We arrived at the neighborhood spring social (aka the London Grove Friends Meeting Plant Sale) not long after 7 a.m., the official opening time, but Mark and Anna Myers's field was already filled with cars and customers were already lined up at the cashier's station.
We caught up with lots of friends, ate breakfast sandwiches, and snagged some herbs and excellent Rocket Mix snapdragons. All the plants for sale looked very healthy.
Everyone seemed relieved that the morning was cool and overcast rather than either (a) sweltering or (b) pouring, both of which had been predicted.
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Thursday, May 10, 2018
KENNETT: Domestic enemies
Dearest Partner and I were taking a pleasant stroll through Kennett after dinner when we saw two notices tacked up on a utility pole. The first words that caught my eye on one of them were "Microwave Harassment."
"Why would anyone want to harass their microwave?" I asked in confusion (you can tell I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen recently). "I mean, what would you say anyway, `You didn't defrost that very well, now, did you'?"
D.P. joined in, offering his own insults: "You call that a beep!" and "I've seen better popcorn poppers at the movie theater!"
He then explained that some conspiracy theorists (including, apparently, those who posted the notices) believe that spy agencies are transmitting microwave energy to gain control over our thoughts for their own world domination purposes.
He heard it on AM radio; it must be true.
"Why would anyone want to harass their microwave?" I asked in confusion (you can tell I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen recently). "I mean, what would you say anyway, `You didn't defrost that very well, now, did you'?"
D.P. joined in, offering his own insults: "You call that a beep!" and "I've seen better popcorn poppers at the movie theater!"
He then explained that some conspiracy theorists (including, apparently, those who posted the notices) believe that spy agencies are transmitting microwave energy to gain control over our thoughts for their own world domination purposes.
He heard it on AM radio; it must be true.
AVONDALE: State Street bridge update
According to a report presented at the May 2 London Grove Township meeting, the State Street bridge project is on schedule to be finished on May 25. Reopening the strategically located bridge will relieve a major traffic bottleneck that has plagued commuters not only in Avondale but also in London Grove, West Grove and Penn Townships since last summer.
I drove by on May 10 and saw lots of heavy equipment and trucks and about a dozen workers, some standing on the new bridge deck and others digging a ditch.
According to the bridge report on the township's website, "Latest construction meeting was held 4/12/18, project is on schedule for 5/25/18 completion date. Diaphragms were placed 4/10/18 and the bridge deck was poured 04/23/18. The County, Avondale and London Grove continue to work with PECO to elevate any potential delays from the gas line cut-over."
The county's website is less specific, saying only that the bridge will be reopened in "late spring 2018."
I drove by on May 10 and saw lots of heavy equipment and trucks and about a dozen workers, some standing on the new bridge deck and others digging a ditch.
According to the bridge report on the township's website, "Latest construction meeting was held 4/12/18, project is on schedule for 5/25/18 completion date. Diaphragms were placed 4/10/18 and the bridge deck was poured 04/23/18. The County, Avondale and London Grove continue to work with PECO to elevate any potential delays from the gas line cut-over."
The county's website is less specific, saying only that the bridge will be reopened in "late spring 2018."
KENNETT: A dark chocolate fan
A little guy was shrieking his head off outside the Kennett Y this morning. His mom gave me an apologetic look as I walked by. "He's very, very angry with me," she said ruefully.
Why is that? I asked.
She explained that she had been feeding the child pieces of Peppermint Pattie and eventually . . . ran out and had to stop.
Who could blame the poor kid for protesting?
Why is that? I asked.
She explained that she had been feeding the child pieces of Peppermint Pattie and eventually . . . ran out and had to stop.
Who could blame the poor kid for protesting?
Sunday, May 6, 2018
SWARTHMORE: Music, politics and astrology
On May 5 we went to the WaR3House 3 in Swarthmore to see Francis Dunnery perform a solo show, just him and his acoustic guitar.
The day before the show was the first time I had heard of the British singer-songwriter, although I later found out that he played at the Kennett Flash as recently as last autumn. But the audience members around us knew all the words and sang along, and several begged for him to play their requests.
Between songs Dunnery talked about his interests in astrology, psychology and politics. A revolutionary time as world-shaking as the late 18th century is coming soon, he predicted. He said everyone suffers a major trauma between ages 3 and 6, and it sets the course for their lives (the man behind me grumbled, "I paid a lot of money to forget about that").
Dunnery's political advice, which basically amounted to "Don't fall for the polarizing hype," got a lukewarm reaction from the college-town audience. This amused him.
The singer also told some hilarious stories about his wild days as a rock star with a 1980s band called "It Bites." Apparently you don't know what hard drinking is until you've partied with the heavy metal band Motรถrhead. Dunnery said he knew he was in trouble when Steve Jones, a guitarist for the punk-rock band the Sex Pistols, showed up at his hotel-room door and literally dragged him to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. (At this anecdote Dearest Partner was laughing so hard he got a stitch in his side.)
I'd never been to the WaR3house 3 before, a tiny venue down an alley off Park Avenue. It's like walking into the prop closet of a community theater, full of bric-a-brac, fencing masks, 1960s lighting fixtures, license plates, old concert posters, framed portraits, bikes hanging from the ceiling, and old library card catalogs. There's room for maybe 30 people to sit on wooden folding chairs; everyone else has to stand.
The day before the show was the first time I had heard of the British singer-songwriter, although I later found out that he played at the Kennett Flash as recently as last autumn. But the audience members around us knew all the words and sang along, and several begged for him to play their requests.
Between songs Dunnery talked about his interests in astrology, psychology and politics. A revolutionary time as world-shaking as the late 18th century is coming soon, he predicted. He said everyone suffers a major trauma between ages 3 and 6, and it sets the course for their lives (the man behind me grumbled, "I paid a lot of money to forget about that").
Dunnery's political advice, which basically amounted to "Don't fall for the polarizing hype," got a lukewarm reaction from the college-town audience. This amused him.
The singer also told some hilarious stories about his wild days as a rock star with a 1980s band called "It Bites." Apparently you don't know what hard drinking is until you've partied with the heavy metal band Motรถrhead. Dunnery said he knew he was in trouble when Steve Jones, a guitarist for the punk-rock band the Sex Pistols, showed up at his hotel-room door and literally dragged him to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. (At this anecdote Dearest Partner was laughing so hard he got a stitch in his side.)
I'd never been to the WaR3house 3 before, a tiny venue down an alley off Park Avenue. It's like walking into the prop closet of a community theater, full of bric-a-brac, fencing masks, 1960s lighting fixtures, license plates, old concert posters, framed portraits, bikes hanging from the ceiling, and old library card catalogs. There's room for maybe 30 people to sit on wooden folding chairs; everyone else has to stand.
Friday, May 4, 2018
WEST MARLBOROUGH: The Plant Sale
"See you at the Plant Sale!" I said to two neighbors as I was leaving the township meeting the other night. They didn't need to ask what plant sale I meant; it was, of course, the one held every spring under the Penn Oak at London Grove Friends Meeting. It's one of my favorite days of the year because they have such great plants and I get to see so many friends and neighbors, either shopping or volunteering.
The sale runs from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12, rain or shine. London Grove Meeting is at the intersection of Newark Road and Route 926 (Street Road).
This year, the minute I arrive, even before I start socializing, I am going to the annuals tent to buy my Rocket snapdragons. They are the best and are available nowhere else that I've found. The Plant Sale also has beautiful hanging baskets, vegetables, herbs, geraniums, perennials and groundcovers, and in the social hall there are refreshments and a bake sale to benefit the kindergarten.
The sale runs from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12, rain or shine. London Grove Meeting is at the intersection of Newark Road and Route 926 (Street Road).
This year, the minute I arrive, even before I start socializing, I am going to the annuals tent to buy my Rocket snapdragons. They are the best and are available nowhere else that I've found. The Plant Sale also has beautiful hanging baskets, vegetables, herbs, geraniums, perennials and groundcovers, and in the social hall there are refreshments and a bake sale to benefit the kindergarten.
KENNETT SQUARE: Old and New Kennett
Two old friends and I met for coffee on Wednesday morning and spent pretty much the whole morning catching up (work deadlines? what are those?).
It helped that we chose such a pleasant and convenient spot for our rendezvous: Philter, the coffee shop on West State Street in downtown Kennett.
For a while we were reminiscing about Kennett back in the 1970s, when stores like Resnick's, Sheldon's and Newberry's were still around. And was there a pet store "uptown" at one time?
Philter is quite a bustling place: Claire Murray and Mary Hutchins of Historic Kennett Square were sitting outside; architect Dennis Melton was holding an informal meeting with three or four people; the man at the next table was reviewing the proofs of his book on the Jersey Shore; and other customers were just relaxing and reading the newspaper.
Even Philter's friendly owner, Chris Thompson, stopped by our table to say hi.
It helped that we chose such a pleasant and convenient spot for our rendezvous: Philter, the coffee shop on West State Street in downtown Kennett.
For a while we were reminiscing about Kennett back in the 1970s, when stores like Resnick's, Sheldon's and Newberry's were still around. And was there a pet store "uptown" at one time?
Philter is quite a bustling place: Claire Murray and Mary Hutchins of Historic Kennett Square were sitting outside; architect Dennis Melton was holding an informal meeting with three or four people; the man at the next table was reviewing the proofs of his book on the Jersey Shore; and other customers were just relaxing and reading the newspaper.
Even Philter's friendly owner, Chris Thompson, stopped by our table to say hi.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)