Last weekend I joined maybe 30 others, from kids to senior citizens, at the Delaware Art Museum's outdoor labyrinth to mark World Labyrinth Day, a worldwide celebration in which people around the globe walk the labyrinth at 1 p.m. Here, Labyrinth-Master Carol Maurer welcomed everyone and the members of the Cathedral Choir of Wilmington filed in, lining up at the far end of the former reservoir. As they started singing (great acoustics!), the guests entered the labyrinth as they felt moved to do so. The beautiful music, the warm sun, the crunch of gravel underfoot and the sense of camaraderie all made for an inspiring event.
You can find out more about labyrinths on Carol's blog, www.backyardpilgrim.blogspot.com, or www.labyrinthsociety.org. There's also a video of the event on the Art Museum's website.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
I thought so!
A few weeks ago I mentioned that there's a hedge that makes it really tricky to see oncoming traffic when you're pulling out from Race Street onto Cypress Street in Kennett. Kennett Borough Council member Dan Maffei just sent me an update:
"The Chief measured the distance to the hedge in question and it is definitely a violation of the minimum clear sight line as defined by highways association. He has approached the owners and will give them 30 days to comply."
Thank you so much for following up, Dan!
In other Kennett news: it's a nice touch to have the borough's Parking Enforcement Officer doing double duty as crossing guard at the First Friday Art Stroll. Light stick in hand, he was shepherding visitors across the intersection of Union and State Streets when I was there.
"The Chief measured the distance to the hedge in question and it is definitely a violation of the minimum clear sight line as defined by highways association. He has approached the owners and will give them 30 days to comply."
Thank you so much for following up, Dan!
In other Kennett news: it's a nice touch to have the borough's Parking Enforcement Officer doing double duty as crossing guard at the First Friday Art Stroll. Light stick in hand, he was shepherding visitors across the intersection of Union and State Streets when I was there.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Prudent
I loved seeing the prom photos in last week's Kennett Paper, but I'm not the only one who noticed that some of the young women seemed to be falling out of their dresses. I know, I know, every generation says this about the fashion choices of the younger one. In my day, we all rolled our eyes at the totally square school rule dictating that mini-skirts couldn't be any shorter than our fingertips.
In the case of these skimpy prom dresses, though, school regulations wouldn't have even applied: my mother would NEVER have let me out of the door showing as much skin as these girls do. My mother is far from a prude; she's just sensible.
And today the ramifications are even more far-reaching: with the Internet, these revealing photos are going to be around forever for future business clients, patients, employers and employees to see -- not to mention random voyeurs and creepos. Not a pretty thought.
In the case of these skimpy prom dresses, though, school regulations wouldn't have even applied: my mother would NEVER have let me out of the door showing as much skin as these girls do. My mother is far from a prude; she's just sensible.
And today the ramifications are even more far-reaching: with the Internet, these revealing photos are going to be around forever for future business clients, patients, employers and employees to see -- not to mention random voyeurs and creepos. Not a pretty thought.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
All Over Manhattan
A Unionville friend -- the one with the new knee -- got a call out of the blue from a friend and former boss, offering her a discount week at a timeshare in midtown Manhattan. My friend, an avid traveler just back from the Grand Canyon, jumped at the chance and headed north with her daughter.
They had a splendid time and perfect weather: they walked in Central Park (did I know, she asked, that there is a Literary Walk there?), visited and were deeply moved by the 9/11 Memorial, studied Egyptology at the Met, took a double-decker bus tour around town, and saw "Spiderman" and "Wicked" on Broadway. She loved the High Line, the linear park on what used to be an elevated railway.
She enjoyed the fact that cabs now take credit cards and admired the "sophisticated suits" on the businessmen; the women "all were wearing very high heels," she said, holding her fingers a few inches apart to indicate the heel height.
What she didn't like was the lines and the crowds: "it was just a little claustrophobic." As soon as they saw the long lines for discount theater tickets, they decided just to ask their concierge to get the tickets for them. Walking on the jammed sidewalks "was like running a gauntlet," especially since she still has to be cautious on curbs and steps with the new knee.
She said that although they had a great week, "we agreed we are glad we live in the country."
They had a splendid time and perfect weather: they walked in Central Park (did I know, she asked, that there is a Literary Walk there?), visited and were deeply moved by the 9/11 Memorial, studied Egyptology at the Met, took a double-decker bus tour around town, and saw "Spiderman" and "Wicked" on Broadway. She loved the High Line, the linear park on what used to be an elevated railway.
She enjoyed the fact that cabs now take credit cards and admired the "sophisticated suits" on the businessmen; the women "all were wearing very high heels," she said, holding her fingers a few inches apart to indicate the heel height.
What she didn't like was the lines and the crowds: "it was just a little claustrophobic." As soon as they saw the long lines for discount theater tickets, they decided just to ask their concierge to get the tickets for them. Walking on the jammed sidewalks "was like running a gauntlet," especially since she still has to be cautious on curbs and steps with the new knee.
She said that although they had a great week, "we agreed we are glad we live in the country."
First editions
My book-collector pals probably won't be pleased that I'm publicizing this: but there's going to be a really interesting auction at 816 Newhall Road, East Marlborough, on Thursday, May 23 (preview is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 11). On the auction block will be some Bayard Taylor first editions, an 1883 Chester County atlas and "a large collection of vintage books from personal library," according to the auction notice. The brick ranch house and lot are being sold at noon; the sale of contents starts at 10 a.m. The auctioneer is Morphy Auctions, www.morphyauctions.com.
Fish tacos
I ran into my dear friend (and loyal reader) Doug at La Pena Mexicana on Saturday night, and he didn't even have to tell the waitress what he wanted: she knew he'd order the fish tacos "with everything." I decided to try it myself -- and I now have a new favorite. Tilapia, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, lettuce and avocado on corn tortillas, with rice and green salsa -- for seven dollars? Seriously, what's not to like?
La Pena is at 609 West Cypress Street in Kennett Square.
La Pena is at 609 West Cypress Street in Kennett Square.
Speechless
In what I can only interpret as one of the weirdest pickup lines ever, the middle-aged fellow next to me caught a glimpse of the photo that serves as the "home screen" of my phone. It depicts one of the beautiful unpaved roads here in West Marlborough.
"So," he asked, "are you a bowhunter?"
Motivation
At a family dinner at the Half-Moon, the Tally-ho patriarch announced, perhaps unwisely, that his doctor had ordered him to lose 15 pounds in the next three months. How, he asked, was he ever going to do this?
My brother the engineer sensibly suggested a combination of decreased intake and increased exercise; he calculated the required caloric balance. I suggested frequent walks at Longwood Gardens. The Young Relative suggested that I include a box in each week's "Unionville in the News" entitled "Diet Progress." (I rejected this idea after my father started muttering something that sounded a lot like "you wanna be disowned?")
So, readers, help me out here. If you see my father at a restaurant, go up to his table and inspect his plate. Do not be afraid to denounce him publicly if you see him eating dessert. Waitresses, monitor his orders ("It's for your own good, Mr. Tally-ho"). Praise him if you see him walking at Longwood and ask intrusive questions about the regularity of his exercise.
Trust me, he'll appreciate it.
(The doctor also suggested that he might think about hiring someone to do tasks like cutting down trees instead of doing it himself. But as my father would say, "From the movie `Fat Chance.'")
My brother the engineer sensibly suggested a combination of decreased intake and increased exercise; he calculated the required caloric balance. I suggested frequent walks at Longwood Gardens. The Young Relative suggested that I include a box in each week's "Unionville in the News" entitled "Diet Progress." (I rejected this idea after my father started muttering something that sounded a lot like "you wanna be disowned?")
So, readers, help me out here. If you see my father at a restaurant, go up to his table and inspect his plate. Do not be afraid to denounce him publicly if you see him eating dessert. Waitresses, monitor his orders ("It's for your own good, Mr. Tally-ho"). Praise him if you see him walking at Longwood and ask intrusive questions about the regularity of his exercise.
Trust me, he'll appreciate it.
(The doctor also suggested that he might think about hiring someone to do tasks like cutting down trees instead of doing it himself. But as my father would say, "From the movie `Fat Chance.'")
Friday, May 3, 2013
Universal
Tired of making small talk about the weather and the Phillies? Don't want to risk bringing up gun control, gay marriage or the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors? In the past week I've found two new, safe and fairly universal topics of discussion: curtains and drainage problems.
I've been putting up new curtains (three visits to Lowe's so far) and, when telling family and friends about my choices, I was surprised to find that almost everyone has a window-treatment story to share. After all, you have to make lots of decisions about colors, fabrics, styles, hardware -- they fill up two whole aisles at Lowe's! You should have seen my friend Karen's eyes light up when I mentioned my new cordless honeycomb blinds.
Same things with drainage problems: who doesn't like to talk about their plumber and the vagaries of their plumbing setup? You have to have the lingo for it, though, or else your conversation will consist of vague references to "that thingie that comes out of the garbage disposal" or "those round PVC jobbies."
I've been putting up new curtains (three visits to Lowe's so far) and, when telling family and friends about my choices, I was surprised to find that almost everyone has a window-treatment story to share. After all, you have to make lots of decisions about colors, fabrics, styles, hardware -- they fill up two whole aisles at Lowe's! You should have seen my friend Karen's eyes light up when I mentioned my new cordless honeycomb blinds.
Same things with drainage problems: who doesn't like to talk about their plumber and the vagaries of their plumbing setup? You have to have the lingo for it, though, or else your conversation will consist of vague references to "that thingie that comes out of the garbage disposal" or "those round PVC jobbies."
Growin' up
In a few weeks a young woman I know is going to be processing down the steps of Old West and graduating from my alma mater. It seems like just yesterday that she was at Tower Hill, thinking about where she would like to go to college and -- being a loyal alum -- I suggested my old school as a possibility. And in every sports story about the UHS baseball team, it seems there's a photo of a certain young man, scoring the winning run or making a crucial out. How time flies: his mother was in my exercise class up until the week he was born.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Where are they?
Has anyone seen hummingbirds darting around? I haven't, and I've had my feeder up since April 27. There are plenty of red-winged blackbirds, chickadees, catbirds and carpenter bees, but no hummingbirds quite yet.
A young ornithologist friend has offered to take me on a bird walk along my road, which -- who knew? -- turns out to be something of a birdwatcher's paradise. Can't wait!
A young ornithologist friend has offered to take me on a bird walk along my road, which -- who knew? -- turns out to be something of a birdwatcher's paradise. Can't wait!
Another chapter ends
On my way home from dinner last night (May 1) I noticed a "for sale" sign on a vacant lot at Baltimore Pike and Waywood Lane, just east of town. If you lived around here back in 2000, you will doubtless recall that this parcel was the cause of a firestorm of controversy. The board of the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library purchased the lot for $500,000 with the hopes of building a new library there. However, the opposition to this idea was swift and fierce: many people didn't want the library to leave the center of town.
It was a huge and bitter battle. Invective-filled letters to the editor filled this paper (in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if even this diplomatic recap sparks at least one). A "Friends of the Library" group sprung up to oppose the move. Sadly, some long friendships broke up over the vitriolic dispute.
I found myself in the middle of the whole to-do and, with hindsight, I can say that I learned a great many things -- most of them useful but few of them pretty -- about politics, human nature (including my own), and being on the "other side" of journalism.
Obviously, since the Library is still located "in town,"the fundraising campaign for the proposed Waywood library never succeeded. I'm told the Board voted unanimously to sell the property; the asking price is $995,000. One can only hope they see a nice profit for all the time and energy that was expended.
It was a huge and bitter battle. Invective-filled letters to the editor filled this paper (in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if even this diplomatic recap sparks at least one). A "Friends of the Library" group sprung up to oppose the move. Sadly, some long friendships broke up over the vitriolic dispute.
I found myself in the middle of the whole to-do and, with hindsight, I can say that I learned a great many things -- most of them useful but few of them pretty -- about politics, human nature (including my own), and being on the "other side" of journalism.
Obviously, since the Library is still located "in town,"the fundraising campaign for the proposed Waywood library never succeeded. I'm told the Board voted unanimously to sell the property; the asking price is $995,000. One can only hope they see a nice profit for all the time and energy that was expended.
Obstructed view
Great constituent service from Kennett Borough Council member Dan Maffei -- and I'm not even a constituent of his! A few weeks ago I mentioned the sight-line problem at Race and Cypress Streets, near the Kennett Y. Dan got back to me immediately and said that Borough Police Chief Ed Zunino is looking into the problem at that intersection and a few others.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
"Mogreena"
Some of the nicest folks I've met recently are those who work in the tiny borough of Modena, just south of Coatesville. Several "green-minded" small businesses have set up shop there, like Waste Oil Recyclers and Organic Mechanics Potting Soil, and they'll be sponsoring the Fifth Annual Energy Independence Day at 6 Union St. from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, May 19. There's going to be live music, local beer tasting, kids' activities and a great, welcoming ambiance (I speak from experience).
Why risk it?
Overheard at Starbucks early this morning:
A woman put in her order and the cheerful clerk offered her a free sample of some goodie.
"No, thanks," replied the customer ruefully. "I might end up liking it."
And overheard in the Lowe's parking lot:
One woman to another: "So I told him, you can either pitch in more, or you can rub my feet every night!"
I didn't hear the response to that ultimatum and I'm not sure I wanted to.
A woman put in her order and the cheerful clerk offered her a free sample of some goodie.
"No, thanks," replied the customer ruefully. "I might end up liking it."
And overheard in the Lowe's parking lot:
One woman to another: "So I told him, you can either pitch in more, or you can rub my feet every night!"
I didn't hear the response to that ultimatum and I'm not sure I wanted to.
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