Broken limbs

The East Marlborough Township road crew is offering to pick up branches downed by the recent ice/wind/snow for township residents. According to the township website: "The road crew will be chipping branches that were damaged by this winter's ice storms. They can handle branches with a 10-inch diameter or less. They request that you bring the branches to the edge of the road with the "butt" end out and spread - not in a pile - for easier handling. Call the Garage to request pickup at 610-444-1375. Do leave a message if the phone is not answered."

Newlin officials

In Newlin Township for 2011, Janie Baird will remain chair of the Board of Supervisors, Bob Pearson vice-chair and Gail Abel secretary/treasurer. The third supervisor is William Kelsall. "Bob Pearson was reappointed as Road Master and he requested that he not be paid for the service," noted the "Newlin News." The township Planning Commission for 2011 comprises Jack Bailey, Bob Shippee, Lee Trainer, Barbara Forney, Bill Steuteville (replacing Gerry McCormick) and Gail Abel.

Thaw

The warm weather last week was just delightful, even if the melting snow did turn the yard into a soggy rice paddy. It was just so nice to open the windows for fresh air and to go outside without putting on a jacket and hat. Best of all, on my way to refill the suet feeder on Feb. 18, I spotted these hardy snowdrops in bloom in the back yard!

In the navel

When it comes to stink bugs, I thought I had heard it all.
I was wrong.
This afternoon a friend who lives in Newlin Township told me she had found one of the foul creatures nestled IN HER BELLY BUTTON.
She deserves the Stink Bug Queen crown: that totally trumps having a stink bug perched on my toothbrush the other day.
Actually, my Zip-Loc bag method is working extremely well. I keep a bag in each room and trap the bugs. They can't escape, and the bag controls the smell. When the bag's full, I just open it up and dump them down the toilet. And as long as they are contained, it's fascinating to study their anatomy and watch them crawling around.

Grave issues

Owners of plots at the Unionville Cemetery are meeting at the Po-Mar-Lin fire hall in Unionville (right across from the cemetery) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26. The future of the cemetery will be discussed; some gravesite owners are unhappy over rumors that the cemetery board plans to turn it over to the care of Union Hill Cemetery north of Kennett.

Giving back

Hillendale Elementary School principal Steve Dissinger reported that he received a $1,000 check from the Kennett Square Wal-Mart on Feb. 8. "Lois Rockey, Assistant Manager, said that an informal poll of store
associates and customers determined Hillendale to be a recipient of this year's grant," he wrote in an e-mail to parents.
Thanks to the Wal-Mart staff for being so community-minded!

Welcome home

A friend of mine spent the weekend in Chester County Hospital getting intravenous antibiotics for a nasty infection. She returned home on Valentine's Day -- only to be chided by her Wii Fit.
"It told me it had been 4 days since I had last been there and I should try and do a body test everyday," she reports. "I told the Balance Board that if he was so fired up to see me he could have dragged his scrawny little white butt down to the hospital himself and visited!"