Saturday, January 16, 2016

FIRES: A great Facebook resource

The administrator of the Facebook page "Chester County Working Fires" asked if I'd give them a shout-out in my column and I am happy to do so. Talk about breaking news: they're regularly the first to report on emergencies throughout our area, no matter what the hour, and they keep on top of the situation until it's under control. They get their facts and locations right, and they post photos and updates as soon as they're available.
The motto of my first newsroom was "get it first, get it fast, get it right," and CCWF qualifies on all three counts. It's a must for curious residents like me.

WILLOWDALE: The Willowdale Country Store is closing

Best wishes to my friends Judy Fetters and Cintra Murray as they ease into a well-deserved retirement. Yes, over the next few months they'll be closing the Willowdale Country Store at Routes 926 and 82 (although they do hope to find a buyer for it).
Cintra and Judy knew their customers' tastes and lifestyles extremely well and always stocked charming scarves, jewelry, vests, sweaters and casual, comfortable dresses. They had a loyal following and were generous about supporting local artists and organizations. I'll miss going in for a chat -- they were always up on the latest news -- and I guess I'll now have to find a new source for my "bee soap."

Friday, January 15, 2016

GOOD-BYE: A friend heads across the pond

Bon voyage to our friend Melissa Wright, whose husband just started a two-year job assignment in England. Melissa, a former journalist who is the mother of an adorable toddler, was a popular group exercise instructor at the Kennett Y. In fact, one of her predeparture concerns was whether it would be OK for her to use the phrase "yoga pants" in England (where "pants" usually means "underpants").
Melissa also served as the volunteer coordinator for Plantation Field equestrian events and displayed unbelievable calm and poise in even very high-stress situations. It was also very hard to say "no" to her. Once I showed up just to watch a dressage contest, and the next thing I know she had roped me into measuring competitors' crops and checking that they were using the correct bits.
"Of course you can do it," she said, with utter confidence that I would be happy to do so. "And here's a cool T-shirt for you."

DUKES OF DESTINY: Dance party at West Grove Meeting

This past summer's Dukes of Destiny concert at Anson B. Nixon Park had to be cancelled because of a power outage, but here's your chance to see the popular blues and soul band in a hot dance concert. They'll be performing at West Grove Friends Meeting on Saturday, Jan. 30. Doors open at 7; music is from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Suggested donation is $15, with proceeds benefiting the kindergarten at London Grove Friends Meeting and the daycare program at West Grove Meeting.
I'm so sorry we'll miss this, but we have tickets to see Rhonda Vincent & the Rage at Longwood Gardens that night. I remember going to a very festive Dukes concert at West Grove Meeting years ago, back when it was an annual event sponsored by the late, lamented Turtledove Folk Club. The benches get pushed aside to make room for the most vigorous dancing you've ever seen at a Quaker meetinghouse!

STATE DEPT.: Heather Kalmbach is honored

Unionville High School grad Heather Kalmbach has been named the 2015 winner of the Warren Christopher Award for Outstanding Achievement in Civilian Security, which carries with it a $10,000 prize. 
According to the State Department announcement, "This selection was based on Ms. Kalmbach's outstanding performance as the senior national refugee coordinator. This prestigious award recognizes sustained excellence, and initiative in the substantive policy areas of civilian security, democracy, and human rights."
Ms. Kalmbach, who grew up in West Marlborough, is based in the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan.
(Thank you to Helen Martin for sharing this news. Helen said she had dinner with Heather in Israel several years ago.)

GROAN: Warning! Bad joke ahead!

Dialogue at the Unionville Post Office, Thursday afternoon:
P.G.: "You know what they say down on the farm, don't you?"
Tilda: "No, what do they say down on the farm?"
P.G.: "If I don't see you in the future, I'll see you in the pasture."

PANTO: Fairy tales done a la KATS

This year's Kennett Amateur Theatrical Society pantomime, "Sherlock & the Beanstalk," will be on Jan. 22 (7:30 p.m.) and Jan. 23 (2 and 7:30 p.m.) at the Kennett High School auditorium. The "panto" is always a great fun: not only do you get to see your friends and neighbors emoting up there on stage, but you also get to boo, and cheer, and sing along. Buy your tickets online (callkats.org) or at the door ($10 for adults, $5 for under 12).

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

FR. DENNY: Memorial service for a downtown fixture

The memorial service for Dennis Van Thuyne ("Father Denny") on Jan. 11 at St. Patrick's Church was a moving and appropriate send-off for a man who was a friend to so many in the community.
The Rev. Christopher Rogers, the pastor at St. Pat's, spoke about the first and the last times he met Father Denny, who served as a priest at St. Pat's many years ago. The first time was shortly after Father Rogers arrived in Kennett: while strolling through town, he encountered Father Denny sitting in his favorite spot, on the bench outside the "General Store" he ran on State Street, and they immediately struck up a conversation about Denny's beloved St. Therese.
Their last conversation, just a few days before Denny died, took place at the church, when he asked Father Rogers, "Are you getting ready?" Father Rogers thought he meant getting the church ready for Thanksgiving and then Advent -- but he said that after Denny died, the simple question took on a profound meaning for him.
Denny's brother, Mike Van Thuyne, gave the eulogy on behalf of the family, talking about his brother's faith and the importance of both knowledge and action in the life of a Catholic. "We cannot rely on the other person," he said. "We must look honestly in the mirror and realize, we ARE the other person." He asked Denny's friends to pray for him and to him.
After the service, we all went downstairs to the social hall for refreshments and fellowship. How fitting that on the food table was a pile of Denny's favorite snack, Philadelphia soft pretzels! There was also a display of photos of Denny at his store and in the community. A leaflet from the family read, "Your warm expressions of sympathy and prayers for the Van Thuyne family, at the loss of our brother, Denny, have been a tremendous source of strength and comfort for all of us."

THE VOICE: A priest's podcasts

Father Denny's service was the first time I had met the Rev. Christopher Rogers, who recently succeeded longtime priest the Rev. Victor Sharett (now pastor emeritus) in the pulpit at St. Patrick's. Father Rogers has a warm, engaging manner, but the first thing I noticed about him was his vivid, clear speaking voice. I mentioned this to a St. Pat's parishioner, who said he felt the same way. In fact, he told me, Father Rogers even posts podcasts of his Sunday homilies on http://cbr.podbean.com/.

FIRE: Rocky Hill Castle

I had never even heard of Rocky Hill Castle, the Chadds Ford structure gutted by fire early Jan. 12. The 12-bedroom stone mansion on five acres at 119 Bullock Road was on the market for $674,000. It was built in 1821 as a summer house and also had a three-story, five-stall barn. Even before the fire, the real-estate listing warned that the house and barn "will need extensive renovations and being sold in as is condition." Photos on realtor.com show a lovely old stained-glass door and split staircase, but it's clear that the place was very far from being in turnkey condition.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

APPLE PIE: Bake-off at the State Fair

As the apple pie champion at the Unionville Community Fair, Robin Mastrippolito of Embreeville got the chance to enter the statewide competition at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg this past weekend. But despite Robin's best effort with what I hear was an amazing apple-raspberry pie, Jeralyn Adams, a woman from Dimock Township, Susquehanna County, took the blue ribbon with a pie using Northern Spy, Jonagold and Pink Lady apples. Here's the winning recipe:
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup lard
1/3 cup butter, unsalted
4-5 Tablespoons cold water
Mix together the flour and salt in a bowl. Blend in the lard and butter with a fork or pastry blender until the crumb is pea-sized or smaller. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, blending gently until the dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. Divide the dough in half and shape it loosely into two balls. Roll out each ball in a circle on a floured surface to fit an 8 1/2 or 9-inch pie pan. Line the bottom of the pan with one crust. 
Filling: 
5-6 cups tart Pennsylvania apples (cored, peeled and thinly sliced)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
dash of ground nutmeg
1 Tablespoon butter
Mix the apples, sugar, corn starch, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Pour into a crust-lined pan. Dot the top of the filling with butter.
Top with the remaining crust. Seal the edges. Pierce the top crust with a fork at intervals to release steam while baking. 
Topping: 
1 Tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon cinnamon-sugar (1 Tablespoon of sugar combined with 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon)
Brush the top of the crust with milk. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. 
Protect the crust edges from over-browning by covering the edges with strips of foil or purchased crust protector. 
Bake at 425 degrees for 40-50 minutes, removing the edge protector for the last 15 minutes of baking. If the top of the crust starts to over-brown, cover it loosely with foil.