An interfaith group of local churches and activists is sponsoring a few "community conversations" about stemming gun violence.
At 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, at Kennett Friends Meeting, Sarah Kastriner and Jessie Cocks will lead a presentation about skills for nonviolent conflict resolution.
At 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, St. Patrick's Catholic Church will host a discussion about domestic abuse and gun violence: "sponsored by our area churches, this will
be an evening of learning, conversation and prayer," according to the St. Pat's weekly bulletin.
And from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, Kennett Friends Meeting will welcome the community to "Gun Violence Awareness Day."
Thursday, March 29, 2018
WALMART: Always something new
I admit that I am easily wowed, but I strongly encourage you to try the "Ship to Store" service the next time you need to buy something substantial (that is, something other than routine groceries, cat food or vitamins) at Walmart.
I needed a new electric toothbrush, ordered it online and opted for the "Ship to Store" option, selecting the Kennett store.
Three days later, when I was literally two minutes from Walmart, I received a text saying the toothbrush had arrived. I stopped in and first went to Customer Service; they directed me to the large (and, um, well-marked) orange column by the entrance to the grocery portion of the store.
As I walked up, the door over the computer screen opened, and the screen asked me to enter my order number (it was in the text). I did so. There was a whirring noise inside and, hey presto, the door slid open and like magic there was my package! I'd already paid, so I just walked out with it.
It was very cool.
Walmart is also offering another innovation, a mobile handheld scanner that you take around the store with you. As soon as you put an item in your grocery cart, you scan its barcode. When you've finished shopping, you go to checkout, the register automatically downloads the info from the scanner, and you pay and hand in your scanner. The obvious question is: Won't people put things in their cart without scanning them? I suppose they will, but I'm sure the Walmart folks have run the numbers and figure they will save enough on salaries to justify such "shrinkage."
I needed a new electric toothbrush, ordered it online and opted for the "Ship to Store" option, selecting the Kennett store.
Three days later, when I was literally two minutes from Walmart, I received a text saying the toothbrush had arrived. I stopped in and first went to Customer Service; they directed me to the large (and, um, well-marked) orange column by the entrance to the grocery portion of the store.
As I walked up, the door over the computer screen opened, and the screen asked me to enter my order number (it was in the text). I did so. There was a whirring noise inside and, hey presto, the door slid open and like magic there was my package! I'd already paid, so I just walked out with it.
It was very cool.
Walmart is also offering another innovation, a mobile handheld scanner that you take around the store with you. As soon as you put an item in your grocery cart, you scan its barcode. When you've finished shopping, you go to checkout, the register automatically downloads the info from the scanner, and you pay and hand in your scanner. The obvious question is: Won't people put things in their cart without scanning them? I suppose they will, but I'm sure the Walmart folks have run the numbers and figure they will save enough on salaries to justify such "shrinkage."
LOCH NAIRN: A bridal shower
I attended a delightful bridal shower at the Greathouse at Loch Nairn last weekend. The luncheon was delicious (with excellent service), it was fun to catch up with the bride-to-be and her family, and my fellow guests were full of interesting stories. (I'm editing a book on education for deaf children; what are the odds that the woman sitting next to me works with deaf people?)
A wedding shower is traditionally a ladies' event, but the groom-to-be, his father and his brother did pop in occasionally (I suspect they spent the rest of the time in the bar).
One wonderful Italian shower custom that I'd never heard of before: at the door was a table full of homemade cookies (and Girl Scout cookies!), and guests, on their way out, were encouraged to fill up a little white box and take it home. They didn't have to ask me twice.
A wedding shower is traditionally a ladies' event, but the groom-to-be, his father and his brother did pop in occasionally (I suspect they spent the rest of the time in the bar).
One wonderful Italian shower custom that I'd never heard of before: at the door was a table full of homemade cookies (and Girl Scout cookies!), and guests, on their way out, were encouraged to fill up a little white box and take it home. They didn't have to ask me twice.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
KITCHEN: A wonderful casserole
All winter I've been experimenting with casseroles and taste-testing them with friends and neighbors. I've developed a recipe that is simple, reasonably healthy, fun to make, and delicious (if I do say so myself).
1. Start with a 15.5-oz can of black beans (drained), a 15.25-oz can of corn (drained), and a 10-oz can of "La Preferida" red chile enchilada sauce (I use mild). Pour everything into the casserole dish (I use one of those 9-by-13-inch aluminum jobbies) and mix it together.
2. Bring a 14.5-oz can of chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan, add 1 C white quinoa (rinsed), and simmer for about 15 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the grain spirals out of the kernel. If you like garlic, mince a couple of cloves and add it to the quinoa while it's cooking. Add the quinoa to the casserole dish.
3. Dice an onion and two bell peppers (green, red, orange, or any combination) and saute in a little olive oil in a frying pan until slightly softened. Add the vegetables to the casserole dish.
4. Saute in olive oil 1.5 lb ground turkey (the leaner kind). Stir/chop it until just browned, adding a half tablespoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin. Drain off the fat and add the meat to the casserole dish.
5. Mix everything together with a few handfuls of shredded cheese (I use the Mexican blend). Sprinkle more cheese on the top.
6. Bake at 375 until the cheese on top is melted.
You can tailor this dish to your preferences: if you want it spicier, add a chopped jalapeno; if you have mushrooms on hand, saute them and toss them in. Try a different kind of grain instead of quinoa (maybe brown rice or farro), or ground beef or diced chicken instead of turkey.
1. Start with a 15.5-oz can of black beans (drained), a 15.25-oz can of corn (drained), and a 10-oz can of "La Preferida" red chile enchilada sauce (I use mild). Pour everything into the casserole dish (I use one of those 9-by-13-inch aluminum jobbies) and mix it together.
2. Bring a 14.5-oz can of chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan, add 1 C white quinoa (rinsed), and simmer for about 15 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the grain spirals out of the kernel. If you like garlic, mince a couple of cloves and add it to the quinoa while it's cooking. Add the quinoa to the casserole dish.
3. Dice an onion and two bell peppers (green, red, orange, or any combination) and saute in a little olive oil in a frying pan until slightly softened. Add the vegetables to the casserole dish.
4. Saute in olive oil 1.5 lb ground turkey (the leaner kind). Stir/chop it until just browned, adding a half tablespoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin. Drain off the fat and add the meat to the casserole dish.
5. Mix everything together with a few handfuls of shredded cheese (I use the Mexican blend). Sprinkle more cheese on the top.
6. Bake at 375 until the cheese on top is melted.
You can tailor this dish to your preferences: if you want it spicier, add a chopped jalapeno; if you have mushrooms on hand, saute them and toss them in. Try a different kind of grain instead of quinoa (maybe brown rice or farro), or ground beef or diced chicken instead of turkey.
Monday, March 26, 2018
OVER TIMBER: Point-to-point season starts
It was touch-and-go there for a few days, but after a herculean snow-removal effort by Jamie Hicks and the Meadow Springs Farm team, the 72nd Cheshire Point-to-Point at Plantation Field was a "go." I'm told it was great fun if somewhat on the chilly side.
Brandywine Hills, the second point-to-point of the season, will be held on April 1, Easter Sunday, at the Red Clay Alliance's Myrick Conservation Center (formerly the BVA). Gates open at 10 a.m. and the pony races start at 11. We'll be there!
Brandywine Hills, the second point-to-point of the season, will be held on April 1, Easter Sunday, at the Red Clay Alliance's Myrick Conservation Center (formerly the BVA). Gates open at 10 a.m. and the pony races start at 11. We'll be there!
Sunday, March 25, 2018
KENNETT: Goodbye to Tom
It's a sad sight to see the empty bookshelves outside of Tom Macaluso's bookshop at the corner of Union and Cypress Streets in downtown Kennett. Tom, who died March 15 at age 85, was a vivid, friendly, learned man who was a fixture of Kennett Square life and was active in local Quaker circles. His shop was a great place to wile away a few hours and learn about local history. His was a well-lived life, and I hope that his widow, Brenda, takes comfort in knowing how many lives he touched over the years.
MONTCO: A wedding
We've attended so many funerals recently that it was a delight to go to a family wedding. Even though we faced Friday afternoon rush-hour traffic on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, we made it to the church on time -- or at least, the Joseph Ambler Inn in North Wales.
The ceremony was held outside on a brick patio, and the overhead radiant heaters tried their best but didn't put much of a dent in the just-above-freezing temperatures. Fortunately I was sandwiched between two husky gentlemen who kept me reasonably warm.
After the brief ceremony we went inside the historic inn, where thankfully there was a fire blazing in the fireplace. Guests kept the bartender busy until it was time for dinner, which was served in another part of the inn.
The emcee, Richard Curtis, welcomed everyone. He was a bundle of energy; we learned that his day job was teaching at Souderton Area High School.
Some wedding customs never change: the bride and groom were a little jittery at first, the flower girl (the bride's six-year-old daughter) was adorable, the flowers were lovely, the dinner was tasty, the father of the bride got choked up during his speech, and the young people hit the dance floor immediately. What I hadn't seen at a wedding before was a photo studio where you could pose with silly hats and props. We did so. Twice.
The ceremony was held outside on a brick patio, and the overhead radiant heaters tried their best but didn't put much of a dent in the just-above-freezing temperatures. Fortunately I was sandwiched between two husky gentlemen who kept me reasonably warm.
After the brief ceremony we went inside the historic inn, where thankfully there was a fire blazing in the fireplace. Guests kept the bartender busy until it was time for dinner, which was served in another part of the inn.
The emcee, Richard Curtis, welcomed everyone. He was a bundle of energy; we learned that his day job was teaching at Souderton Area High School.
Some wedding customs never change: the bride and groom were a little jittery at first, the flower girl (the bride's six-year-old daughter) was adorable, the flowers were lovely, the dinner was tasty, the father of the bride got choked up during his speech, and the young people hit the dance floor immediately. What I hadn't seen at a wedding before was a photo studio where you could pose with silly hats and props. We did so. Twice.
UPPER DARBY: UHS track
The UHS track team, which as you know I follow with a certain fondness, traveled to Drexel Hill on Saturday, March 24, to kick off its outdoor season at the area-wide Upper Darby Relays.
The Unionville girls won the 4x1600m relay, beating the second-place West Chester East team by 28 seconds, and the boys placed fourth. In the distance medley relay (four athletes run a total of 10 laps, each running one, two, three, or four laps apiece), the boys placed fourth and the girls placed fifth. In the 4x800m relay, the Unionville girls placed fourth and the boys placed eighth. In the 4x200m relay the boys placed sixth, 4 seconds behind the winner, and the girls placed eighth.
Here's hoping all the athletes enjoy a fun, successful and injury-free season.
The Unionville girls won the 4x1600m relay, beating the second-place West Chester East team by 28 seconds, and the boys placed fourth. In the distance medley relay (four athletes run a total of 10 laps, each running one, two, three, or four laps apiece), the boys placed fourth and the girls placed fifth. In the 4x800m relay, the Unionville girls placed fourth and the boys placed eighth. In the 4x200m relay the boys placed sixth, 4 seconds behind the winner, and the girls placed eighth.
Here's hoping all the athletes enjoy a fun, successful and injury-free season.
GREENVILLE: A traffic mess
Sometimes it's best to ignore the GPS.
Two weeks ago I was heading to Greenville and should have just taken Route 52, but the GPS advised me Route 141 would be quicker.
Oh, how wrong it was. Apparently no-one informed Google Maps that both off-ramps from 141 onto 52 are closed due to roadwork in the Barley Mill Road area. Traffic crawled all the way from Route 48 (Lancaster Pike) to Route 100 (Montchanin Road), which is where the detour takes you.
Even DelDOT suggests avoiding the whole mess: "DelDOT is strongly recommending that motorists use alternate routes as major delays will persist into November 2018."
According to DelDOT, "the $17 million project, which began in October 2017, will replace the existing concrete roadway on this 1.4 mile section of Route 141 and on the Route 52/Kennett Pike interchange ramps, as well as replace concrete curbing, drainage, and guardrails. . . . Ramps from Route 141 north to Route 52/Kennett Pike north and south will also be closed for the duration of work to reconstruct the northbound lanes of the road. In addition, no left turns will be permitted from Route 141 north onto Barley Mill Road or from Barley Mill Road onto Route 141 north."
Two weeks ago I was heading to Greenville and should have just taken Route 52, but the GPS advised me Route 141 would be quicker.
Oh, how wrong it was. Apparently no-one informed Google Maps that both off-ramps from 141 onto 52 are closed due to roadwork in the Barley Mill Road area. Traffic crawled all the way from Route 48 (Lancaster Pike) to Route 100 (Montchanin Road), which is where the detour takes you.
Even DelDOT suggests avoiding the whole mess: "DelDOT is strongly recommending that motorists use alternate routes as major delays will persist into November 2018."
According to DelDOT, "the $17 million project, which began in October 2017, will replace the existing concrete roadway on this 1.4 mile section of Route 141 and on the Route 52/Kennett Pike interchange ramps, as well as replace concrete curbing, drainage, and guardrails. . . . Ramps from Route 141 north to Route 52/Kennett Pike north and south will also be closed for the duration of work to reconstruct the northbound lanes of the road. In addition, no left turns will be permitted from Route 141 north onto Barley Mill Road or from Barley Mill Road onto Route 141 north."
PLANTATION FIELD: Tough Mudder returns
The Tough Mudder competition is returning to Plantation Field May 19 and 20. The organizers, with their characteristic understatement, promise "Same Epic Venue, Brand New Course" where "you and your team square off against 10 miles of the most insane, mud-drenched epic you’ve ever seen."
Tough Mudder involves a boot-camp-like course with some twenty obstacles, such as giant walls that you have to clamber over, getting wet and filthy in the process.
For instance, the "Shawshanked" obstacle: "Starting with a barbed wire low crawl, this obstacle ups the ante as Mudders have to drag their muddy bodies up a culvert pipe, and find themselves perched at the end of a 5-foot drop into the cold water below."
Or the "Kiss of Mud 2.0": "With less than 18” of clearance between tangled rows of barbed wire and your bum, and a floor of slushy cold mud beneath you, there’s nowhere to move but forward."
Tough Mudder involves a boot-camp-like course with some twenty obstacles, such as giant walls that you have to clamber over, getting wet and filthy in the process.
For instance, the "Shawshanked" obstacle: "Starting with a barbed wire low crawl, this obstacle ups the ante as Mudders have to drag their muddy bodies up a culvert pipe, and find themselves perched at the end of a 5-foot drop into the cold water below."
Or the "Kiss of Mud 2.0": "With less than 18” of clearance between tangled rows of barbed wire and your bum, and a floor of slushy cold mud beneath you, there’s nowhere to move but forward."
People pay good money for this. I have otherwise sensible gym friends who actually love doing this, talking about the teamwork and camaraderie involved, and have already started training for it.
WEST MARLBOROUGH: A winning dish
Congrats to West Marlborough's own Melissa Grafton Marino, executive chef at Saloon 151 in West Chester. The dish that Melissa and her team created, "bacon-bourbon meatball with spicy mango pica and dill crème fraiche," took first place in the Chef's Best Competition at the West Chester University Alumni & Foundation Center, a March 22 fundraiser for the nonprofit group ACT in Faith of Greater West Chester.
Saloon 151's winning entry was the popular favorite, winning out over Bar Avalon's Sgagliozze (fried polenta bruschetta) prepared two ways: whipped ricotta and eggplant caponata; sauteed mushrooms and crab ragout; Mercato Ristorante and Bar's Arancini and short rib paccheri; and The Social: Southern Scratch Kitchen and Bar's ancho-crusted char-grilled diver scallop with avocado mousse.
ACT in Faith is an interfaith organization that helps West Chester residents "to stabilize their households and build toward sustainability."
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