Saturday, August 30, 2014
CHESHIRE KENNELS: Cupcakes, donuts and coffee with the foxhunters
On Saturday morning I stopped in for an excellent cup of coffee at the Masters' Breakfast (the "Masters" being Sanna Neilson, Mike Ledyard and Anne Moran), held on the Kennel Lawn, after the Cheshire foxhunters returned from their final morning of hound exercise. The 8:30 breakfast was essentially mid-day for the foxhunters, an eager and dedicated bunch who rise well before dawn to get themselves and their horses ready for the morning's sport.
It was great to chat with friends and neighbors, not only the foxhunters but also their family members and various well-wishers. One fellow said he drops off his daughter and then just sits in his truck enjoying the early morning peace and quiet.
I had an interesting conversation about the Newlin horse-farm controversy (see elsewhere in this column for more details on that) and how other townships regulate equestrian operations (or don't).
Another neighbor was telling me about a homeopathic poison ivy remedy he swears by -- he says it even prevents the itchy rash. (Too late for me, alas: I have the worst case I've had all summer.)
In other local equestrian news, I just got my invitation to the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup, which this year will be Sunday, November 2, right here in West Marlborough.
LONGWOOD GARDENS: Young singer Jackie Evancho was filming a special
"Unionville in the News" reader Jaymie shows every sign of having been a newspaper reporter in a prior life. She writes:
"I jumped up and ran to my computer when I read your bit about a "documentary" being filmed at Longwood Aug. 18. I was walking there that day, and also encountered the crew and equipment. Singer Jackie Evancho was there and they were filming a PBS Special. I saw her and her crew walking around the Italian Water Garden preparing to film. They were playing her music through the speakers. She is adorable in person, and what a lovely place for her to film!"
I Googled her and learned that Miss Evancho is a 14-year-old singer from the Pittsburgh area who has a pretty astonishing voice, whether singing "Nessun dorma," "O mio bambino caro" or "Music of the Night." Her new CD, "Awakenings," comes out Sept. 23.
Thank you and an honorary Tilda press pass to Jaymie!
"I jumped up and ran to my computer when I read your bit about a "documentary" being filmed at Longwood Aug. 18. I was walking there that day, and also encountered the crew and equipment. Singer Jackie Evancho was there and they were filming a PBS Special. I saw her and her crew walking around the Italian Water Garden preparing to film. They were playing her music through the speakers. She is adorable in person, and what a lovely place for her to film!"
I Googled her and learned that Miss Evancho is a 14-year-old singer from the Pittsburgh area who has a pretty astonishing voice, whether singing "Nessun dorma," "O mio bambino caro" or "Music of the Night." Her new CD, "Awakenings," comes out Sept. 23.
Thank you and an honorary Tilda press pass to Jaymie!
Thursday, August 28, 2014
NEWLIN TOWNSHIP: Sept. 8 hearing for horse boarding proposals
If you are a Newlin horse-farm owner, you probably don't need to be reminded of this upcoming hearing, but I know that concerned folks in other townships are also keeping an eye on this controversy.
Newlin is considering enacting rules regulating equestrian operations, and the township supervisors will be holding a hearing on the proposed ordinance at 8 p.m. Monday, September 8, at the Lenfest Center on Cannery Road.
Horse farm owners have told the supervisors that the proposed rules would place undue hardships on them, would jeopardize their livelihoods, and would endanger Newlin's rural character. In particular, they object to the requirements that the township wants to impose on boarding facilities, such as having at least three acres for the first horse and two acres for each additional one, as well as restrictions about where pastures can be located in terms of flood plains and steep slopes and where manure can be stored. Farms that meet the regulations will be permitted to continue operating; those that don't will have to apply for a special exception from the township's Zoning Hearing Board. The township charges $1,500 to hold such a hearing.
The proposed ordinance is posted on the township's website.
KENNETT SQUARE: Raising money for the 2014 Mushroom Drop
Many downtown Kennett stores are selling 50/50 raffle tickets to raise money for the second annual New Year's Eve Mushroom Drop. The first one was a giant success and lots of fun: watching the giant lighted mushroom descend from a crane was the absolutely go-to way to ring in 2014. By selling the raffle tickets the organizers are hoping to defray the event's costs while keeping admission free (the only admission charge is a nonperishable food item). Raffle tickets are only a dollar each; they're available at The Mushroom Cap on West State Street and other downtown shops.
THE INTERNET: Heads up! Your Facebook page can be hacked
I've struck up a friendship with a delightful woman at the Y -- she is amusing but takes her workout seriously -- and so I found her on Facebook a few weeks ago and sent a "friend" request. It was quickly accepted. But then I got an online message purporting to be from her, claiming she was critically ill in the hospital in London and needed me to send her money because her family had abandoned her.
Well, I knew that was rubbish: she'd been at the gym the evening before and had put me to shame with the quality and quantity of her pushups.
I emailed her to alert her to this, and that's how she discovered that her Facebook page had been hacked. She had to jump through many hoops to get it back in her own name, and she said she's been getting some scam phone calls that she thinks are related to the incident. For instance, her phone company called her supposedly to conduct a customer service survey -- and then the final question was, "What's your Social Security Number?"
Well, I knew that was rubbish: she'd been at the gym the evening before and had put me to shame with the quality and quantity of her pushups.
I emailed her to alert her to this, and that's how she discovered that her Facebook page had been hacked. She had to jump through many hoops to get it back in her own name, and she said she's been getting some scam phone calls that she thinks are related to the incident. For instance, her phone company called her supposedly to conduct a customer service survey -- and then the final question was, "What's your Social Security Number?"
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
UNIONVILLE: Boxes and bags are on sale at the post office
Postmaster Bill at the Unionville Post Office wants customers to know that he has Christmas-themed mailing envelopes, boxes and other packaging materials on sale at 50 to 80 percent off, and Christmas cards are 50 percent off.
"Those boxes are a really good deal," he said, pointing to a sturdy red-and-green one that he said was made of thicker cardboard than usual. The sale will go on until the merchandise is gone. I plan to pick up some of the rectangular boxes for Christmas cookie shipping.
The irrepressible (people have tried) Karen Halstead, who was in the post office at the time, picked up a red-and-white cube-shaped box and held it next to her head, grinning like she was the "Let's Make a Deal" model. What a time to leave my camera at home! Karen reports that her table in the Kendal dining room is always the loudest and the last to leave. No one who knows her will be surprised to hear that.
"Those boxes are a really good deal," he said, pointing to a sturdy red-and-green one that he said was made of thicker cardboard than usual. The sale will go on until the merchandise is gone. I plan to pick up some of the rectangular boxes for Christmas cookie shipping.
The irrepressible (people have tried) Karen Halstead, who was in the post office at the time, picked up a red-and-white cube-shaped box and held it next to her head, grinning like she was the "Let's Make a Deal" model. What a time to leave my camera at home! Karen reports that her table in the Kendal dining room is always the loudest and the last to leave. No one who knows her will be surprised to hear that.
THE INTERNET: Instructions that were actually helpful
I almost can't believe I'm writing this, given that most online instructions for setting up electronic devices are incomprehensible ... but Verizon did a great job of walking me through the upgrade to my Wifi router.
My heart sank when I received their email about upgrading my wireless router to WPA2 (apparently that offers better security), but I went to their link and there was a list of clear, jargon-free, acronym-free, step-by-step instructions, complete with illustrations. I know; how incredible is that!
They didn't use terms like "system tray" or "protocol" (although I did see "ASCII" and "hex"; huh?); they just told me what to type in and what to click.
And best of all, the instructions worked! I now have a super-secure Wifi system with a new password, so don't even think about trying to poach.
Well done, Verizon. Now, about all that junk mail you keep sending me...
My heart sank when I received their email about upgrading my wireless router to WPA2 (apparently that offers better security), but I went to their link and there was a list of clear, jargon-free, acronym-free, step-by-step instructions, complete with illustrations. I know; how incredible is that!
They didn't use terms like "system tray" or "protocol" (although I did see "ASCII" and "hex"; huh?); they just told me what to type in and what to click.
And best of all, the instructions worked! I now have a super-secure Wifi system with a new password, so don't even think about trying to poach.
Well done, Verizon. Now, about all that junk mail you keep sending me...
HOMEVILLE: Happy 175th Birthday to Homeville Meeting
The 175th birthday party for Homeville Friends Meetinghouse on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 24, was a memorable and well-attended event.
The meetinghouse and its adjoining burial grounds sit along Route 896 in Upper Oxford Township, near the Lancaster County line, and the rural view looking west is stunning.
Before the worship service, guests mingled outside (I saw many from London Grove Friends Meeting), listened to Cochranville musician Janet Witman playing the harp, and browsed through the research about the meeting's history. We wandered through the peaceful burial ground, which has are both traditional, simple grave markers and modern ones featuring pictures of the dead person, and recognized a lot of familiar Chester County surnames on the gravestones.
Charlie Brosius of West Marlborough, whose family has deep connections to the meeting, helped organize the event (Donna McCool was the committee chairman) and served as emcee. He welcomed the guests, outlined the afternoon's agenda and introduced local State Rep. John Lawrence, who brought along a fancy certificate from the General Assembly honoring the meeting's anniversary.
For the worship service, the small meetinghouse couldn't accommodate everyone on its wooden benches, so some people sat outside under the shaded canopy. During the service several people were moved to speak about ancestors who had been members of the meeting. Some said the clip-clop of horses' hooves on the road outside (there were a lot of Amish carriages passing by) made the past feel not so distant. One woman who lives near the meetinghouse said she had always considered it a cold and lonely place because it's no longer active -- but she wouldn't anymore.
After the service, we listened to an entertaining talk by Chris Densmore, curator of the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College. He gave a brief history of the meeting and Quaker life in the nineteenth century and noted that Homeville members were active in abolitionist groups, including the Clarkson Society, and promoted the use of "free produce," meaning cotton cloth and other consumer goods that were made with no links to slave labor. The Homeville Quakers were also part of the fledgling women's suffrage movement.
A nice spread of cookies, brownies, lemonade and iced tea greeted us after the talk (Mr. Densmore made a joke about having the dangerous time slot of "just before the refreshments").
The meetinghouse and its adjoining burial grounds sit along Route 896 in Upper Oxford Township, near the Lancaster County line, and the rural view looking west is stunning.
Before the worship service, guests mingled outside (I saw many from London Grove Friends Meeting), listened to Cochranville musician Janet Witman playing the harp, and browsed through the research about the meeting's history. We wandered through the peaceful burial ground, which has are both traditional, simple grave markers and modern ones featuring pictures of the dead person, and recognized a lot of familiar Chester County surnames on the gravestones.
Charlie Brosius of West Marlborough, whose family has deep connections to the meeting, helped organize the event (Donna McCool was the committee chairman) and served as emcee. He welcomed the guests, outlined the afternoon's agenda and introduced local State Rep. John Lawrence, who brought along a fancy certificate from the General Assembly honoring the meeting's anniversary.
For the worship service, the small meetinghouse couldn't accommodate everyone on its wooden benches, so some people sat outside under the shaded canopy. During the service several people were moved to speak about ancestors who had been members of the meeting. Some said the clip-clop of horses' hooves on the road outside (there were a lot of Amish carriages passing by) made the past feel not so distant. One woman who lives near the meetinghouse said she had always considered it a cold and lonely place because it's no longer active -- but she wouldn't anymore.
After the service, we listened to an entertaining talk by Chris Densmore, curator of the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College. He gave a brief history of the meeting and Quaker life in the nineteenth century and noted that Homeville members were active in abolitionist groups, including the Clarkson Society, and promoted the use of "free produce," meaning cotton cloth and other consumer goods that were made with no links to slave labor. The Homeville Quakers were also part of the fledgling women's suffrage movement.
A nice spread of cookies, brownies, lemonade and iced tea greeted us after the talk (Mr. Densmore made a joke about having the dangerous time slot of "just before the refreshments").
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