No baguettes yet

The sign in front of the Bakers at Red Lion tells you all you need to know:

Waiting game

Motorists in Pocopson this past Saturday morning certainly had lots of unexpected time to enjoy the snow-covered Pocopson scenery. First a very lengthy train was crossing Route 926 at Ace Hardware, backing up traffic all the way to Brinton's Bridge Road. One motorist ahead of us got tired of waiting and turned around. As he passed us he made the rotating-index-finger sign by the side of his head. At first I thought he was indicating that some wingnut move by a motorist was causing the delay, but on reflection I realized he was probably advising us to follow his lead and turn around. We did so.
And then construction crews were working on Route 52 at the site of the forthcoming traffic circle at Unionville-Lenape Road, in front of the Pocopson Home. Cars were being detoured via the little triangle of roads there.

Left out in the cold

Re: last week's item about my frozen Valentine's Day flowers: a friend reports that her flowers, purchased at Wegman's, were also unsatisfactory. On her next trip there she stopped in at the floral department and let them know. The woman apologized, refunded her money and explained that the whole shipment had been left out in the bitter cold for too long. She said she appreciated it when customers came in and expressed their dissatisfaction; that way she could stress that this was just an unfortunate one-time occurrence rather than reflecting the usual quality of Wegman's flowers.

Old Doe Run

"Unionville in the News" reader Laura Deckman was kind enough to write to me (via "Hood's post"!)after reading my item about the vintage Doe Run postcard that sold on eBay for $125. She said she lived in Doe Run, at the corner of Highland Dairy Road and Route 82, for 35 years, and she enclosed a photo of that very same postcard (I dropped out of the bidding at $45). She also sent an aerial photo showing their house in 1950, when they moved in, and two earlier photos of the damage the house sustained in a 1906 tornado: trees were snapped off and the roof collapsed.
Thank you so much, Mrs. Deckman!

Holding back

Thursday evening I was driving westbound along Route 842, and between Mill Road and Byrd Road the blustery wind was blowing the snow from the open fields onto the road. At some points the road was already down to one lane.
When I got home I put up a warning on my Facebook page. This prompted a friend and neighbor to reminisce about snow fences, which he recalled from his youth. These fences, made of strips of vertical wooden lath secured fairly close together with wire, used to be unrolled by the highway department along roadsides where snow blowing onto the road was known to be a problem. Low-tech, sure, but they were very effective at keeping the drifts back.
I hadn't thought of snow fences for years. What happened to them?

Strike a pose

Tilda at a fashion show?? I know, unlikely, unless it were being sponsored by Polarfleece or L.L Bean. In which case they'd give me an honorary front-and-center seat for sure.
But I'm hoping to make the scene at the upcoming fashion show at Unionville High School, which benefits the After-Prom Committee.
Volunteer Martha Young sent me the details:
"The theme this year is James Bond "For Your Eyes Only" and the show is being held on Friday March 21st at 7:30 at the UHS Auditorium. There will be great fashions (both casual and formal wear) all very generously donated by area merchants. The girls' hair and make-up also have been graciously donated by area salons. The models are mostly Junior and Senior students, there will be some great James Bond music sung by some very talented UHS students, silent auction items and original designs showcased by students. Please come and see "who wore what!"...100% of the proceeds goes to the After Prom, which helps to make prom a safe and memorable night for students."
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students at the door; children 10 and under are free.
Actually, I do have one fashion observation to make. I was at a meeting the other day and noticed how most of the ladies totally jazzed up their neutral, not-specially-put-on everyday outfits by simply adding a scarf. I think my favorite was a silk patchwork scarf of bright Indian-inspired fabrics that a Wilmington woman sported.

 

Livin' la vida loca

Hey, don't forget, the latest Giant gas promotion deal ends Saturday, March 15. You will want to fill up before that Saturday, because there are always long lines on the final day. I'm already up to 553 points, to be augmented significantly with the 300 additional points they're offering via the circular coupon from March 2 through 8. And for once I'm actually able to take advantage of one of their additional deals (tissues? Sun Chips? Yes, I can buy six of those), for yet another 400 points.
Yes, I know. I sound a lot like the deranged guy in "The Tell-Tale Heart." But you know what? I'm gonna get $1.20 off per gallon! Ha! Ha!

Incredible Journey

My biking readers will enjoy this tongue-in-cheek story by a relative about his 1.5-mile-long commute to work last week.

"I don't know what possessed me to take on the challenge, cycling 1/2 mile after 1/2 mile on compacted snow and glazed ice, through the frigid temperatures and howling winds.

I was on Surly Sue, my winter bike, loaded down with graded papers and lecture notes, carrying my only source of sustenance: an insulated mug containing once-hot coffee.
I set out early, the sun peeking over the horizon. I hopped on my bike but quickly jumped back off when I realized I would have to walk the first few feet, down my unplowed driveway.

The glide down my street was treacherous--and lonely. Not a soul to be seen at first, although later I encountered one human walking what appeared to be a wolf on a leash. My only company consisted of sounds, the wind battering like iced razorblades into small areas of flesh I had inexplicably left uncovered, the snow crunching underneath my Ritchey Speedmax 700x32c winter tires, the tree branches keeping the seeming endless time of my suffering.

My attention was anchored on every passing centimeter of dangerous path. Despite that, security was only momentary, and more than once I slid unexpectedly and uncontrollably.

I endured, rotation after rotation of those sneering pedals, and eventually arrived at work exhausted, blind, ravenous, and delirious. But when the morning custodial staff saw me and exclaimed, "You didn't bike in today, did you?"--an odd question given the fact that I looked like the Abominable Snowman and was holding a bike--I felt a tinge of pride. I had faced the elements, and for one small moment, I had triumphed over winter. And I learned something, that I can endure almost any amount of adversity if I need to...for about ten minutes."

Delay

A nonprofit group I belong to had its first meeting of the year scheduled for January 10. It was postponed due to snow and rescheduled for February 4. That meeting was again postponed for snow and rescheduled for Feb. 25. Sure enough, the morning of the 25th it was snowing, but we were all so sick of postponing that we held the darn meeting anyway. Props to our hardy board member from Bryn Mawr for hauling all the way out here to the country!

"Foal Cam"

Amazing: you can watch the birth of My Special Gal's foal live via New Bolton Center's "foal cam." The mare is due to give birth in mid-March at New Bolton's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. You can monitor My Special Gal before the birth and even help select a name for the little one. For more information, visit the website at www.vet.upenn.edu/foalcam.

The Book Sale

A loyal reader wanted to share his high praise for the organization of this past weekend's used-book sale at Unionville High School! He said in an email:
"We attended the book sale as we usually do on the first day (Friday night) and were very pleasantly surprised to find that the “pro” buyers were very polite and non-pushy. What a difference from last year! As we waited in line for the opening bell, we heard a number of people comment on what a horrible experience they had also had with the “pros”. We conveyed our compliments for a job well done to the organizers and give them kudos to whatever they did to rein in the pros! It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience."

Stone Barn

What a sad sight to see the roof of the Stone Barn's banquet hall collapsed from the weight of the snow. The cupola is leaning severely to the north and the walls are completely out of kilter. Let's hope that the owners, the Thomfordes, can get the building repaired quickly and don't have to cancel many parties and wedding receptions. As a caterer friend said when he heard about the collapse: "What a nightmare for owners and clients!"

Township meeting

The monthly West Marlborough Township meetings are coming up on Tuesday, March 4. The planning commission meets at 7 p.m. (if they have any business to conduct; last month they didn't) and the supervisors' meeting starts afterward. Come out and hear what's going on in our township.

Bird report

Those four-and-twenty blackbirds of the nursery rhyme are frequenting my back yard. Actually, though, it's a diverse lot, with not only red-winged blackbirds but also starlings and grackles. It's amazing how quickly they can clean out a bird feeder!
There's word going around on the Internet that the frigid temperatures of the Polar Vertex have killed off 95 percent of the stinkbug population. We shall see!