Monday, July 30, 2018

BANKING: Hello, Tech support?

After a fortifying breakfast at Fran Keller's Eatery on Saturday, we headed off to take care of some banking formalities that required two signatures.
It turned out to be a long but entertaining morning.
The bank representative, a pleasant young man, told us with some embarrassment that he'd just managed to lock himself out of his computer. He apologized to us profusely and tried phoning several colleagues. 
While we were waiting for them to return his calls, the three of us chatted and we learned that the fellow was a recent transplant to this branch. His tenure so far has been varied: he took a training class on the bank's new perks for account holders and he replaced the side mirror on his branch manager's car (she promised him a case of beer in return).
Given that it was a Saturday morning in the summer, it was no surprise that nobody was responding to his messages. As a last resort, he begged the bank intern to figure out a work-around.
The capable intern managed to get the computer up and running; I foresee some gold stars on his evaluation. He even managed not to be too smug about it.

LONGWOOD: Ya Got Trouble

If Meredith Willson were writing "The Music Man" today, the Madison County Library Board would be facing a multimillion-dollar lawsuit (Marian Paroo, plaintiff) for permitting a hostile work environment, and Charlie Cowell would be facing mandatory sensitivity training for his micro-aggressions ("Girly-Girl," indeed!). 
But if we leave our politically correct lorgnettes at home for the evening, "The Music Man" remains a terrific musical, full of wonderful songs and timeless observations about human nature. We saw the Brandywiners' production at the outdoor theater at Longwood Gardens on July 28; the show continues Aug. 2, 3, and 4. The weather could not have been nicer, and I didn't see a single empty seat.
The Barbershop Quartet -- Allen Supplebeen, Cam Hay, Aaron Kirschner, and Steven Soltow -- stole the show, as they tend to do. Sam Gorman, the young actor who played the formerly introverted Winthrop Paroo, did a great job with his big number, "Gary, Indiana." Marian the Librarian was played by Rachel Burghen, whose lovely voice shone in "My White Knight" and "Till There Was You." And how funny that Robert Miller, who played the slick Harold Hill, is in real life the father of Julia Miller, who played Amaryllis Shinn!
The only criticism I have is that Longwood is a very busy place on Saturday evenings in the summer, and some of the noise from the music and fountain display was distracting. The sound system had some glitches as well -- we could hear the stage manager's instructions a couple of times -- but that's to be expected given the complexity of miking such a giant cast.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

WEST MARLBOROUGH: Over its banks

Springdell residents won't soon forget the dramatic flooding on the evening of Sunday, July 22, when the Doe Run abruptly overflowed its banks, closed Route 841 and stranded two dozen motorists at the Whip Tavern. Township old-timers say the creek has never flooded so quickly and severely.
As soon as I heard all the sirens and saw "water rescue" on my emergency services app, I went flood-chasing. A dozen emergency vehicles were already on the scene in Springdell, and I saw an orange rescue raft in operation at the intersection of Route 841 and Thouron Road. I've never before seen emergency vehicles trying to negotiate tiny, unpaved Hicks Road.
West Marlborough Township road crew member Hugh Lofting was having dinner at Bangkok House in Wilmington when "my phone just exploded." He immediately drove to the township building to help in the effort and ended up rescuing seven people in the bucket of a front-end loader.
I shot a 10-second video of roaring, fast-moving water flowing across Thouron Road and posted it online. (A friend told me that CBS3 ran it on their evening news show and credited me.)
The next day, remarkably, everything was pretty much back to normal, although fences were full of debris and a lot of trees were at odd angles. The roads and fields that had been covered in water were drying up. I saw one poor Mini Cooper still sitting in a ditch at Wilson Road and Route 82.
Water flows across Thouron Road just south of Route 841, July 22.

Friday, July 27, 2018

WEST MARLBOROUGH: What a great guy he was!

Geoff Roehrs, who died at his West Marlborough home on July 14, was a very nice guy and a good neighbor. Whenever I saw him on our road, he'd give me a big smile, he'd shut off the engine of whatever car, truck, or piece of equipment he was operating, and we'd settle in for a friendly chat.
He always had something amusing to say about what was going on in the township or -- like all farmers -- a definite opinion about the weather.
I will miss those chats.
Deepest sympathy to his wife, Jill.

COUNTRY ROADS: A traffic situation

Dearest Partner is on the road all day every day, so he remains patient in the face of distracted driving, speeding, stop-sign running, and other baffling behind-the-wheel decisions.
Me, not so much.
I was heading to the Y the other evening and stopped at a stop sign because a motorist on the main road had her turn signal on, preparing to turn into my road. All of a sudden the woman behind me pulled around me, blocking the lane for the oncoming driver.
I looked over at her incredulously.
"Oh," she said peevishly. "I thought you were stopped."
Had I been capable of speech, I would have pointed out that yes, I WAS in fact stopped -- for an oncoming motorist who HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY!
She then pulled out onto the main road.
The turning motorist and I looked at each other as if to say, "What just happened here?"
I know most people out here, but I didn't recognize this woman. I wanted to get her tag number, but she sped off (what a surprise).

INFECTION: It bends again!


Thank you to all the kind readers who wrote to say they hope I'm feeling better (I spent two days in Chester County Hospital getting IV antibiotics for a hand wound that became badly infected).
I'm much better, thanks. My finger bends again, and my hand is back to looking completely normal. Frankly, I felt like something of an imposter in the hospital because I felt fine throughout, but my doctor assures me that it was a really serious situation. Apparently you really do not want to mess around with infections like this because they are so virulent and fast-moving.
After hearing about my experience, friends couldn't wait to share their stories about gruesomely infected insect bites, cat bites and even a belly-button piercing ("It looked like a donut!").

LANDENBERG: A new winery opens

Eric Matuszak of Kennett Square alerted me that a "wonderful" new winery and tasting room, 1723 Vineyards, is having its grand opening on Saturday, August 4, starting at noon. The location is 5 McMaster Boulevard in Landenberg, just off New London Road (Route 896) near the village of Kemblesville.
Eric writes, "Being affiliated with another local winery (Penns Woods) and being a close neighbor to another (Galer), I was really impressed by the quality of and the expression in their releases." 
According to 1723's website, the winery, owned by Sarah and Ben Cody, comprises "7 acres planted on the historic McMaster farm in Landenberg, PA, with an additional 3 acres planted on the historic Ford Farm."
The name 1723 comes from the year the original New London Township was chartered (the winery is now in Franklin Township). "Benjamin Franklin once owned a portion of the farm, along with adjoining property during the time he served as ambassador to France."
 

KENNETT: Scottish music and funk

Our friend Charles Shattuck, owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Hockessin, asked me to mention that a Scottish folk group, the Old Blind Dogs, will be performing at the American Legion Hall at State and Broad Streets in downtown Kennett at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13. Tickets are $29 in advance and $33 at the door. The show is sponsored by the Green Willow Folk Club (www.greenwillow.org).
Charles was also the emcee for the almost-rained-out "Will Power" show at Anson B. Nixon Park on July 26 and reports: "You missed an amazing performance by Will Power the other night. I was worried when I arrived to announce the show and the 11 member group outnumbered the audience. People trickled in and the rain held off until I was exiting the park at 9:10. Will Power certainly brought the funk to Kennett Square."

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

EAST MARLBOROUGH: Getting rid of baggage

You'll recall that I wrote about the "Lights Fest" at Plantation Field in late June, in which hundreds of participants paid $25 to $60 a pop to light and launch paper lanterns into the sky at dusk. It was billed as an uplifting spiritual event, with the lanterns acting a metaphor for setting your spirit free, or letting go of your limitations and fears, or some other New Age-sounding objective.
Unfortunately, on this earthly plane, the remains of the lanterns ended up hanging from the trees along Green Valley Road. They're still there, three weeks later.
According to the Lights Fest website: "We have a very thorough clean-up crew who gathers the lanterns within 24 hours after the event and disposes of them properly. Our crew is equipped to retrieve lanterns that may end up landing in trees, and though uncommon, a tree service company will be brought in if needed."
Another launch is set for Oct. 20; perhaps the employees could be a tad more thorough in their cleanup this time?

Saturday, July 21, 2018

YMCA: Shutdown weeks scheduled

I know, how is it possible that it's already time to talk about the YMCA's annual shutdown week?! The Jennersville Y will be closed Aug. 20 through 26 and the Kennett Y will be closed the following week (starting Aug. 27).
The "Enhancement Week" closings allow the staff to give the heavily-used facilities a thorough cleaning, take care of any maintenance and repairs needed (usually painting and varnishing) and install new equipment -- all without us members running around getting in the way. It's always fun to come back and see the gleaming new paint and shiny floors.

WEST GROVE: New owners for Twelves

After 10 years of ownership, Tim and Kristin Smith announced on July 20 that they are selling Twelves, their wonderful West Grove restaurant, but it will remain open and Tim will stay on as executive chef.
On social media they said that the new owners "are local to West Grove and have pledged to give Twelves the love it needs to grow and keep our amazing customers happy." The Smiths said they are looking forward to "much more quality time for our family and the love of life!"
Twelves has long been our favorite special-occasion place because of the amazing food and the relaxed atmosphere.
(By the way, why is it named "Twelves"? Because the Smiths' first date and their wedding were both on November 12 and their birthdays are Jan. 12 and Feb. 12!)

Friday, July 20, 2018

WEST CHESTER: Swell healthcare

This week's column is a little thin due to the fact that I spent two of the days as an inpatient at Chester County Hospital. An otherwise minor hand wound got infected and the bacteria decided to have a fun run up through my right arm, leaving a path of hot, red, angry-looking swelling in their wake.
Per my doctor's no-nonsense directions, Dearest Partner and I presented ourselves at the Chester County Hospital emergency department. The staff didn't mess around, because it seems that these infections can become limb- and life-threatening within hours. I was admitted and started getting intravenous antibiotics every six hours around the clock until my body gained the upper hand on the cellulitis.
I've spent plenty of days and nights in hospitals over the years caring for loved ones, but prior to this experience I've never been hospitalized myself. To say I was anxious and apprehensive would be putting it mildly.
But everyone was so kind, competent and professional that I was surprised to find myself feeling almost at home. My single room was spacious, comfortable and quiet, there was a good Wi-Fi connection (vital!) and the food (when I was finally allowed to eat) was fine. The staff let me wear my own clothes, welcomed my visitors and were delighted when I walked laps around the floor for exercise. They seemed thrilled every time they noticed signs of improvement: "I can see your knuckles today!" or "You look too healthy to be here!"
And not a single employee -- nurses, aides, nursing assistants, physician's assistants, physicians, the waiter, the cleaners -- left my room without saying something like, "Let me know if there's anything you need. Anything." 
A special shout-out to the ER techs Pat and Charlie, who, in the middle of the night, managed to keep us calm and even amused while getting the whole treatment process started.
I cannot imagine a better hospital experience, and I plan to write a letter to the board president telling him so.

NEWLIN: Fruits and vegetables


Lewis Barnard shared the happy news that the produce market at Barnard's Orchard has reopened after its spring hiatus. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. (closed Sundays until August).
Lewis reported on July 16 that they've had an apricot harvest for the first time since 2015, and "the fruit size and eating quality is very good." He said the apricots would be available for a short time, though, because of the small crop.
Other crops available at the market are Methley Plums ("red-skinned with a red flesh and boy, do they taste good!"), white and yellow peaches ("This sunny dry weather has been great for the fruit to get a good flavor and sweetness"), Lodi apples for applesauce, sweet onions and green onions.
"New crops will appear as the ripening season progresses," he assures us!
The family-owned Barnard's Orchard is at 1079 Wawaset Rd. (Route 842) east of Unionville.

EAST MARLBOROUGH: The balcony scene

My sharp-eyed reader Joe Freney of Kennett Square was kind enough to send me a photo of what he dubbed a "unique street sign" on Route 926 just east of Walnut Road.
In case the photo doesn't show up, it's a sideways-T sign (indicating a road coming in from the left), with some novel additions: a kneeling suitor wooing a lady on a balcony above.
I smile every time I pass it but never stopped to take a photo -- so thank you, Joe!
 
 

DELAWARE: A group hike

What an interesting idea! My friend Carol Maurer usually leads circular walks through the Delaware Art Museum's labyrinth, but on Monday, Aug. 20, she will be leading an eight-mile-long group walk from Old New Castle to the Riverfront in Wilmington via the Jack Markell Trail.
I quote from a press release from the Street Road Gallery:
"Carol's upcoming exhibition at Street Road, Walking Forward Looking Back, builds on material developed by the artist in part through the process of walking from her ancestral home on the Eastern Shore of Maryland through Delaware and to southern Chester County. This project is in part a process of addressing a family’s slave-owning past and is a meditation on the time, tempos and understandings walking can make space for."
Interested wanderers are asked to email Carol at cmaurer40@hotmail. Her show at the Street Road gallery (on Route 926 just west of Route 41) opens Sept. 15, with a reception from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 20. 

WEST MARLBOROUGH: Remembering the dead

I've noticed that the old African Episcopal Methodist Church cemetery on Route 842 is being maintained beautifully, with the grass mown, the vines and brush cut back and American flags marking the Civil War veterans' graves.
The other day I saw a man putting his push mower back into his truck just across the road from the graveyard, and I stopped and thanked him for taking such good care of it and honoring the dead.
"I just want it to look … appropriate," he explained modestly.
The neglected gravesite was restored in August 2015 as part of an Troop 153 Boy Scout project.

Saturday, July 14, 2018

SCOTUS: A local connection

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has a Unionville connection.
After graduating from Yale Law School in 1990, Judge Kavanaugh clerked for Walter King Stapleton, a Senior U.S. Circuit Court Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Judge Stapleton, the widower of Georgianna Hannum Stapleton, lived in West Marlborough before recently moving to Crosslands. 

AVONDALE: An iconic ice chest

People who lived near the State Street bridge in Avondale during its almost-year-long closure got used to seeing the workers' battered blue cooler at the worksite every day.
Now that the bridge has reopened, Paul Morgan of Avondale has decided to memorialize the iconic ice chest by creating blue cooler bird houses and blue cooler Christmas tree ornaments. They're adorable.
You can contact Paul at <wawa_run@yahoo.com>.
The blue cooler bird house.

The blue cooler Christmas tree ornament.

KENNETT: Free outdoor concerts

The Wednesday-night concerts at Anson B. Nixon Park have been really enjoyable so far this summer. On July 4th a big crowd turned out for the Hoppin' John Orchestra, who played New Orleans-style tunes, and the audience was just as big for Hurricane Hoss's Western swing this past Wednesday.
There's always a food vendor (or you can bring your own picnic) and ice cream from La Michoacana. Admission is free, and the concerts start promptly at 7 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. Kids and leashed dogs are welcome, and there are always plenty of both.
At the July 11 show one audience member brought along her hula hoops and amazed us with her skills. She kept the hoop going not only around her waist, and with apparently minimal effort, but around her back and legs and up one arm and then the other. There for a while she even had two hoops going!
I'll can't guarantee she'll return, but here's the schedule for the remaining shows:
July 18: Matt Cappy Quintet
July 25: Will Power (tribute to Tower of Power and James Brown)
August 1: Apache Trails
August 8: Radio Free Honduras

VACATIONS: Off to Havana

A lot of locals are heading to their usual summer retreats like the Jersey shore, the Adirondacks and the Maine coast, but a few people are going farther afield. 
Two friends are in Alaska photographing wildlife, and another is embarking this weekend on a cruise to Cuba. The latter acknowledged that she tends to be "a break-the-rules kind of girl" but assured me that on this trip she will utterly and completely toe the line. And did I want her to bring back any rum or cigars?

MUSICAL: From Gary, Indiana, to Kennett Square

The Brandywiners, Ltd. are presenting "The Music Man" at the outdoor theater at Longwood Gardens at 8 p.m. on July 26, 27, and 28 and August 2, 3, and 4.
"The Music Man" has a special place in my heart because it was my senior-year musical in high school. I've been watching some videos of the Brandywiners' rehearsals and I'm amazed how quickly the show is coming together (unlike the production I was involved in, where the director would regularly bellow in frustration, "You people waste SO MUCH TIME!").
You can buy your tickets online at the Brandywiners' website, or you can download an order form and mail it in.
I will try my darnedest to be a good audience member and not to sing along, but it will be tough.

COLLEGE LIFE: Move-in day

It's only mid-July, but I just received a Bed Bath & Beyond "Get Campus Ready" circular, full of today's dorm-room necessities like coffee makers, power strips and device-charging units. BB&B offers a practical service where you can order all your items and have them held for pickup at a store near your kid's campus. This was a huge help to my sister, who lives in Minnesota and whose children went to college on opposite coasts (Harvard and Stanford).

Monday, July 9, 2018

CREEK SPUDS: City mice on the Brandywine

This past Saturday was one of the highlights of the summer: a huge annual party on the Brandywine that involves a lavish cookout (turkeys, hams, and chickens on the grill), cut-throat volleyball, live music, and a truly amazing variety of guests.
The host arranges for guests and tubes to be transported a few miles upstream in a large cart pulled by an ancient pickup so they can float back down. The weather could not have been better this year (we'll never forget being on the water a few years back when a sudden, violent thunderstorm blew in) and for us, the 90 minutes on the river was heaven, with ducks, rapids, dragonflies, red-winged blackbirds and that marvelous earthy "creek smell."
Not so much for three of our fellow guests, though. The young women from Jenkintown were strictly city mice; clambering into a trailer, climbing over a fence, and then sidestepping horse manure and nettles while tromping through a pasture to the creek were foreign activities for them.
When we got to the steep bank, they inched downward and then shrieked as they slid the last yard into the soft creek bed.
"Oh my God! It's quicksand!" cried one.
"My new sandals are ruined!" screamed another, almost in tears.
The third girl a lost a flipflop completely in the mud; though we all searched, we couldn't find it.
One pal of ours who normally floats down the river in quiet contemplation could not resist teasing the girls a bit, making reference to snapping turtles and alligators and then telling them not to worry, there were only two kinds of poisonous spiders in our area.
One of the girls was clearly accustomed only to swimming pools, because she had serious doubts as to whether the water in the Brandywine was sanitary. "How can they put chlorine in it?" she asked.
It is an understatement to say that the trio did not enjoy their day. And as we got out of the water, I suggested to one of the girls that she should save an old pair of sneakers to wear next year.
She gave me a totally blank look, like "a return engagement" was not likely.



Sunday, July 8, 2018

WAWA: Accolades for a clerk

Hooray for Ryan, an employee at the Longwood Wawa, who went above and beyond for a customer, my gym friend Denise. She writes: "Big huge thank-you shout-out to Wawa employee Ryan in Kennett Square! After hearing the air pump outside wasn’t working properly and that I needed air in my tires, he offered to let me use his portable air pump in his car, on his break. When I thanked him and tried to tip him, he humbly replied, 'Really, it’s no big deal.' It was a big deal to me!"

Thursday, July 5, 2018

UNIONVILLE: Keep your dog leashed!

Thanks to dog owners who don't think the rules apply to them, a ban on all dogs is imminent at the ChesLen Preserve.
I can't explain it any better than a frustrated Natural Lands employee did on social media:
"Folks, we've tried just about everything we can think of to encourage visitors with dogs to follow the rules. (Namely: dogs must be on least at all times, poop must be picked up and disposed of properly or packed out, and both dogs and humans must stick to the trails.) We love visitors, which is why ChesLen is open to everyone free of charge. But our rules are in place so that all visitors and other dogs feel safe and welcome. If you are following the rules, THANK YOU! If not, please don't ruin ChesLen for everyone else."

This notice was posted at the Preserve.

FAST FOOD: McDonald's modernizes

I'm not much of a fan of fast food, largely for nutritional reasons, and the Dearest Partner is used to receiving a withering glare when he confesses to stopping off for a clandestine Quarter Pounder with Cheese. So you can imagine his astonishment when, faced with a decision between SaladWorks and McDonald's for a quick dinner in Jennersville, I opted for McDonald's.
Let me explain! The lobby of the Jennersville McDonald's had just been closed for two weeks for updating, and I really wanted to see what they had done. In other words, journalistic curiosity won out over calorie and fat content.
Here's what I found out. They've added large, bilingual touch screens that allow you to order your meal and pay right at the kiosk. You take a small tent card with a number and display it on your table, and a waiter brings your order over when it's ready. At first we missed the fact that there were drink cups set out near the kiosk; you pour your own soda from the fountain.
We asked the manager, Patrick, what customers thought of the new system and he said it's gotten a good reception. He tries to have an employee standing next to the touch screens in case anybody needs help, but everyone we saw seemed to have no problem at all figuring it out. (You can also order conventionally from a human.)
I should report that my grilled chicken sandwich tasted OK and was only 370 calories. The D.P. thoroughly enjoyed the novelty of eating his burger openly and kept exclaiming, "I'm lovin' it!" throughout our meal.

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

WEST MARLBOROUGH: The gun club

A Newark Road resident asked the West Marlborough supervisors if they could do something about the noise of gunfire coming from the Southern Chester County Sportsmen's & Farmers' Association in London Grove.
She said the noise, which occurs every day, devalues both property values and the residents' quality of life. She played two audios that she recorded from her garden and her porch.
"I have the most beautiful view in the township," she said, "but the worst sound."
Neighbors have been upset about the noise for years, but because the gun club has existed since before the township passed its zoning ordinance, the township has little power to restrict its activities.
"This is a very difficult situation because they've been here so long," said Supervisor Hugh Lofting Sr. "We've been through this time and time again."
"You're one of many who have come to the township," agreed Supervisor Bill Wylie. But he said it would be possible for the township to have another conversation with the club and express once again "that it is difficult for the neighbors."
According to the gun club's website, the range is open every day except for Christmas Day, Easter and Labor Day. It's open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, in the winter; and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, in the spring and fall. In the summer it's open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Year-round it's open from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. 
Also at the July township meeting, the planning commission reviewed Juan Medina's plan to build a house on a 21-acre property on Byrd Road, north of Street Road. There are some storm-water management issues that need to be resolved before a permit could be issued, and there are no electric lines going up to the property.

QUAKERS: Outdoor Meeting for Worship

My friend Grace Pfeifer asked me to share the news that London Grove Friends Meeting is holding an outdoor Quaker meeting for worship at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, July 22, under the famous London Grove Oak, a white oak tree standing for 300 years. An outdoor brunch will follow. The meetinghouse is at 500 West Street Road, Kennett Square, at the intersection of Newark Road and Route 926.

WEST MARLBOROUGH: Extraordinary gift

What an amazing act of generosity. The Truitt family, who own Doe Run Village along Route 82, gave to West Marlborough Township the township garage, the salt shed, and the former Doe Run store. This means that after settlement, which is anticipated within 6 to 12 months, the township will no longer have to pay rent to the Truitts.
In her letter to the township, Nancy Truitt said that it was her family's honor to donate the property and "simply the right thing to do."
The township garage/meeting room.

WEST MARLBOROUGH: The power of nature

It was the kind of township meeting that could happen only in West Marlborough.
The thunderstorm that broke the heat wave on July 3 hit with little warning and great intensity. The rain was beating down on the roof of the township hall/garage so hard that it was difficult to hear the person next to you, and the ferocious wind was blowing the rain in through the wide-open garage doors.
The farmers in the audience who had gotten their hay cut and baled expressed relief; those who hadn't said ruefully they were sure their fields would be completely flattened by the storm.
At the height of the storm township road boss Hugh Lofting Jr. drove in from his house to fire up his payloader and start clearing blown-over trees that were blocking roads (among them Tapeworm Road, Apple Grove Road, Newark Road and Route 82 near the Kennels). 
During Susan Elks' presentation about the county planning commission's latest Landscapes plan, a tiny toad started hopping across the floor behind her.
And as it does at every township meeting, more than one person said how special the township is and how fortunate they are to live there. Does this happen in any other municipality?

Sunday, July 1, 2018

UNIONVILLE: Launching lanterns

What were so many New York and New Jersey cars doing in our neck of the woods on June 30?
We were baffled when, en route to dinner at Hood's, we noticed a steady stream of out-of-state cars heading west on Route 82, and noticed that police had blocked off the driveways near Plantation Field. We also saw a lot of cars already parked at the top of the Plantation Field hill. One poor fellow apparently missed his turn and had pulled off at the feed lots to consult his GPS.
When we got to Hood's we asked what was going on (they know everything about Unionville) and learned that the visitors were massing for something called the Lights Fest, which according to the website, "is an experience where thousands of friends and families gather to listen to live music, fill up on great food and light up life by sharing personal wishes, dreams and goals. At the perfect moment, everyone ignites their personalized sky lanterns with Tiki torches and lets them take flight. It creates a surreal ambiance, where time slows down as your single flame rises with thousands of others. Come fill the sky with what lights you. The lights fest is dedicated to leaving a positive impact on the environment and everyone who attends our event."
But no matter how mindfully launched, what goes up must come down. The now-deflated lanterns are littering Green Valley Road, stuck in tree branches and utility wires. (The organizers say they're biodegradable.)
These festivals, I learned, are held all over America and in England and are organized by a business called Vive Events. The June 30 one was billed as being in the "New York Area," which explains all the out-of-state tags.
The next local one will be at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg on Aug. 11. Ticket prices range from $25 to $50, depending on how early you buy them.
 
 
These photos, which I took on Green Valley Road on July 4, show the remnants of the lanterns hanging in trees.

,

WILLOWDALE: Wore them out!

Last week you probably drove past the Willowdale Chapel's annual "WipeOut" sports and arts camp for kids, where as part of the activities they turn the church's front yard into a giant slip-and-slide. A friend of mine sent her two very active young sons to the camp and was amazed at the result: they fell sound asleep in the back seat on the way home. "Thank you, Wipeout!" she said.