a happy state for one who is heavily reliant on her computer. But thanks to the free public computers at the library, I was able to check my e-mail a couple of times a day and stay in touch with clients and Internet friends.
What a great service!
What a great service!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Elizabeth rocks
If Elizabeth ran the world, it would be a better and more efficient place.
I drove out to Oxford on Saturday to get my driver's license renewed -- there's a little DMV branch office just at the Route 10 exit from the Route 1 bypass. It was standing-room-only crowded. I figured I would be hanging out there for a while, so I started to text a friend -- when I was called up to the counter.
There the unflappable Elizabeth greeted me, handled my paperwork, took my photo and had me out of there in 5 minutes. And the photo is even flattering! Amazing!
I drove out to Oxford on Saturday to get my driver's license renewed -- there's a little DMV branch office just at the Route 10 exit from the Route 1 bypass. It was standing-room-only crowded. I figured I would be hanging out there for a while, so I started to text a friend -- when I was called up to the counter.
There the unflappable Elizabeth greeted me, handled my paperwork, took my photo and had me out of there in 5 minutes. And the photo is even flattering! Amazing!
Shotguns
Yesterday was the beginning of one of three dove-hunting seasons here in the Commonwealth, and I understand that several local hunters had an excellent first day.
"Doves are birds of cornfields, breaklines, water holes and low hills," according to the Pottstown Mercury's outdoors columnist. "They're the NASCAR drivers of the wing kingdom. Even without a tailwind they can fly 35 to 40 m.p.h. and with the pedal to the metal they're capable of even faster bursts."
It's Canada goose season, too.
"Doves are birds of cornfields, breaklines, water holes and low hills," according to the Pottstown Mercury's outdoors columnist. "They're the NASCAR drivers of the wing kingdom. Even without a tailwind they can fly 35 to 40 m.p.h. and with the pedal to the metal they're capable of even faster bursts."
It's Canada goose season, too.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Town Spirit
Sometimes it's the little things that really tell you what a town is all about.
I was driving into Kennett Square the other day on East State Street and saw, outside the garage on the left, a whimsical stuffed figure like a scarecrow with its arm raised in greeting. Now, some creative person had to think, "Hey, wouldn't it be fun to have a sort of mascot outside? We can change its outfit with the seasons!" And then he or she had to assemble it and maintain it. Wonderful!
And on the right, at another garage, was a sign bidding farewell to the shop's resident dog. The owner even ran a display ad in the local paper with photos and a fond obituary for the obviously beloved creature.
To me, those displays offer a true "Welcome to our town" better than any banner.
I was driving into Kennett Square the other day on East State Street and saw, outside the garage on the left, a whimsical stuffed figure like a scarecrow with its arm raised in greeting. Now, some creative person had to think, "Hey, wouldn't it be fun to have a sort of mascot outside? We can change its outfit with the seasons!" And then he or she had to assemble it and maintain it. Wonderful!
And on the right, at another garage, was a sign bidding farewell to the shop's resident dog. The owner even ran a display ad in the local paper with photos and a fond obituary for the obviously beloved creature.
To me, those displays offer a true "Welcome to our town" better than any banner.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Put this in your pipe...
Just to the west of us, toward Lancaster County, the Amish farmers are busy harvesting their tobacco. It turns a lovely yellow when it's ready to be cut. But did you know that the tobacco from around here is not used for cigarettes? It's used for cigar wrappers and filler.
Dig It!
I have a potato patch about a yard square, and I had a great time harvesting my spuds yesterday. I filled a large basket, with more to come: there's still one more plant whose leaves haven't died back yet. I grow just your average spuds, no fancy colors or shapes, but my friends are amazed, as if I must be a real child of the soil to grow my own potatoes.
You bury sprouting potatoes from your pantry. They grow. Nothing to it!
Digging potatoes reminds me of a birthday game when I was a kid, before birthday parties became so elaborate and expensive. My mother would fill a big tub with sand and she'd bury little presents in it (exactly what the presents were has been lost in, uh, the sands of time). But I do remember that my guests and I would have a great time digging away with shovels and sieves, like archaeologists.
My mother also had difficulty getting the layers of cakes to stay in place, so she'd secure them with toothpicks. Whoever found a toothpick in his or her cake got a prize!
Once again, I've forgotten what the prize was; it was the finding that counted.
You bury sprouting potatoes from your pantry. They grow. Nothing to it!
Digging potatoes reminds me of a birthday game when I was a kid, before birthday parties became so elaborate and expensive. My mother would fill a big tub with sand and she'd bury little presents in it (exactly what the presents were has been lost in, uh, the sands of time). But I do remember that my guests and I would have a great time digging away with shovels and sieves, like archaeologists.
My mother also had difficulty getting the layers of cakes to stay in place, so she'd secure them with toothpicks. Whoever found a toothpick in his or her cake got a prize!
Once again, I've forgotten what the prize was; it was the finding that counted.
Monday, August 30, 2010
War and Peace
On Sunday we went to Old Kennett Meeting on Route 1 to hear author Bruce Mowday speak about
"Quakers in the Revolutionary War." It was a fascinating talk and touched on issues about pacifism that are still very relevant to Quakers today. He quoted from damage claims filed by local farmers stating that the soldiers had destroyed or stolen not only livestock, crops and equipment but also shoes, a new pair of breeches and a history book. A good crowd turned out, and despite the hot day, it stayed pleasant and cool inside the 18th-century meetinghouse.
Oh, and the "peace" part? Ended up the busy weekend relaxing in a hot-tub in Newlin Township under an incredible star-filled sky, with dear friends in the tub, three dogs on the deck, and a zillion crickets chirping away.
"Quakers in the Revolutionary War." It was a fascinating talk and touched on issues about pacifism that are still very relevant to Quakers today. He quoted from damage claims filed by local farmers stating that the soldiers had destroyed or stolen not only livestock, crops and equipment but also shoes, a new pair of breeches and a history book. A good crowd turned out, and despite the hot day, it stayed pleasant and cool inside the 18th-century meetinghouse.
Oh, and the "peace" part? Ended up the busy weekend relaxing in a hot-tub in Newlin Township under an incredible star-filled sky, with dear friends in the tub, three dogs on the deck, and a zillion crickets chirping away.
Peruvian
To celebrate the beginning of the school year, we had a family meal at a terrific new-ish restaurant called "Patty's Place" at the southeast corner of Route 202 and 926 in Westtown. They were having one of their periodic Latin-themed buffet dinners and everything was wonderful -- empanadas, ceviche, two kinds of rice, a beef stew, pork, pollo, ground meat encased in a potato crust -- WOW! It was the first time I'd been there, but I'm told their everyday menu is just as tasty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)