Even old-timers learned something new when David Shields of the Brandywine Conservancy gave a fascinating talk about the history of the King Ranch in Newlin, East Fallowfield and West Marlborough.
When the ranch wanted to sell the pristine land to developers, the Conservancy stepped in and tried to raise the purchase price by recruiting very wealthy people who would be interested in owning a piece of the ranch. Given the obstacles the Conservancy faced in putting together the unprecedented, years-long deal, what with conservation easements, IRS regulations, and a multitude of other complications, it's amazing that they eventually succeeded in saving the land from development and creating the Laurels nature preserve.
"We got lucky," said Mr. Shields.
He mentioned that before closing, the ranch owners insisted on checking how much oil was left in the tanks of all the houses on the property -- but then left $40,000 in first-cutting hay unharvested. He also recalled how the late Teddy Browning of Pocopson did a natural resources survey of the entire property and would sometimes take both hands off the wheel of his truck in excitement to point to an especially beautiful spot.
Mr. Shields gave his talk to a standing-room-only audience at the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library. A friend who missed the talk wondered if the library might invite Mr. Shields to reprise the lecture, and that would be a great idea. I'd go back again.
Also, Mr. Shields, who is associate director of the Conservancy's Land Stewardship program, is writing a book on the King Ranch and the Conservancy's role in saving the land, and I can't wait to read it.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Wear and Tear
You can't hang around with riders for very long without realizing they have a fatalistic attitude toward injuries. Concussions, fractures and pain go with the territory; it's a matter of when, not if. The critical question they have is, how soon can I get back to foxhunting, or eventing, or hacking?
Recently my dear pal Susan sprained her ankle badly when she stepped in a hole dug by one of her free-range hens for dust-bath purposes. It hurts, but of course it didn't stop her from participating, joyously and vigorously, bright and early at 6 a.m. on the first day of cubbing (once she got her foot into a boot, that is).
Why, then, is she so excessively peeved?
Because she knows there are only so many serious injuries you can suffer over a lifetime and still manage to ride.
"I wasted a perfectly good injury and it wasn’t even on a horse or in the barn," she grumbled.
Recently my dear pal Susan sprained her ankle badly when she stepped in a hole dug by one of her free-range hens for dust-bath purposes. It hurts, but of course it didn't stop her from participating, joyously and vigorously, bright and early at 6 a.m. on the first day of cubbing (once she got her foot into a boot, that is).
Why, then, is she so excessively peeved?
Because she knows there are only so many serious injuries you can suffer over a lifetime and still manage to ride.
"I wasted a perfectly good injury and it wasn’t even on a horse or in the barn," she grumbled.
Wildlife management
I noticed two big red envelopes on the dashboard of my friend Joel's Jeep -- actually, they looked like parking tickets -- and asked about them. Turns out that this year Monday, Aug. 1, was a key date for sportsmen, and Joel had his antlerless license applications all stamped and ready to mail to the Chester County treasurer.
This whole business of securing hunting permits is far more complicated than I thought.
Let the state Game Commission explain: "Starting Monday, August 1, applications for unsold antlerless tags will be accepted by mail by County Treasurers for wildlife management units with licenses still on hand. An individual may apply for only one unsold tag on August 1, and if available, a second unsold tag by mail on Monday, August 15, for a total of not more than two unsold tags anywhere in the state."
As Joel says dryly, "The PA Game Commission is finally getting up to date compared to other states, but they still are not crystal clear and simple in their explanations."
This whole business of securing hunting permits is far more complicated than I thought.
Let the state Game Commission explain: "Starting Monday, August 1, applications for unsold antlerless tags will be accepted by mail by County Treasurers for wildlife management units with licenses still on hand. An individual may apply for only one unsold tag on August 1, and if available, a second unsold tag by mail on Monday, August 15, for a total of not more than two unsold tags anywhere in the state."
As Joel says dryly, "The PA Game Commission is finally getting up to date compared to other states, but they still are not crystal clear and simple in their explanations."
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Makeup by Lowe's
I'm most definitely not a devotee of the Higher Beauty Culture, so I was simultaneously amused and a little grossed out to read about a new type of cosmetic called "primers," described by a fashion columnist as "thin gels you apply to fill in fine lines and even out your skin surface before you put on your foundation."
Sounds like spackle to me, but I'll bet a tiny tube of this goo is lots more expensive than a whole tub of drywall mud.
The other morning I was doing barn work with a similarly low-maintenance, middle-aged friend and mentioned this product to her, expecting hoots of derision.
Nope: "That sounds like a great idea!" she said. "I'd buy it!"
Sounds like spackle to me, but I'll bet a tiny tube of this goo is lots more expensive than a whole tub of drywall mud.
The other morning I was doing barn work with a similarly low-maintenance, middle-aged friend and mentioned this product to her, expecting hoots of derision.
Nope: "That sounds like a great idea!" she said. "I'd buy it!"
Rodeo
Whoo-hoo! I hear from the organizers of the Unionville Community Fair that we are going to have a real live rodeo at the fair this fall!
A group of Unionville residents simply couldn't wait that long to don their cowboy hats, though, and made the 40-minute trek to Cowtown Rodeo in Salem County, N.J., on a recent Saturday evening. They had a great time watching the riding and roping competitions and the crowd, and ate dinner at the snack bar (I'm told the brisket sandwich was very tasty).
As far as liquid refreshments go, you're allowed to bring six-packs of beer into the stadium if they're in a cooler. But my friends like wine, so they phoned and asked about the regulations. The rep told them they'd have to pour the wine into Mason jars and bring it in a six-pack cooler. So they decanted their expensive French wine into Mason jars and had a blast downing it like backwoods moonshine. Yee-hah!
Cowtown Rodeo is open every Saturday evening through Sept. 24.
A group of Unionville residents simply couldn't wait that long to don their cowboy hats, though, and made the 40-minute trek to Cowtown Rodeo in Salem County, N.J., on a recent Saturday evening. They had a great time watching the riding and roping competitions and the crowd, and ate dinner at the snack bar (I'm told the brisket sandwich was very tasty).
As far as liquid refreshments go, you're allowed to bring six-packs of beer into the stadium if they're in a cooler. But my friends like wine, so they phoned and asked about the regulations. The rep told them they'd have to pour the wine into Mason jars and bring it in a six-pack cooler. So they decanted their expensive French wine into Mason jars and had a blast downing it like backwoods moonshine. Yee-hah!
Cowtown Rodeo is open every Saturday evening through Sept. 24.
Maple yogurt
Whenever I see reps from Doe Run Farm sitting in the audience at a West Marlborough Township meeting, I know it's going to be an interesting evening.
On Aug. 2 three men representing the farm's owner, billionaire Urban Outfitters founder Richard Hayne, were there to explain why he wants conditional use permission for the cheese-making facility and greenhouses at the large Springdell farm. The conditional uses, they said, would allow him to wholesale the cheese (which he, ahem, already does) and to make and sell tomato products.
What concerns neighbors and township officials is that previously Mr. Hayne's reps had said the cheese would be made for his personal use only, and the greenhouses were there only so the Haynes could putter with orchids and vegetables in their retirement years. But then, without permission from the township, the excess "for personal use only" cheese started going on sale at Terrain, the upscale Urban Outfitters shop in Concordville.
Adding to the local discomfort level is the fact that Mr. Hayne has never appeared at any township meeting, so township officials have had to rely solely on statements from an array of lawyers and other reps about his intentions.
"We're leery," summarized Josh Taylor, who chairs the township planning commission.
Mr. Hayne's reps said if the conditional uses were approved, residents would see no change in the farm's operations, which would remain "non-intensive" and "not a label like Paul Newman." But skeptical neighbors peppered them with questions about how big the operation could get and still constitute a "non-intensive" use.
One rep said he would agree to stipulations that there would not be any retail use or restaurant allowed on the property. And in a quirky aside, he informed the audience that Mr. Hayne eats the maple-flavored yogurt made at the creamery every day.
The conditional use hearing will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 25.
On Aug. 2 three men representing the farm's owner, billionaire Urban Outfitters founder Richard Hayne, were there to explain why he wants conditional use permission for the cheese-making facility and greenhouses at the large Springdell farm. The conditional uses, they said, would allow him to wholesale the cheese (which he, ahem, already does) and to make and sell tomato products.
What concerns neighbors and township officials is that previously Mr. Hayne's reps had said the cheese would be made for his personal use only, and the greenhouses were there only so the Haynes could putter with orchids and vegetables in their retirement years. But then, without permission from the township, the excess "for personal use only" cheese started going on sale at Terrain, the upscale Urban Outfitters shop in Concordville.
Adding to the local discomfort level is the fact that Mr. Hayne has never appeared at any township meeting, so township officials have had to rely solely on statements from an array of lawyers and other reps about his intentions.
"We're leery," summarized Josh Taylor, who chairs the township planning commission.
Mr. Hayne's reps said if the conditional uses were approved, residents would see no change in the farm's operations, which would remain "non-intensive" and "not a label like Paul Newman." But skeptical neighbors peppered them with questions about how big the operation could get and still constitute a "non-intensive" use.
One rep said he would agree to stipulations that there would not be any retail use or restaurant allowed on the property. And in a quirky aside, he informed the audience that Mr. Hayne eats the maple-flavored yogurt made at the creamery every day.
The conditional use hearing will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 25.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Hot cars
The hyper-busy Bernasconi family of East Marlborough met for dinner at Applebee's on Friday night, and what did they see but FOUR DeLoreans parked next to each other at the Hilton Garden Inn!
One even had a license tag saying "McFly," as in Marty McFly of the "Back to the Future" movies. (Marty traveled back in time using a DeLorean DMC-12 that had been retrofitted as a time machine.)
The photo shows Stephanie Bernasconi and her boyfriend Jeff Nelson.
One even had a license tag saying "McFly," as in Marty McFly of the "Back to the Future" movies. (Marty traveled back in time using a DeLorean DMC-12 that had been retrofitted as a time machine.)
Nurse Donna
Unionville's Donna Taylor was quoted in a story on nursing excellence in "Synapse," the Chester County Hospital's magazine. Donna is a cardiovascular nurse navigator at the hospital, where she has worked for 19 years. Not only is she a compassionate nurse, but also a kind friend -- and quite an astonishing athlete.
Bumps and detours
If you're on Doe Run Station Road heading toward the village of Gum Tree, slow down and be really careful as you approach Buck Run Road. There are several treacherous rough spots along the road, and they're tough to see because the road changes abruptly from being in the sun to being in the deep shade. I speak from experience.
In other vehicular news, at the Longwood Starbucks one recent morning I ran into my friend Diana, who was on her way to fill up her gas tank at Giant using her $2-per-gallon discount. She was unfamiliar with Kennett back roads, and with Baltimore Pike closed toward Toughkenamon for roadwork, she wanted to know the best way to get home to Jennersville.
I told her to take Bancroft Road north, past the new elementary school; then Line Road west to Newark Road; then the Route 1 bypass. The next day when I saw her she thanked me for mentioning new school; that way she knew she was on the right track.
In other vehicular news, at the Longwood Starbucks one recent morning I ran into my friend Diana, who was on her way to fill up her gas tank at Giant using her $2-per-gallon discount. She was unfamiliar with Kennett back roads, and with Baltimore Pike closed toward Toughkenamon for roadwork, she wanted to know the best way to get home to Jennersville.
I told her to take Bancroft Road north, past the new elementary school; then Line Road west to Newark Road; then the Route 1 bypass. The next day when I saw her she thanked me for mentioning new school; that way she knew she was on the right track.
"Healthy" tattoo: a rash idea?
A friend who is a yoga instructor reports that she recently got a cool "all-natural" henna tattoo applied to her hip. Unfortunately she was allergic to it and became "itchy and red all over."
What did this tattoo depict? A
What did this tattoo depict? A
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