Julia from the Brandywine and Red Clay Valley Association (that's the new name of the combined organization) asked me to publicize the nature center's winter family programs, and I'm happy to do so.
On Monday, Feb. 16, there is a Presidents' Day nature camp for kids ages 9 through 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Sunday, March 15, families will get to see primitive hunting tools like bows and arrow and tomahawks in action on "Target Day." Spring Break nature camp will be on Tuesday, March 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; there will be separate programs for 6- to 8-year-olds and 9- to 12-year-olds. And on Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to noon, it's "Wild Animal Day," where families can check out the taxidermy collection and animal pelts and bones and visit with live box turtles.
Preregistration is required for all of the programs. Visit www.brandywinewatershed.org or call 610-793-1090.
All of the programs are at 1760 Unionville-Wawaset Road (Route 842) between Unionville and West Chester.
Friday, January 16, 2015
LARGESSE: Tilda helps a friend clear out her kitchen
A pal is determined to lose the weight she gained over the holidays and so is trying to remove all temptations from her home. I was the happy beneficiary the other day, when I was over there helping her with a computer problem (I should clarify that "helping" meant distracting her with Unionville gossip while we were on hold with tech support).
After the email problem was solved (thank you, Aubrey!), she started rooting through her kitchen and pantry for high-calorie foodstuffs. Would I please take home some homemade lasagna with poultry sausage? What about some leftover Christmas candies? Oh, and how about some organic chocolate-covered almonds from Wegmans?
Yes, yes, and yes! Offers of free food bring out the hungry college student in me.
After the email problem was solved (thank you, Aubrey!), she started rooting through her kitchen and pantry for high-calorie foodstuffs. Would I please take home some homemade lasagna with poultry sausage? What about some leftover Christmas candies? Oh, and how about some organic chocolate-covered almonds from Wegmans?
Yes, yes, and yes! Offers of free food bring out the hungry college student in me.
POLITICS: Who's going to run for office in the future?
I'm editing a book that paints a gloomy portrait indeed of the future of American politics. Based on the authors' survey, high school and college youths have no interest in running for office. They are completely turned off to politics and don't discuss current events with their family or friends, preferring to focus on movies, video games and music. The authors blame the media (for focusing on the negative), politicians (for behaving badly) and schools (for not including current events in the curriculum).
I was appalled to read this. I don't doubt the authors' data, but it certainly was not my experience growing up. My parents voted in every election (as do I). Current events were a conversational staple, with my peers, in the classroom and around the dinner table. In fact, I enjoyed debating so much (my poor father!) that I thought for a while I would become a lawyer when I grew up. (I didn't. The world is a better place as a result, trust me.)
I mentioned the book's disturbing findings to a few friends with teenage kids, and they assured me that dinner tables are still a hotbed of family discussion. The youths are very aware of what's going on in the world.
I'm glad to hear it. How can people NOT talk politics?
I was appalled to read this. I don't doubt the authors' data, but it certainly was not my experience growing up. My parents voted in every election (as do I). Current events were a conversational staple, with my peers, in the classroom and around the dinner table. In fact, I enjoyed debating so much (my poor father!) that I thought for a while I would become a lawyer when I grew up. (I didn't. The world is a better place as a result, trust me.)
I mentioned the book's disturbing findings to a few friends with teenage kids, and they assured me that dinner tables are still a hotbed of family discussion. The youths are very aware of what's going on in the world.
I'm glad to hear it. How can people NOT talk politics?
Thursday, January 15, 2015
COUNTRY LIFE: The start of a really slippery slope
A tough-as-nails Landenberg friend of mine was wincing a bit at the gym yesterday and moving her arm gingerly, so I asked her what was wrong. She said she had carried a bale of hay 100 feet down her steep icy driveway to feed the horses. Normally she uses her pickup truck, but the driveway was so slippery she feared the truck would be uncontrollable.
Why, I asked, didn't she just give the bale a push and let it slide down the driveway?
"I didn't want to mess up the hay," she confessed with a laugh.
Why, I asked, didn't she just give the bale a push and let it slide down the driveway?
"I didn't want to mess up the hay," she confessed with a laugh.
Monday, January 12, 2015
SHIVERING: BVA cancels its Polar Plunge for this winter
This chilling news may make you blue -- or, alternatively, may prevent you from becoming so: The Brandywine Valley Association will not be holding its popular Polar Plunge fund-raiser in the Brandywine Creek this winter.
The BVA is merging with the Red Clay Valley Association this spring, and apparently this had something to do with the cancellation. Executive Director James E. Jordan Jr. and Director of Development & Marketing Cynthia L. Jaros explained the decision in a letter on the BVA's website:
"After careful consideration and out of concern that the timeline for our successful merger and the Polar Plunge were nearly identical, we had to make a hard decision. Your loyalty and enthusiasm mean the world to us and we will continue this event next year. After all, many of our own staff and volunteers plunge year after year and we greatly appreciate the outpouring of your community support! We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, especially to those of you who have already made plans."
The BVA is merging with the Red Clay Valley Association this spring, and apparently this had something to do with the cancellation. Executive Director James E. Jordan Jr. and Director of Development & Marketing Cynthia L. Jaros explained the decision in a letter on the BVA's website:
"After careful consideration and out of concern that the timeline for our successful merger and the Polar Plunge were nearly identical, we had to make a hard decision. Your loyalty and enthusiasm mean the world to us and we will continue this event next year. After all, many of our own staff and volunteers plunge year after year and we greatly appreciate the outpouring of your community support! We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, especially to those of you who have already made plans."
BASKETBALL: Free throws, layups and rebounds at the UHS gym
We spent part of Sunday afternoon at the Unionville High School gymnasium watching middle-school boys, including the Young Relative, playing basketball. Two URA games were going on simultaneously, separated by a curtain down the middle of the gym.
The kids, and the officials, were racing up and down the court, of course, but one spectator was getting plenty of exercise too. He had kids playing in both games and was constantly on the move between the courts so he could watch both. He said he was just lucky that both of the kids were playing at the same venue!
The kids, and the officials, were racing up and down the court, of course, but one spectator was getting plenty of exercise too. He had kids playing in both games and was constantly on the move between the courts so he could watch both. He said he was just lucky that both of the kids were playing at the same venue!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)