Summer is suddenly upon us, with the thermometer topping 90 for the first time.
Inside the house, my fish-oil vitamins are sticking together, and the toothpaste has an entirely different and looser consistency from its winter one. The chewy ginger cookies that I bake sag and crumble unless I keep them in the fridge.
Outside, the chickadee babies have flown the coop, and a pair of wrens have taken over the bird house and are building the own nest (I peeped in after the chickadees left, and the only thing remaining was a two-inch-thick bed of soft moss). Ticks and poison ivy are here. Bats are swooping around at dusk (love them!). Fast-growing young groundhogs, rabbits and foxes are looking less like the babies they were only a few weeks ago.
A friend in "downtown" Unionville commented that she hasn't seen lightning bugs yet this summer, and I hadn't either until Sunday evening. And my hummingbirds were here briefly in May, but I've seen only one or two at the feeder since. I'm keeping fresh nectar in it anyway.
The giant thistles in the field behind my house are majestic and there are so many that they produce a pastel lavender haze in the midst of all the green. I'd love to try taking some artsy silhouette-type photos, but I'd have to trek through high weeds to get there (see the sentence about "ticks" above), and keeping the high-tension lines out of the photo would be next to impossible. (My first lesson in photography was to look around the subject and make sure there wasn't a telephone pole growing out of his head.)
Saturday, June 13, 2015
WEST MARLBOROUGH: Report from a routine June township meeting
At the June meeting of the West Marlborough Township supervisors, township engineer Al Giannantonio reported that he issued two zoning permits in May: one for a shed extension at a farm on Doe Run School Road and one for an addition to a farmhouse on Route 82.
Roadmaster Hugh Lofting said the township road crew has been busy mowing road banks. They plan to tar and chip Bartram, Line, Chapel, Rokeby, and Doe Road Station Roads, as well as the paved part of Doe Run Church Road, and the hill on West Road near Route 82. Road crew member Hugh Lofting Jr. said he will be trying out a new, larger kind of gravel this year.
The supervisors scheduled a hearing at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at the township hall/garage to get the public's comments about revisions to the township's zoning ordinance. A copy of the revisions is available from the township office.
In other business, Street Road resident Elizabeth Smoker told the supervisors that the deteriorated condition of the vacant house next door to her is "very problematic to me" due to the thick weeds and lack of maintenance. The house, at Sportsmen's Lane, was formerly the property of the Raimatos but has been empty for seven years after the mortgage company foreclosed on the subsequent owner.
When Mrs. Smoker brought similar concerns to the township last year, the supervisors asked township engineer Al Giannantonio to contact the mortgage company that owns the property. He volunteered to do so in hopes they will once again send out a maintenance crew.
Mrs. Smoker had her own, tongue-in-cheek suggestion for what the township should do: "Fine them a million dollars!"
Roadmaster Hugh Lofting said the township road crew has been busy mowing road banks. They plan to tar and chip Bartram, Line, Chapel, Rokeby, and Doe Road Station Roads, as well as the paved part of Doe Run Church Road, and the hill on West Road near Route 82. Road crew member Hugh Lofting Jr. said he will be trying out a new, larger kind of gravel this year.
The supervisors scheduled a hearing at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at the township hall/garage to get the public's comments about revisions to the township's zoning ordinance. A copy of the revisions is available from the township office.
In other business, Street Road resident Elizabeth Smoker told the supervisors that the deteriorated condition of the vacant house next door to her is "very problematic to me" due to the thick weeds and lack of maintenance. The house, at Sportsmen's Lane, was formerly the property of the Raimatos but has been empty for seven years after the mortgage company foreclosed on the subsequent owner.
When Mrs. Smoker brought similar concerns to the township last year, the supervisors asked township engineer Al Giannantonio to contact the mortgage company that owns the property. He volunteered to do so in hopes they will once again send out a maintenance crew.
Mrs. Smoker had her own, tongue-in-cheek suggestion for what the township should do: "Fine them a million dollars!"
GOODWILL STORE: The underrated pleasure of getting rid of stuff
I was switching over my summer/winter closets (and not a moment too soon) and realized there were clothes in there I hadn't worn in literally years. They were in fine shape, but they belonged to a lifestyle I no longer lead: in other words, they required hand washing or dry cleaning or special accessories, or would be ruined by a single grape-jelly spill.
I had been saving one Talbots blouse just in case I was called for jury duty -- but no one dresses up for jury duty anymore. And I'd been holding on to a certain sleeveless top because I'd paid a lot of money for it -- but getting into it nearly dislocated my shoulder, so I never wore it. They are both history, along with little-worn suede and leather skirts, khaki pants, cashmere sweaters, a long black velvet skirt, fancy scarves I'd long forgotten about, and a frumpy tweed skirt I'd worn only when dressing up as Aunt Petunia on Halloween.
I folded everything up, filling three large trash bags, and drove them over to the Goodwill store in Avondale. You drive up to the donations door and ring the bell, and grateful people come out and take your offerings.
I probably could have recouped some money had I taken them to a consignment store or one of those used clothing trade-in places, but I didn't think it would have been worth the time and effort.
I have what I need and haven't regretted a single discard. And I hope some Goodwill bargain-hunter had a field day.
Then I tackled the refrigerator -- but that's a story for another day.
I had been saving one Talbots blouse just in case I was called for jury duty -- but no one dresses up for jury duty anymore. And I'd been holding on to a certain sleeveless top because I'd paid a lot of money for it -- but getting into it nearly dislocated my shoulder, so I never wore it. They are both history, along with little-worn suede and leather skirts, khaki pants, cashmere sweaters, a long black velvet skirt, fancy scarves I'd long forgotten about, and a frumpy tweed skirt I'd worn only when dressing up as Aunt Petunia on Halloween.
I folded everything up, filling three large trash bags, and drove them over to the Goodwill store in Avondale. You drive up to the donations door and ring the bell, and grateful people come out and take your offerings.
I probably could have recouped some money had I taken them to a consignment store or one of those used clothing trade-in places, but I didn't think it would have been worth the time and effort.
I have what I need and haven't regretted a single discard. And I hope some Goodwill bargain-hunter had a field day.
Then I tackled the refrigerator -- but that's a story for another day.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
NEWLIN: Do they use the Kennett Paper to wrap it up for you?
A Newlin Township resident sent me this photo of a sign he spotted on Tuesday afternoon. That's what I call good service!
POTENT POTABLES: What? You're still drinking plain beer?!
"We have beer salt!" proclaimed the flashing sign outside the Penn Brew Station in Jennersville (the store with the palm tree outside).
Good to know -- but what exactly IS "beer salt"? I checked when I got back home and learned that according to its manufacturer, Twang, it is "a delicious, citrus-flavored salt inspired by the Latino tradition of adding citrus and salt to beer." It comes in lemon-lime, lime, hot lime and orange flavors. The website for the San Antonio-based family business even offers tips for appropriate pairings: "We prefer it on Domestic Lagers, Mexican Imports, or Belgian-style wheat beers."
Good to know -- but what exactly IS "beer salt"? I checked when I got back home and learned that according to its manufacturer, Twang, it is "a delicious, citrus-flavored salt inspired by the Latino tradition of adding citrus and salt to beer." It comes in lemon-lime, lime, hot lime and orange flavors. The website for the San Antonio-based family business even offers tips for appropriate pairings: "We prefer it on Domestic Lagers, Mexican Imports, or Belgian-style wheat beers."
Monday, June 8, 2015
EAST MARLBOROUGH: A civics lesson in how local government should work
I was pleased to learn that an overflow crowd showed up at the June East Marlborough Township meeting to protest the proposed sidewalk ordinance. Residents were concerned (to put it mildly) that the language of the new law would allow supervisors to require homeowners to install and maintain sidewalks, at their own expense.
The township supervisors handled the potentially divisive situation well. They really listened to the audience, made it plain that they understood the residents' concerns and assured the audience that forcing everyone to install sidewalks was absolutely not their intent -- while acknowledging that the perhaps overly broad wording could lead homeowners to reach that conclusion. They tabled the ordinance so it can be rewritten. I'm sure the citizens will be keeping an eye on the new wording.
The township supervisors handled the potentially divisive situation well. They really listened to the audience, made it plain that they understood the residents' concerns and assured the audience that forcing everyone to install sidewalks was absolutely not their intent -- while acknowledging that the perhaps overly broad wording could lead homeowners to reach that conclusion. They tabled the ordinance so it can be rewritten. I'm sure the citizens will be keeping an eye on the new wording.
Sunday, June 7, 2015
COLOURFUL WRITING: Full marks for proper spelling and full stops
This week I've been editing a 100-page master's thesis, which a friend is writing for a British university. It's been quite a change of pace: usually I have to "Americanize" British spelling, punctuation and usage, and now I'm having to convert her American prose into British (manoeuvering, centred, defence and such).
"How do you know how to do that?" asked the Young Relative.
I explained to him that when I went to school in England, my spelling and usage were corrected relentlessly.
"Oh," he said, his eyes closing in bliss, as if he had achieved nirvana at the dinner table. "I would LOVE to see that."
"How do you know how to do that?" asked the Young Relative.
I explained to him that when I went to school in England, my spelling and usage were corrected relentlessly.
"Oh," he said, his eyes closing in bliss, as if he had achieved nirvana at the dinner table. "I would LOVE to see that."
LIBRARY TOUR: A day of animals, antiques, and artwork
I've been going on the Bayard Taylor Library's Home & Garden Day tour since the mid-1990s, but I can safely say that this is the first year that I've gotten to feed koi, cuddle a baby goat and coo over fuzzy three-day-old goslings.
This year's tour, which stretched from the Maryland line, through the New London area, all the way up to Avondale, was blessed with perfect weather and included a marvelous variety of stops. Some random highlights were the waterfall in the stunning garden behind the McIlvains' home; the 16th-century chairs and original Audubon print at the William Miller House; the gorgeous view out over the countryside at the Kings' farm; the koi, catfish and bass in the pond at the Jenkses' home (which is for sale; Jackie Roberts of Berkshire Hathaway Country Properties is the listing agent); and all the adorable critters at the Petersons' farm. (We didn't get to all the stops on the tour.)
The mushroom crepes by Portobello restaurant in Kennett, made on the spot at the McIlvains' kitchen, were delicious, and the coffee (donated by Starbucks) and cold drinks (donated by Waywood Beverages) were extremely welcome. The pasta samples from La Verona were gone by the time we got to the Petersons', but we heard good things about them.
I hope the tour raised lots of money for the library's children's programs! The super-organized and hard-working members of the Special Events Committee and their helpers (the parkers were especially helpful and entertaining this year) made this a really memorable and fun day.
(By the way: I love the new idea of picking up a wristband at the first house that you visit. So much easier than having to root around and pull out your ticket at each front door.)
This year's tour, which stretched from the Maryland line, through the New London area, all the way up to Avondale, was blessed with perfect weather and included a marvelous variety of stops. Some random highlights were the waterfall in the stunning garden behind the McIlvains' home; the 16th-century chairs and original Audubon print at the William Miller House; the gorgeous view out over the countryside at the Kings' farm; the koi, catfish and bass in the pond at the Jenkses' home (which is for sale; Jackie Roberts of Berkshire Hathaway Country Properties is the listing agent); and all the adorable critters at the Petersons' farm. (We didn't get to all the stops on the tour.)
The mushroom crepes by Portobello restaurant in Kennett, made on the spot at the McIlvains' kitchen, were delicious, and the coffee (donated by Starbucks) and cold drinks (donated by Waywood Beverages) were extremely welcome. The pasta samples from La Verona were gone by the time we got to the Petersons', but we heard good things about them.
I hope the tour raised lots of money for the library's children's programs! The super-organized and hard-working members of the Special Events Committee and their helpers (the parkers were especially helpful and entertaining this year) made this a really memorable and fun day.
(By the way: I love the new idea of picking up a wristband at the first house that you visit. So much easier than having to root around and pull out your ticket at each front door.)
COVERED BRIDGES: Relief is finally coming for Frog Hollow Road residents
In last week's Kennett Paper you may have read a story about the three county covered bridges that are going to be repaired: Speakman Covered Bridge #1, which spans the Doe Run between West Marlborough and East Fallowfield townships; Rapps Dam in East Pikeland; and Knox in Valley Forge National Historic Park. West Marlborough resident Mark Myers has been the township's representative to the meetings involving the Speakman bridge repair, and he gave the township supervisors an update at their June meeting.
Mark said the contractor that has been hired, Eastern Highway Specialists of Wilmington, has experience working on covered bridges, including the Ashland bridge in Hockessin. The Speakman bridge will be the largest project of the three, and completion is set for September 2016.
" I think we're going to end up with a very satisfactory result," Mark said. He recommended that West Marlborough and East Fallowfield work together to come up with a way to protect the bridge, which has been closed to traffic since it was seriously damaged by an oversized truck seven years ago.
Mark said the contractor that has been hired, Eastern Highway Specialists of Wilmington, has experience working on covered bridges, including the Ashland bridge in Hockessin. The Speakman bridge will be the largest project of the three, and completion is set for September 2016.
" I think we're going to end up with a very satisfactory result," Mark said. He recommended that West Marlborough and East Fallowfield work together to come up with a way to protect the bridge, which has been closed to traffic since it was seriously damaged by an oversized truck seven years ago.
LA MANCHA: Come and meet critters up for adoption at "Yappy Hour"!
LaMancha Animal Rescue is hosting an open house and "Yappy Hour" from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 19, with "dog and cat meet-and-greets," crafts, refreshments and games. Adam Westgate of PawPrint Story Books will be reading from "Cody The Shepherd’s Strasburg Rail Road Ride" at 5 p.m. in the horse ring. For more information about the event or the shelter, e-mail Courtenay Acton at LaManchaVolunteer@gmail.co
The shelter is at 855 Doe Run Road (Route 82), south of Strasburg Road.
The shelter is at 855 Doe Run Road (Route 82), south of Strasburg Road.
JUST NOT DONE: Limiting access to a camp's farewell ceremony
My friend Chris Barber, editor of the Avon Grove Sun, was just turned away from this afternoon's "Farewell to Camp Tweedale" closing ceremony by officials from the local Girl Scout Council, the same ones who made the unpopular decision to close down the camp and sell the property.
"No press," they told her.
Now, see, banning the press from an event is something you really don't want to do if you're smart. You may not want reporters or photographers there, for whatever reason (and possibly a justified reason), but kicking them out makes it look like you have something to hide.
And you know they're write the story anyway -- as Chris did, being a resourceful woman (she is a former Girl Scout, after all). Nothing gets the fourth estate more jazzed up than suspecting that there's a juicy story out there that somebody is trying to prevent them from writing.
When I was a full-time reporter in another part of Pennsylvania, I used to cover a particularly quarrelsome borough council that met in a one-room building (they used to meet in the fire hall but managed to tick off the chief). They once kicked me out of the room so they could hold a dubious executive session, forgetting that the windows were open and I was standing outside and could hear everything anyway. Naturally, I reported on their discussion, complete with quotations.
At the next meeting they went into executive session again and went around the table furiously accusing each other of leaking the conversation to "that girl reporter." Even the mayor, a gentle, kindly minister, took his share of the vitriol.
"No press," they told her.
Now, see, banning the press from an event is something you really don't want to do if you're smart. You may not want reporters or photographers there, for whatever reason (and possibly a justified reason), but kicking them out makes it look like you have something to hide.
And you know they're write the story anyway -- as Chris did, being a resourceful woman (she is a former Girl Scout, after all). Nothing gets the fourth estate more jazzed up than suspecting that there's a juicy story out there that somebody is trying to prevent them from writing.
When I was a full-time reporter in another part of Pennsylvania, I used to cover a particularly quarrelsome borough council that met in a one-room building (they used to meet in the fire hall but managed to tick off the chief). They once kicked me out of the room so they could hold a dubious executive session, forgetting that the windows were open and I was standing outside and could hear everything anyway. Naturally, I reported on their discussion, complete with quotations.
At the next meeting they went into executive session again and went around the table furiously accusing each other of leaking the conversation to "that girl reporter." Even the mayor, a gentle, kindly minister, took his share of the vitriol.
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