Doe Run Church Road

Two residents came to the Oct. 1 West Marlborough Supervisors meeting to complain about the condition of the gravel portion of Doe Run Church Road, saying it was dusty and rough, like driving on a washboard.
Road crew member Hugh Lofting II explained to them that it was probably the most heavily traveled gravel road in the township, and the level of traffic creates the washboard effect. He said he could apply a coat of oil on the road to keep the dust down, but that is expensive and would create a harder road.
Supervisor Josh Taylor told the residents that although "I understand your concern about rattling and the neighbors' cars getting hurt," driving more slowly on the road might minimize the problem.
Supervisor Bill Wylie said he would discuss the situation further with the road crew.
The next afternoon I set out to investigate and drove the third-of-a-mile stretch of road, which runs between Dupont Road and the paved and speed-humped portion in East Fallowfield Township. As much as I love gravel roads, I have to say that it was like driving over sheets of corrugated metal. The speed limit is 25, but any faster than 8 m.p.h. and my vehicle started vibrating violently.

Paved surfaces and so much more

At its Oct. 1 meeting, the West Marlborough Planning Commission spent an hour going through the new Act 167 stormwater management ordinance that all Pennsylvania townships must enact by January 2014. Many of the requirements in the document have been dictated by the state, but the planning commission is poring over the technical ordinance carefully, with the help of township engineer Al Giannantonio, and adapting the language that it is permitted to change so that it best meets the township's requirements. The planners scheduled a few more meetings this fall to complete their work. At the meeting were commission members Jake Chalfin, Gus Brown, Nancy Swayne, Anna Myers and Jeb Hannum.

Uprooted

So here's where That Tree ended up: as the centerpiece of an autumn display at Dick Hayne's Terrain at Styers garden shop in Glen Mills, surrounded by pumpkins and mums. (You'll recall that "That Tree" is the beloved hickory that stood atop a Springdell hillside, all by itself, until it was blown over this spring. A few weeks ago I reported that I saw some of Mr. Hayne's workers digging out the root ball and hauling it away.)

 

 This is what the roots looked like just a few hours after the tree fell, before they were cleaned and groomed and styled:

Thanks so much to the Terrain customer/Tilda reader who sent me this tip! Much appreciated.

On the road

On Apple Grove Road yesterday I spotted a motorcycle pulled over to the side of the road; the driver was poring over an atlas and the passenger was checking her phone. As I tend to do, I stopped and asked if they were lost. Sort of yes, sort of no: It turns out that they were covered-bridge fans, and their map showed three in the vicinity but wasn't at all specific about their locations. Wow, something I actually knew about: I directed them to two in the Laurels and the one on Frog Hollow Road.
They were nice folks and extremely grateful. Somehow I just didn't expect Super Glide riders in black leather jackets to be covered-bridge enthusiasts: that'll teach me not to stereotype!

"Every living creature that moves"

The Pet Blessing ceremony at Unionville Presbyterian Church on Sunday afternoon was so sweet! I took Binnie, my brown-and-white guinea pig, and she attracted much attention from kids and adults alike, primarily because she was one of the few non-canines in attendance (I saw one cat). The church's pastor, the Rev. Annalie Korengel Lorgus, said a brief, lovely prayer over her, and then Binnie got a certificate and a seed treat -- which she started munching right away. There were refreshments for the humans, too. Annalie told me that the green stole she wore, featuring charming drawings of animals, was made especially for the occasion.

Nice!

I got to spend some time this past week with a high-school and college pal who now lives in Camden, Maine, but was visiting family down here. He said he'd forgotten how beautiful Chester County was. And that's quite a compliment when you think of how lovely the seaside town of Camden is!

The Farm Show

This coming weekend is one of my favorite events of the year: the Unionville Community Fair, aka the Farm Show! All over our area people are getting their entries ready: baking, printing photos, putting the finishing touches on their craft projects, selecting a dozen uniform eggs from their hens, choosing unblemished gourds and harvesting what's left of their gardens. But of course you don't need to enter anything to enjoy the Fair: come out for the parade, the exhibits, the animals and the camaraderie. You can find the fair schedule and all the information you need at ucfairinc.org.