A visit to the Conservatory

We had a wonderful, rejuvenating visit to Longwood Gardens on Sunday. The sun was shining and the previous day's wind had died down, so the walk from the visitor center to the Conservatory was pleasant. 

We had a great time exploring the organ display -- you get to see the organ pipes, which range from tiny metal tubes to massive wooden skyscrapers. There's a mural of a long-ago meeting of the organists' guild at Longwood and lots of vintage programs of gala organ concerts. A clever working model shows you how an organ produces sounds, and by pushing buttons you can see and hear how it works. 

The Conservatory displays are full of massed amaryllis, anthuriums, cyclamens, and miniature peach roses this season. Dearest Partner brought his camera and worked diligently making images with just the right lighting and exposure. In the fruit room one of Longwood's resident cats was lying in a sunny spot, licking himself and completely ignoring visitors. 

I'm so glad that Longwood is remaining open during the pandemic. It didn't feel crowded, and everyone wore masks, indoors and out (I did see one woman remove hers to have her photo taken in the Cascade Garden room). Although the masks did cut down on the intoxicating waft of fragrance that usually greets you when you enter the Conservatory, the delightful scent of the paperwhites and Oriental lilies still managed to reach my nose.

A bounty of paper towels

At the Jennersville Giant the other day, the "paper products" aisle was absolutely chockful of paper towels. Not only were they on the shelves, but there were stacks of them piled up in the middle of the double-wide aisle. What a difference from the early days of the pandemic, when the shelves were bare!

Apparently another shopper had the same thought: he was taking a photo of the surplus with his cell phone.

A delicious Indian dinner

As avid restaurant-goers, we have been doing all we can to support our local restaurants. Just days after the most recent dine-in ban was lifted, we enjoyed a terrific meal at one of our favorite Indian places, Rasa Indian Cuisine in the Painters Crossing shopping center.

We arrived on the early side. Although we were the only diners there for a while, the place was bustling with customers picking up their takeout orders. The waiter made frequent trips from the kitchen to the front desk lugging to-go bags.

The owners went out of their way to thank us for our business, but really the pleasure was all ours. I started enjoying Indian food only a few years ago and I now relish every flavorful bite. I even splurged (trying not to think about the carbs) and ordered their amazing garlic naan. Plus, their portions are so large that I had enough lamb biryani for the next few days!

Highly recommended.

New music director comes to St. Michael Lutheran Church

St. Michael Lutheran Church in Unionville has a new music director, Ryan J. Peteraf. He is a native of Selinsgrove but moved here from Massachusetts, where he served as director of music and liturgy, organist and choir director at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Chatham, Mass.

His responsibilities at St. Michael will include playing the organ and directing the Adult Chancel Choir, the Matins Choir, the Jubilation Ringers, and all youth and children’s vocal and bell choirs.

"Ryan is arriving at an interesting time, when we are not yet meeting in our sanctuary for worship services," read a letter sent by the Music Director Search Committee to the church members. "We look forward to his direction in continuing the virtual music that can be incorporated into our worship services, until such time as it is safe to have choirs singing the sanctuary again." 

Ryan earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance, with a Minor in Music Education, at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and went on to earn a Master of Sacred Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Notre Dame.  

Steeplechase season approaches

Well, here is some happy news: The 28th running of the Willowdale Steeplechase is set for Saturday, May 8. However, the organizers caution that the number of spectators may need to be limited based on Pennsylvania's mandates in place at the time: "Please check back for the latest updates concerning ticketing on our website and social media," they advise.

Race director is Leslie Carpenter. Proceeds benefit the Stroud Water Research Center and New Bolton Center.

As far as the season-opening Cheshire Point-to-Point is concerned, the date is Sunday, March 28, but I haven't seen any updates about whether spectators will be permitted. Here's hoping!

 

A complaint about cattle trucks on Route 82

A man who lives along Route 82 came to the West Marlborough township meeting on Jan. 4 to let the supervisors know that noisy tractor-trailers hauling cattle to the feed lots at the former King Ranch were making his family's life miserable. 

He played a recording he made of a trucker applying his Jake brakes and said the "obnoxious" noise goes on around the clock, making it difficult to sleep or concentrate. It sounded a lot like this YouTube clip:

He said he suspects the trucks are also too heavy to be using the Rokeby bridge on Route 82.

Township supervisor Jake Chalfin said he sympathized, as loud trucks hauling road materials sometimes use Springdell Road near his house.

Township supervisor Bill Wylie said he believes the cattle at the feed lots are brought there for a period of quarantine before being shipped overseas. He suggested that the township could contact the farmer running the operation and notify him of the problem with the trucks. If that doesn't work, he said, the second step might be to contact the Pennsylvania State Police and ask them about their truck inspection protocol.

Holsteins at the feed lots, Jan. 5.

West Marlborough reorganization meeting

By state law, each township board of supervisors has to "reorganize" at the beginning of the year. West Marlborough did so on Monday, Jan. 4:

• Bill Wylie remains chairman of the board of supervisors, with Jake Chalfin as vice chair. 
• Shirley Walton remains the township's secretary/treasurer. 
• Tom Brosius remains chairman of the planning commission, with Tom Roosevelt as vice chair and Emery Jones as secretary. 
• Township meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of each month.
• Josh Taylor was reappointed to another 3-year term on the township zoning hearing board.

Two notable changes did take place. Township employees (other than the supervisors) received a 3% raise across the board. And the head of the road crew, Hugh Lofting Jr., took over his father's position as township roadmaster and emergency management coordinator. Residents won't notice any changes: "He handles most of it now," explained supervisor Hugh Lofting Sr. in nominating his son for the position.

Hugh 2 and Brother Wilson got a raise.