Readers who live near the New Garden Airport will want to be looking up on August 24 and 25: it's the annual air show. I always enjoy seeing the vintage bombers flying in low the morning of the show; they make a low, steady rumble as they head south to the airfield. And sometimes I can see the aerobatics pilots doing their performances if they're up high enough. And who can forget seeing the Stealth bomber zipping around last year? So cool! (Umm .... yeah. Can you tell that both my brother and my father are pilots, and my grandmother was with the Civil Air Patrol in WWII?)
For more information on the air show visit www.newgardenflyingfield.com.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
The back yard
I was picking up sticks around the yard the other day and found this cool-looking fungus under the evergreens. It's called Rounded Earthstar, and it's a member of the Puffball family. Wikipedia says, "It is considered inedible by mushroomers, because of its bitter taste. It is a common mushroom, but collections are at their peak during late summer."
The hummingbirds were late in coming this summer, but they are most entertaining. I haven't seen many of the males -- the ones with the ruby throats -- but the females are at my feeder almost continuously. When two show up together, they chitter at each other and chase each other.
I'm starting to see yellow leaves drop off the big walnut tree. Soon the walnuts will come crashing down onto the roof in the middle of the night, and I already saw a squirrel chewing away the tough green coating. Better him than me: the walnut produces a brown stain so indelible that a friend of mine uses it as hair dye.
The hummingbirds were late in coming this summer, but they are most entertaining. I haven't seen many of the males -- the ones with the ruby throats -- but the females are at my feeder almost continuously. When two show up together, they chitter at each other and chase each other.
I'm starting to see yellow leaves drop off the big walnut tree. Soon the walnuts will come crashing down onto the roof in the middle of the night, and I already saw a squirrel chewing away the tough green coating. Better him than me: the walnut produces a brown stain so indelible that a friend of mine uses it as hair dye.
No excuses
Fitness instructors are tough cookies.
My Pilates teacher taught class the other evening with a bad sinus infection. She told us she planned to head to the clinic in Kennett right after class to get an antibiotic prescription.
Another student and I suggested that if she wanted to cut class short, we'd understand -- even if she needed to eliminate a couple of moves, say various glorified pushups and one pose that involves holding a V-seat position while lifting weighted balls toward your pointed feet.
She may have been ill, but she certainly didn't fall for that one.
My Pilates teacher taught class the other evening with a bad sinus infection. She told us she planned to head to the clinic in Kennett right after class to get an antibiotic prescription.
Another student and I suggested that if she wanted to cut class short, we'd understand -- even if she needed to eliminate a couple of moves, say various glorified pushups and one pose that involves holding a V-seat position while lifting weighted balls toward your pointed feet.
She may have been ill, but she certainly didn't fall for that one.
Cracked me up
A friend told me that her husband came off his horse while going over a jump during a lesson, landed hard and was in significant pain with what they feared were broken ribs.
I sympathized, per usual, and asked if I could bring them a pizza or subs for dinner.
No, thanks, she said. I could tell she was trying really hard not to laugh when she explained that they had to finish the previous night's leftovers ... BBQ ribs.
As it turns out, the ribs (the human kind) were not broken, just seriously bruised, and he's back in the saddle. So I had lunch today with the wife and the Cranky Friend, and the latter came up with an idea that is a sure-fire winner: there should be a shop in Unionville that stocks all manner of splints, braces, walkers, canes, cold and heat pads, and rehab equipment. Just on the off chance that anybody around here should suffer any equine-related injuries.
I sympathized, per usual, and asked if I could bring them a pizza or subs for dinner.
No, thanks, she said. I could tell she was trying really hard not to laugh when she explained that they had to finish the previous night's leftovers ... BBQ ribs.
As it turns out, the ribs (the human kind) were not broken, just seriously bruised, and he's back in the saddle. So I had lunch today with the wife and the Cranky Friend, and the latter came up with an idea that is a sure-fire winner: there should be a shop in Unionville that stocks all manner of splints, braces, walkers, canes, cold and heat pads, and rehab equipment. Just on the off chance that anybody around here should suffer any equine-related injuries.
Cubbing
If you're seeing a lot of horse trailers out in the early, early morning, here's why: the foxhunters are getting ready for their season.
Some hunts are doing "hound walking" and others have already started "cubbing." The idea is to get the young hounds used to the idea of chasing foxes, for the young foxes to get used to leading the hounds on a merry chase and for the horses and riders to get back into the swing of things, supposedly at a slower pace (that doesn't always happen, from what I hear). The dress code is less formal than during the "real" season.
These dress rehearsals start much earlier in the day, too. The Cheshire hunt is still hound walking, which starts at 7 a.m.
But two of my dearest pals, who hunt with Andrews Bridge, get up at 3:30 in the morning to get their horses and themselves groomed and ready for a 6 a.m. start.
"You're home by 8:30, and you've already been up for five hours!" one said.
Some hunts are doing "hound walking" and others have already started "cubbing." The idea is to get the young hounds used to the idea of chasing foxes, for the young foxes to get used to leading the hounds on a merry chase and for the horses and riders to get back into the swing of things, supposedly at a slower pace (that doesn't always happen, from what I hear). The dress code is less formal than during the "real" season.
These dress rehearsals start much earlier in the day, too. The Cheshire hunt is still hound walking, which starts at 7 a.m.
But two of my dearest pals, who hunt with Andrews Bridge, get up at 3:30 in the morning to get their horses and themselves groomed and ready for a 6 a.m. start.
"You're home by 8:30, and you've already been up for five hours!" one said.
West Marlborough business
From beginning to end, the West Marlborough Township meetings on Aug. 6 lasted just 52 minutes -- and that included ample social time.
First the Planning Commission met and chose Jeb Hannum as its new chairman (former chair Josh Taylor became a township supervisor) and welcomed new member Gus Brown, who was named to the commission by the township supervisors in July. After their brief meeting there was general conversation among the audience members -- we always have plenty to discuss with our neighbors -- before Supervisor Bill Wylie called the supervisors' meeting to order.
The only bit of controversy at the meeting occurred when Springdell resident Bernie Langer stood and read aloud a letter he wrote to the board suggesting that they be more open when choosing new Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board members. He said vacancies on the boards should be publicized, candidates' names announced and public input invited on the candidates. He also said living in the township for at least five years and being a regular voter and municipal meeting attender should be prerequisites for serving on one of the boards.
In their letter of response, the supervisors told him they felt that following such a public procedure would be "hurtful and divisive" because it would necessarily create winners and losers. They also thanked him for being such an involved citizen and expressing his views.
In other business, Tom Brosius of Marlboro Mushrooms praised the township road crew for keeping the roadbanks so neatly maintained: he said they waited for him to mow his fields and even tidied a spot he missed. Supervisor and Roadmaster Hugh Lofting seconded the compliments for the crew, adding that they've had quite a job keeping stone on the gravel roads with the heavy and frequent rainstorms this past month.
At the supervisors' meeting, Planning Commission member Anna Myers filled in as minute-taker for township secretary-treasurer Shirley Walton, who had to make a family airport pickup. Anna is certainly no stranger to taking minutes: she does the same thing for the Planning Commission.
First the Planning Commission met and chose Jeb Hannum as its new chairman (former chair Josh Taylor became a township supervisor) and welcomed new member Gus Brown, who was named to the commission by the township supervisors in July. After their brief meeting there was general conversation among the audience members -- we always have plenty to discuss with our neighbors -- before Supervisor Bill Wylie called the supervisors' meeting to order.
The only bit of controversy at the meeting occurred when Springdell resident Bernie Langer stood and read aloud a letter he wrote to the board suggesting that they be more open when choosing new Planning Commission and Zoning Hearing Board members. He said vacancies on the boards should be publicized, candidates' names announced and public input invited on the candidates. He also said living in the township for at least five years and being a regular voter and municipal meeting attender should be prerequisites for serving on one of the boards.
In their letter of response, the supervisors told him they felt that following such a public procedure would be "hurtful and divisive" because it would necessarily create winners and losers. They also thanked him for being such an involved citizen and expressing his views.
In other business, Tom Brosius of Marlboro Mushrooms praised the township road crew for keeping the roadbanks so neatly maintained: he said they waited for him to mow his fields and even tidied a spot he missed. Supervisor and Roadmaster Hugh Lofting seconded the compliments for the crew, adding that they've had quite a job keeping stone on the gravel roads with the heavy and frequent rainstorms this past month.
At the supervisors' meeting, Planning Commission member Anna Myers filled in as minute-taker for township secretary-treasurer Shirley Walton, who had to make a family airport pickup. Anna is certainly no stranger to taking minutes: she does the same thing for the Planning Commission.
24/7
How did I not know that the Landhope convenience store in Willowdale is now open 24/7? I know I lead a quiet life, but others who claim to live under rocks say they've been well aware of the fact for months. Thank you, Sharp-Eyed Friend, for pointing this out, and rest assured you were certainly NOT the last to hear.
In my defense, I checked yesterday evening and found no signs at the store as to its hours. And the last time I drove past in the wee hours, I was coming home from some gala and was more concerned about keeping my giant evening cloak away from the brake and accelerator.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Darn you, autocorrect!
I was just texting a friend to meet me for lunch at La Pena Mexicana. She has not been there before, so I described it as "across from Wawa." The autocorrect dictionary was obviously not written by a local: it changed "Wawa" to "Wayward." It does the same thing with "Kennett," which becomes "Kenneth."
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Sing a song
Have you ever heard of the Kennett Choirboys? I hadn't until the group popped onto my Facebook page. It's a choir for boys in grades three through eight who love to sing. The group meets weekly at the Kennett Square Presbyterian Church.
Auditions are on Sept. 11, at the first rehearsal, or by appointment. The coming season will include "Once on this Silent Night" in December and "Of Mythical and Other Assorted Creatures" in May 2014. For more info: e-mail kennettchoirboys@gmail.com
Auditions are on Sept. 11, at the first rehearsal, or by appointment. The coming season will include "Once on this Silent Night" in December and "Of Mythical and Other Assorted Creatures" in May 2014. For more info: e-mail kennettchoirboys@gmail.com
Development
I've been seeing a few more of those "Exton Comes to Embreeville" signs in people's yards around town, expressing concern about the large housing development proposed for the former Embreeville State Hospital. I even got an email from a teenager who is upset about the effects that the project could have on Route 162 and other local roads and the community -- it should be a useful civics and media lesson for him.
On stage
Singer/songwriter/harpist Gillian Grassie will be returning to her native Unionville for a show on Aug. 22 at Catherine's restaurant. In recent months she has been performing in Italy and Germany, but she'll be back in the States for the fall season, including several Philadelphia shows. Gillian's proud Mom is Babette Jenny of Laurel Forge Farm.
Friday, August 2, 2013
The lycoris is here
It's a few days later than it was last summer, but the lycoris is in bloom, and just like it does every year it took me completely by surprise. All of a sudden, these amazing stalks with reddish/mauve buds show up above the pachysandra bed! Its nickname is an apt one: Surprise Lily.
When I mentioned the lycoris in these pages last July, a loyal and now deceased reader from Marlboro Village shared the following anecdote, and I'm going to run it again in her memory because we all really miss her:
"Another nickname for Lycoris is, I believe, Naked Lady, because of the lack of foliage and probably the pink hue. Story about that: a friend once phoned someone with whom she'd been discussing these flowers and burst out as soon as the phone was picked up: `I've just found several more Naked Ladies in my garden!' A silence, then: `Lady, I think you have the wrong number.' "
When I mentioned the lycoris in these pages last July, a loyal and now deceased reader from Marlboro Village shared the following anecdote, and I'm going to run it again in her memory because we all really miss her:
"Another nickname for Lycoris is, I believe, Naked Lady, because of the lack of foliage and probably the pink hue. Story about that: a friend once phoned someone with whom she'd been discussing these flowers and burst out as soon as the phone was picked up: `I've just found several more Naked Ladies in my garden!' A silence, then: `Lady, I think you have the wrong number.' "
Goodness gracious
Owning an out-of-the-ordinary wristwatch is a lot like owning an out-of-the-ordinary car. When it needs a new battery, you can't just go to Batteries R Us and plunk in a new one. No: you have to go to a Special Craftsperson at a Special Shop.
So the other morning I called my watch guy, who is on the Main Line, to see if he was open.
When he answered, I said cheerfully, "Great! You're there!"
"I'm really not taking any new work," he said -- rather baldly, I thought.
"Oh!" said I, startled.
"What was it you needed?" he asked.
I explained, and grudgingly he agreed that he could just find time to put a new battery in.
Before he could change his mind, I got in the car and headed out through the teeming rain. It was an eventful trip. Route 842 between Unionville and West Chester was on the verge of flooding. Lancaster Avenue in downtown Wayne was completely shut down due to a restaurant fire AND a car crash. Emergency guys in yellow rain slickers directed traffic onto the little side streets.
Finally I reached the watch guy's shop and announced myself as the woman who had phoned earlier.
"Good," he said. "Now I can lock the door."
He sat down at his workbench and started taking the watch apart but accidentally dropped two of the tiny screws on the floor. Beyond vexed with himself -- and, I suspect, me -- he sent me away, telling me he'd have to keep the watch for a few days.
To my great surprise, by the time I'd reached Berwyn he called and said he'd managed to find the screws -- they'd rolled under the counter -- and my watch was ready.
I made a U-turn and plunged back into the Wayne detours for the third time! I picked up the watch and paid him his $20 (plus tax), and he looked up at me and said, "Bon après-midi, mademoiselle."
He may be temperamental, but I like this guy.
So the other morning I called my watch guy, who is on the Main Line, to see if he was open.
When he answered, I said cheerfully, "Great! You're there!"
"I'm really not taking any new work," he said -- rather baldly, I thought.
"Oh!" said I, startled.
"What was it you needed?" he asked.
I explained, and grudgingly he agreed that he could just find time to put a new battery in.
Before he could change his mind, I got in the car and headed out through the teeming rain. It was an eventful trip. Route 842 between Unionville and West Chester was on the verge of flooding. Lancaster Avenue in downtown Wayne was completely shut down due to a restaurant fire AND a car crash. Emergency guys in yellow rain slickers directed traffic onto the little side streets.
Finally I reached the watch guy's shop and announced myself as the woman who had phoned earlier.
"Good," he said. "Now I can lock the door."
He sat down at his workbench and started taking the watch apart but accidentally dropped two of the tiny screws on the floor. Beyond vexed with himself -- and, I suspect, me -- he sent me away, telling me he'd have to keep the watch for a few days.
To my great surprise, by the time I'd reached Berwyn he called and said he'd managed to find the screws -- they'd rolled under the counter -- and my watch was ready.
I made a U-turn and plunged back into the Wayne detours for the third time! I picked up the watch and paid him his $20 (plus tax), and he looked up at me and said, "Bon après-midi, mademoiselle."
He may be temperamental, but I like this guy.
Josiah Harlan
A few weeks back, perhaps you'll recall, a friend told me, with some pride, that it was a Unionville native who came up with the idea for the U.S. Camel Corps. I did some research online and came up with nothing.
But two readers were quick to confirm that Josiah Harlan, born in Newlin Township in 1799, was indeed the man. Both readers sent me a fascinating article about Harlan entitled "The Life and Times of an Adventurous Quaker" by Dr. Daniel Rolph, Historian and Head of Reference Services at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Harlan spent many years in military service in Afghanistan and India, and when he returned to America he proposed using camels as pack animals:
"In 1855, Jefferson Davis (then Secretary of War for the United States, later the President of the Confederate States of American during the Civil War) allocated $30,000 to purchase camels for American forces to be used in the Southwest. Harlan advocated the camels be obtained from Afghanistan while the U.S. government opted for those from Africa. Regardless, the American Camel Corps was short-lived."
Dr. Rolph notes that Harlan was the exception to the belief that all Quakers are "predominantly pacifists, or non-aggressive in nature."
He also writes that Rudyard Kipling's short story "The Man Who Would Be King" "was based in part upon the life and experiences of Harlan while he resided in the border area of the Punjab in India and what is now Afghanistan."
Folk fest
Anson B. Nixon Park is hosting the Second Annual Brandywine Folk Festival Aug. 23 through 25. The lineup comprises more than 30 performers, vendors, beer-gardens, and games/activities for kids. "The Brandywine Folk Festival aims to unite the unique stylings of many different musicians while creating a family friendly atmosphere, giving back to our community, and providing aid for charity (SPARC Southeastern Pennsylvania Autism Resource Center)," according to the website. There's lots more information on their website and updates on their Facebook page. Day tickets are $25 in advance, $35 at the door; event tickets are $65 in advance, $75 at the door. Kids 12 and under are free.
Speaking of beer, the Kennett area is certainly going to be awash in ale! In recent weeks, Two Stones Pub, Kennett Brewing Company and now Victory Brewing have all announced they're going to be setting up shop in or near town.
Speaking of beer, the Kennett area is certainly going to be awash in ale! In recent weeks, Two Stones Pub, Kennett Brewing Company and now Victory Brewing have all announced they're going to be setting up shop in or near town.
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