The "Would Have Loved To Have Owned This Piece Of Auto History" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Headed east on Route 23 toward the Shady Maple Restaurant when I saw it out of the corner of my eye.  Sitting in front of a bodyshop was this beautiful 1952 Chevrolet Coupe with chrome that caused the sunlight to reflect off the bumpers right back at me.  I assumed that it had been in the body shop for some work and the beautiful paint job reminded me of the two-tone beach white and bittersweet colors that a friend of mine used to have when we were both in college.  Just had to turn around and take a better look at it before continuing along my journey.  

Front plate told me it was a 1952 with plate that would have expired in 1953.

Sure enough, the coupe was a 1952 Chevy coupe.  In 1952 the Chevrolet coupes rested on a 115-inch wheelbase and had a length of 197.75 inches while the station wagons were slightly longer at just over 198 inches.  They used a box grinder frame with semi-elliptic rear springs and a knee-action front suspension setup with direct double-acting shock absorbers.  The car had two different straight six engines available that year.  

Beautiful colors with rear backup lights.

One was the 216.5 cubic inch with 92 horsepower and a 235.5 cubic inch with 105 horsepower.  I have no idea which engine this car might have had or even if it still had the original engine in it.  Well, I stopped in the shop and asked if I could take a few photos of the car, both inside and outside.  Fellow told me he didn't mind so I headed back out the door.  

This photo shows the extra Crome work around the rear fender and wide whitewall tires.

Years and years ago I had a 1958 Chevy Impala convertible that I had a few changes made to the engine an also had my uncle paint the car a bright white.  It was a stick-shift, but only a three-speed.  I went to the local junk yard and found a grill that had bright chrome bullets across it and inserted it in the front of the car.  Removed the stock tail-lights and made my own in the plastics shop at Millersville State Teachers College where I was a student.  

Interior shows added turn signal unit.  Great colors enhance the interior.

Car looked neat when I put the top down on it and took a ride in it.  Well...this 1952 that I was standing in front of was pretty neat also and had a perfect interior and exterior.  Nothing fancy, just a perfect stock interior with an automatic transmission.  I did notice that it had a turn-signal unit added to the steering column which made me suspect that the 1952 car may not have had turn signals when they were made.  Loved the colors of the interior and also the dice that hung from the mirror.  It came equipped with an AM radio.  The car had an antique license plate on the back with a 1952 plate on the front that would have expired March 31, 1953.  

Spotlights on either side of the car can be seen above the mirrors.

Then it struck me...the car probably wasn't in for mechanical problems, but for state inspection.  One way or another...the car was beautiful and I wish it would have been going back to my house instead of someplace else.  Oh well, maybe someday!  Jumped back in my car and headed toward Shady Maple for photos for another story I already shared with you.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "We All Have Heroes In Our Life!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just trying to answer an online question that was given to me by a site known as STORYWORTH asking me "What famous people have I met in the past and how did I meet them?"  I in turn presented the question to my wife and the two of us tried to make a list of famous people that we have known during our lifetimes.  Some of the people we met during our 55 years of marriage while a few others I had met before we were married.  And... the following people were famous in our eyes while they might be people whom you never met or heard of during your lifetime.  So, with that in mind...check out our candidates for people who were famous and unforgettable in our eyes during our lifetime.  

Frank McConnell:  Mr. Frank McConnell assumed his duties as organist and choirmaster of St. James' Episcopal Church on February 1, 1944.  He previously was the assistant at St. Thomas' Church in New York  City.  He was in effect a leader and a musician of the highest type, a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists.  He continued the annual Lenten Organ Recitals that were begun by the previous choirmaster in 1911.  While singing in the boy's choir at St. James, he made me the lead choirboy even though I didn't have the best voice in the choir.  I also was his page turner for his organ recitals and was given the job of changing the boards on the church walls that held the hymn numbers each week.  He was an unbelievable organist and when my wife and I were married he did a remarkable job, according to those who can still remember that day.  To me he will always be a hero in my eyes!

Caleb Bucher:  Mr. Bucher was the Principal of Brecht Elementary School where I was a student during my elementary years.  He lived in a house a few blocks from my childhood home and knew my parents quite well.  He never married, so my mother would ask him for supper many times during each school year as well as the summer months.  He eventually earned his Dr. degree in education and taught at Millersville State Teacher's College.  I ended up teaching many years in the same school district where he was my elementary Principal as well as my hero.

Wilt Chamberlain:  "Wilt the Stilt" was a famous professional basketball player and was one of my sports heroes.  There weren't too many players in professional basketball at the time that  were his height.  I can still remember sitting in the Hershey Park Arena when he scored 100 points in a professional basketball game.  Wilt had 41 points by halftime and 69 at the end of the third quarter.  We were all yelling "Give it to Wilt."  With one minute left he got the ball and hit 100 with his "alley-oop" shot.  Fans went nuts and Wilt stood in the center ring until the game ended.  Something I will never forget.  

Johnny Unitas:  Most remember Johnny for his football skills, but for me, I remember him as a dad.  Our youngest son played ice hockey on a traveling team when he was in high school.  One game happened go be against a team from Baltimore, MD.  Carol and I were in the stands when she grabbed my arm and pointed to the front door of the rink.  There was Johnny coming in the front door.  He went to the other side of the rink and took a seat halfway up the bleachers.  Well, I just had to go make a visit.  I walked over, climbed the bleacher seats and asked if I could sit with him.  He pounded at the bench next to him and before long we were talking about our sons who were out on the ice.  Never brought up football and to this day I still believe that its the reason he enjoyed talking with me for as long as he did that day.

Peter Frampton:  Ever hear of this guy?  Fantastic musician who came to Lancaster often to practice at Clair Bros. Audio in nearby Lititz, Pennsylvania.  At the time I was the advisor of the high school yearbook where I taught.  The book was just about complete except for the cover.  Naturally...the theme for the book that year was music.  What could be a better cover for the book than a photo of Frampton and his band.  Found out he was going to practice on the high school stage since it was larger than the stage at Clair Bros.  I called and asked Roy Clair, a friend of mine from college, to ask Peter if he would mind if we took a photo during practice.  I called our professional photographer, Ken Long, who got there instantly, and took some great photos.  We got Peter to sign a piece of paper which we superimposed over the photo on the cover of the yearbook.  I was pretty sure there were no other yearbooks in the country like the one we had that year  

Bankie Banks:  Bankie is a musician who lives on the island of Anguilla in the Caribbean.  Carol and I have heard his songs for many years while traveling throughout the Caribbean.  We made a day trip to Anguilla while on vacation in Sint Maarten and thought we would visit Bankie's outdoor nightclub while we were there.  

Bankie with Carol and me.

Lunchtime when we got there and the place was just about empty except for one person...Bankie.  We had the best time talking with him that day.  He had recently hosted Jimmy Buffett and his band and we asked him question after question about his friend Jimmy.  He held up his hand and disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a Jimmy Buffett shirt for me.  We returned a few more times since that visit years ago and he always seems to remember us when we visit.  Great guy as well as a great musician.

Paul Elliott Thuleau:  And lastly...my final hero is an extremely talented artist by the name of Paul Thuleau who has an art gallery in the St. Martin village known as Grand Case.  Paul is not only a fantastic artist, but a very handsome guy.  That alone would make him a hero to many.  

Paul holding a print we purchased from him.

Paul lists himself as a landscape painter who paints the sea, tropical light and mostly facades of creole houses.  But, he does more than just paint the appearance of creole houses.  He paints the breeze passing through the open windows and the sweetness of the air.  He also paints the bewitching breath of the waters of the Orient.  To many, including myself, he is a hero who shares his artistic talent with all those who visit with him in Grand Case.

Think back in time to all the heroes that you might have had in your lifetime.  Why were they special to you?  What did you learn from them?  Will you always remember them as special?  I've never talked with anyone who didn't have at least one hero in their life, be it a friend or a relative.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "57 Gadgets & Items Popular With Seniors" Story

 It was an ordinary day.  Checking my online mail to see how much junk I got today.  One of the emails was a "Reader's Digest Read Up" email that I get all the time.   Most times I automatically delete them, but today I decided to read the story titled "57 Gadgets & Items Popular With Seniors."  Being a 'Senior', I was interested in what I might find interesting that I haven't read about in the past.  The first item was a "PhotoStick" that could do a video scan of all my files on my computer to find all of my photographs.  Once the stick finds the photos, it places every single photo and video on the "PhotoStick."  Now...that's pretty neat!  Another item was a device that could hold my toothbrush and kill all the germs on it after I placed my toothbrush in it. The device was known as "Bril" and is a registered class III medical device with the FDA.  It has a UV light in it to kill germs on the head of my toothbrush which in turn would protect me from germs, viruses and harmful bacteria.  Another device was a program where you could type in any name, wait 2 minutes and see instant matches.  You could type in your name and Viola! any place on the Internet that carries your name would show on your screen.  Old social media accounts and blogs, speeding tickets, criminal records, assists, etc. are all located with a push of a key.  Nah...that something I don't need!  But, maybe the self-washing bed sheets that can save me time and money and provide me with a healthier sleep might be something I could use.  They are called Miracle sheets and fight bacteria, regulate temperature and prevent the growth of odor-generating bacteria.  They told me that it is the natural bacteria fighting silver that is the key to providing a cool, comfortable an healthy night of sleep.  Nah...I like the old dirty sheets with my own smell on them!  Another item is a battery-powered pump that inflates the tires on your car, bike, etc. without having a cord attached to it.  I no longer would have a need for a bicycle pump or to stop at the gas station for air.  The device adds air to my tires until it matches the correct PSI.  How it does that is not described, but it sounds pretty neat.  I may have to look into one of these items.  Then there is an Australian-made device that gives your lungs an increase in lung capacity.  Says it is great for asthma & viruses.  Called AirPhysio and is a certified FDA item that can loosen the phlegm in my chest.  But, what else does it loosen?  Nah, I passed on this one.  Then there is this device that you wrap around your neck and in minutes, any pain you have from texting with the wrong posture or watching TV in the wrong position will automatically be gone.  Looks pretty neat and I may have to do some more reading about this one.  How about this one...do you have trouble with getting to sleep at night?  This device will put you to sleep in less than 8 minutes.  Now...I can fall asleep in less than five minutes, so I bypassed reading about this one.  Then there was a device you could use on your toilet that will clean you better than toilet paper and can save you money.  They first asked me if I clean my dirty dishes with just a dry towel and smear the dirty food around?  Same when you wipe yourself with toilet paper!  Why not wash the waste away first?  Wow...I can just see the floor of my bathroom with this device after I'm done using it.  Then there is something called a "donut" that is a universal device stand to hold just about any device ever built.  Now...that one does look neat and I think I could use one of these.  Then there is the "Kailo" which is a reusable pain patch that can provide natural relief without any effects.  Their study said that pain can be reduced by 71% with the use of this patch.  The patch uses nanotechnology to communicate with your pain receptors.  Makes sense, but why did it take so long for someone to develop it?  Makes me wonder.  Then there was this device that can digitize all my old photo and videos and protect them forever.  I must send my photos, albums, etc to the folks at iMemories who will turn them into digital files and return then to me.  Yeah...and what if they mix them up with someone else?  How about something that I can use to fix just about everything and don't have to get out my super glue.  It's a "plastic welding" tool that can repair anything.  Looks neat if it really does work.  Well, the list of items goes on and on and many look as if they would work...but why haven't I seen them before now?  Hey...if you're interested...pick up a Reader's Digest and read it yourself.  Or...you could check out a Reader's Digest at your local store and check out the article before you buy it.  If you see something that might work for you...than you can buy the magazine.  Good luck with whatever you may try.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "I Learned There Was More Than One Reason To Learn How To Type" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in the "Baltimore Sun" newspaper dated December 27, 1992 that told of collectible typewriter-ribbon tins that held ribbons used in manual typewriters.  These tins.....be they square, round, oblong, rectangular or triangular-shaped were once mass produced.  These tins were once made from the late 1800s through the 1960s and were later replaced with the more blah-looking cardboard and plastic packs we know today.  The earliest typewriter tins were flat rather than three-dimensional since typewriters didn't use spools but flat ribbons.  

At first the tins were made to hold ribbons that measured about 1 1/2 inches wide.  These early tins had a high collectors' value from $15 to $30.  The value of the tins is usually based on how interesting and attractive the tin might be.  The very attractive "Panama" series of tins, showing airplanes and maps of Panama, are often over-priced since they are the most common tins to be found.  There is actually an Early Typewriter Collectors Association located in Los Angles, California where you can write to find out about your metal typewriter ribbon tins.  

I came upon a few beautiful ribbon tins and though I may be interested in collecting some of them.  But then I thought...I'm getting ready to move to a retirement community and need to discard as much as I can....so I decided against collecting them.  I can still remember back when I was in 9th grade and taking a typing class.  Had no idea why my parents thought I needed typing as a 15 year-old when most in the class were girls.  

This looked similar to what I learned on in 9th grade.

But, it was they who knew what they were doing since I not only learned how to type about 80WPM (words per minute) which has been a godsend while typing this blog for years and years, and because I got to know all the girls whom I had not known in the past due to being so shy.  At the time we used manual typewriters that required a ribbon and I got pretty good at replacing ribbons on my...as well as quite a few of the girls in my class...typewriter.  I could type about 70wpm (words per minute) which qualified me for a "C" in my class.  And, my teacher requested...through my high school principal, that I no longer should be in the typing class the following year.  And, the two main reasons that bothered me was the fact that there were mostly girls in the class and the school was getting electric typewriters the following year.  I still do remember, from that one year in typing class, the containers that the ribbons came in.  

All of them were heavy cardboard and made a mess when you had to replace the ribbons.  And...what good re-blooded guy wouldn't help their female classmates put a new ribbon on their typewriter if it ran out of ink?  I'm almost positive that they don't make typewriters with ribbons on them anymore.  And...do they really make typewriters anymore?  Well, when I saw typewriter ribbon tins at a antique shop abut a year ago, I was hooked on the neat tins that hold the ribbons.  I often thought it would make something neat to collect, but I'm too old to collect anything anymore other than Tylenol, aspirin, etc. bottles.  If you are in need of collecting something to help pass the time, typewriter ribbon tins are an inexpensive item you could collect.  And, it seems that they are easy to find if you do a  bit of searching.  Well, how did I do with my typing?  Did you find any mistakes in my typing today?  Did I misspell anything?  It was only a few year ago that I realized that my computer corrected just about everything that I type, spelling wise.  It usually doesn't correct my punctuation and my sentence composition and when and where I should be using a capital letter.  If I only had had this stuff when I was in 9th grade, I may have had an "A" in the class.  But then again...the girls in my class wouldn't have had a reason to ask me to help them.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Enjoying One Of My All-Time Favorite Magazines" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just got my latest copy of "The Saturday Evening Post."  I have enjoyed 'The Post' for many years, but the older I get, the more I seem to enjoy their content more than what is written in other magazines I buy from time to time.  The latest issue had stories about (A) "It's High Time To Fix Our Hospitals" which tells of an unregulated market in the treatment of our bodies generating profitable sickness rather than human thriving, (B) "The Quietest Place In America" which tells of Green Bank, West Virginia where there are no cellphones, no routers and no Wi-Fi, since the place listens for signals from deep space, (C) "Way Before Uber" which tells of the earliest car owners who discovered they could make money helping strangers get to their destinations, (D) "Who Put The Bomb" In the Bomb-Bah-Bomp-Bah-Bomp? which tells of 70+ years of Rock 'N' Roll, (E) The Postage Stamps That Gave Amelia Earhart Wings, (F) and a section called "The Vault" that are gems from the Saturday Evening Post Archives.  The last one is always one of my favorite sections of the magazine.  To give you an idea of what they include each time they feature "The Vault", I have posted one of the many stories they included this edition.  See if you too don't enjoy the short story titled "Dating Tips Circa 1881."

Any bachelor wishing to keep "steady company" with a lady must direct his attention to the parents.  He should begin by deferentially asking "pa" his opinions on business and politics.  If properly respectful, he would be invited into the house to meet "ma."  Then he should remark to ma that he knew her by her likeness to her sister, Miss Susan Jane (the would-be girlfriend); and when ma explained that she was not Susan Jane's sister but her maternal parent, he should refuse to believe it until the family had all protested that it was so.  Then would he have been asked to "stay to tea," and his proper way would have been to take very little notice of Sarah Jane and converse continually with ma.  Repeating this course of conduct during several calls, each made with some such motive to bring ma one flower seed or tickets to the agricultural fair, our young man would soon find that the "old folks" were regarding him with favor, and some Sunday afternoon pa would be mysteriously absent, and ma obliged to call on a sick friend, and Susan Jane and he would have the front parlor to themselves, and matters afterward would go on swimmingly. 

Sound like something you might have enjoyed reading at one time?  Wish I had read it years ago, right before I had met the girl of my dreams...my wife Carol.  May have made it a bit easier to visit her more often.  So, you now see one of the half-dozen stories that were featured in "The Vault" section of the magazine in this issue.  Pick up a copy sometime and see what else you may be missing in "The Saturday Evening Post."  Great reading for an evening when all that is on TV is re-runs or shows that feature a few people roaming through the jungle naked, trying to make believe they are all by themselves.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "It Helps To Know The Photographer" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at the Lancaster, Pennsylvania "Local" section of the SUNDAY LNP (Lancaster News Paper).  Every Sunday morning there is always a photograph that is featured that has been taken by one of the newspaper's top-notch photographers.  Always is on page B2 and carries the title of "THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER."  It is one of my favorite columns of the Sunday newspaper, since I have had many of the newspaper's photographers as a guest speaker in my 12th grade photograph class.  I taught photography for close to 25 years of my teaching career.  And, since I usually had 4 or 5 different photography classes every year, it helped to know most of the photographers at the newspaper so I wouldn't have to invite any one photographer more than once a year.  They usually talked about how they got involved in photography and what type of asignments are their favorite.  Over the years my oldest son had his photo taken in the spring while smelling the fresh spring flowers.  He was probably 4 or 5 years old at the time.   My middle child had her photo taken when she turned 4 years old on the 4th of July.  My youngest son had his photo taken when he was a senior in high school while seated in my Graphic Arts classroom at Manheim Township after having the largest amount of photographs accepted for the annual Scholastic Art & Photography contest.  My youngest eventually went to school at Antonelli's School of Photography near Philadelphia and worked for a professional photographer, a former student of mine, before changing careers and running an offset press for Intelligencer Printing Co. who now prints my newspaper.  Most of the newspaper photographers that I invited over the years always spoke about their profession as both a photographer as well as an advocate for the newspaper.  Over my teaching career I had invited about two dozen different newspaper photographers, both male and female, who spoke to my classes.  The first one was Richard Hertzler, Jr. who was a real professional and well respected by just about everyone who heard him speak.  The newspaper had several female photographers whom I tried to schedule for classes that had mostly girls in them.  I ended up developing a few good friendships with a couple of the photographers with Suzette Wenger, Barry Zercher and Dan Marscha becoming friends.  You may remember a photo Dan took of me about two years ago for a story for my blog when I had a few hundred Russian visitors to my blog every day for a few months.  The photographer whose photo was featured in today's "THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER" was Blaine T. Shahan who told how he was able to take a photo of a snowy owl while in flight.  

He happened to arrive at just the right time to get his photograph he had been trying to get for some time.  Each week features a different photographer until they have worked their way through all their professional photographers, at which time they begin all over again.  Most people don't realize how hard it is to be a professional newspaper photographer.  Only when you give it a try or listen to many of their stories, do you realize how tough a job it can be.  But, without a photograph to help tell a story, it could be just a boring story.  If you ever find a photograph that you find amazing, call the newspaper and tell them.  They will pass it on to the photographer who in turn will appreciate your phone call.  Always makes you work a bit harder!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "A Talent Hard To Find" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Standing inside the front door of Shady Maple Smorgasbord admiring the 3D paintings that cover the walls throughout the walkway that goes around the outer edge of the huge restaurant.  The 3D hand-carved and painted wall hangings are the work of twin brothers Abner and Aaron Zook.   The pieces of art present a three-dimensional perspective of Amish life to the tens of thousands of tourists who visit the restaurant for a traditional Amish meal.  The art is carved out of wood and then painted to bring the artwork to life.  I made my trip today to view the artwork since it will soon be sold at auction sometime during the next month.  The work of brothers Abner and Aaron is now 100 years old with one painting recently selling for $30,000 while another sold for $40,000.  The brothers were born Amish in 1921 and eventually left the Old Order church over tensions created by their own artistic endeavors as well as engagement with the outside world.  But, it was their recollections of growing up Amish that formed the basis of art that combined wood carving and painting skills honed since their childhood.  Abner's agricultural scenes brought back memories from his childhood and the two boys that are depicted in most of the paintings are of him and his brother Aaron.  The boys were born in Leacock Township, Lancaster County, and never had any formal art training.  It was their parents who urged them on and who would sell the postcards they painted at the old Brunswick Hotel in downtown Lancaster.  The twins also carved miniature farm animals from wood, inspired in part by their parents saying that similar site-bought toys were too expensive.  As young adults they both became farmers, but never gave up their hobby of carving and painting.  When Abner, at the age of 24, bought a tractor for his farm near Gap, the Amish Church rebuked him from the church.  He eventually sold the tractor and was accepted back into the church once again.  But, it wasn't long before he left the church once more because of what he later described as "a difference of opinion about the need for mission work."  Aaron in the meantime was thrown out of the Amish church for making "graven images." He eventually joined the Amish Mennonite church, but was excommunicated from there after a 1955 visit to New York City to see a rehersal for "Plain & Fancy."  Abner later worked as a carpenter and boat builder while Aaron worked for a time as a pattern maker and custom furniture maker.  But, by 1970, the brothers were full-time artists, maintaining separate studios and working independently.  Abner's grandson cataloged more than 200 of his grandfather's artwork, but by the time he had died in 2010 he had produced more than 800 pieces.  Aaron's grandson, Sam Zook, said that his grandfather more than likely produced at least five pictures for every one his brother Abner made, noting that later in life he would mass produce pictures using molds.  Zook family members now have many of the twins' paintings in private collections.  Mr. Jim Binsberger, a retired finance executive in Berks County, PA owns about 80 of the Zook's pieces.  He said that the artwork is so unique, and it's a niche type of artwork you don't see anywhere.  Mr. Binsberger plans to be on hand when the remainder of the art is sold at auction in the near future.  As I walked around the outer hallway of the restaurant today I had the chance to see the 13 Abner pictures and the 11 Aaron pictures that grace the lobby, hallways and dining room of the restaurant.  I only wish that those reading this story could have been with me to see the artwork.  Many of the pieces that will be auctioned soon could bring $10,000 or more each.  As I walked around the entire place I managed to take photos of just about every piece in the restaurant.  They were all amazing pieces of artwork.  And, to really appreciate them you must see them in person, since the 3D effect is hard to capture on film, but it is that 3D effect that makes the artwork remarkable.  I have tried to take a few photos of the artwork from different angles, but until you see them with your own eyes, it's impossible to appreciate them.  I can see why they will bring amazing prices.  I suspect a few of them could gather at least $25,000.  Since I taught Graphic Arts and photography in high school, and had teachers on either side of me who were fantastic art teachers, I appreciated those who were talented artists.  The art I saw today was also remarkable, but in a different way.  You just had to see it to believe it.  As I stood with my camera, composing a photograph of one of the pieces of art, another photographer stopped and asked how I was able to capture the 3D effect.  I had no answer for him, since I wasn't able to do so.  And...that's what makes them so special.  The artwork, carved in wood and then painted is in some places 4" to 5" deep.  You can't believe it until you see it in person.  Something I will never forget.  PS - I tried to take the best photographs of each piece, but the lighting in the semi-dark restaurant hallways as well as not being able to light the photographs since they were 3D, made for at times photos that were out of focus and other times poorly lit.  You just had to be there to see them!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - click on photos to enlarge them.

#1 - A schoolhouse painting with a closeup below.  Notice the depth.

#2 - House and barn.  Notice the depth in photo below showing  animals

#3 - The full frame photograph with just a section below where you can see depth.

A few more of the 3-D hand-carved art pieces from the Zook brothers.

Final comment....I am posting this story on Friday, March 25.  The morning LNP newspaper just released the information that the sale of the Zook pictures will begin at 7:00 PM, Saturday, March 26 at the PA Auction Center, 1141 Wea Wit Street, East Earl, Pennsylvania, behind the Town Hall Restaurant.  Check your computer or other device for directions if you are interested in purchasing one of these beautiful pieces of artwork.

The "When East Petersburg Was Known as Petersburg" Story

It was an ordinary day.  On my way home from Root's Sale which is a farmer's market in Lancaster County that sits about a quarter-mile off of Rt. 72.  To the South sits the large city known as Lancaster, Pennsylvania and to the north sits the small town known as Manheim.   For many years after the Revolutionary War, the area I am writing about today was mostly farmland dotted along the way with an occasional grist mill or lime kiln.  In the late 1700s a fellow named Peter Gotshall gained possession of 50 acres which he had inherited from his father.  Mr. Gotshall divided the 50 acres into five pieces and about two years later had sold all of his inheritance.  One buyer was a fellow known as John Wolfe who sold the acres he had bought to his brother, Daniel Wolfe.  During the next six years Daniel acquired more land and finally had accumulated 30 acres.  

Then in 1810 he built what is said to be the oldest brick building in the nearby town known as East Petersburg which sits along Rt. 72 at the corner of State and Lemon Streets.  At one time the building was a dry goods store, tavern, school, hotel, post office, butcher shop, residence and most recently the home of the East Petersburg Historical Society.  Then in 1812 Mr. Wolfe divided 14 acres of his remaining land into 79 building lots.  These lots were positioned in a grid-like pattern with four streets that met in the center of the grid.  It was the start of a new town.  On December 12, 1812 Mr. Wolfe sold all the lots for $150 each.  Even though the War of 1812 was taking place, the building lots sold quickly.

Daniel Wolf House

Mr. Wolfe decided to name this town "Petersburg" in honor of the property owner who sold the land to him.  Before that time the land had been known as "Heckel Stettle" which were German words for hemp and settlement.  

What the house looks like today.

Two years later Mr. Wolfe moved to Ohio!  Then the postal service decided to become more efficient and found that there were two towns known as Petersburg so they called the Petersburg located in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania Petersburg and the town in Lancaster County East Petersburg since it was east of the other Petersburg.  So, that's how East Petersburg got it's name and why "Heckel Stettle" was not a town, but an area.  Still a thriving town with beautiful architecture.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

East Petersburg a few years ago.

   

The "Stay Out Of My Parking Space" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just looked out my window that is next to my chair in our family/TV room.  Someone had knocked part of my mailbox onto the street.  This is the second time this has happened.  First time it was a huge wooden mailbox that was about three feet wide and two feet deep and stood about five feet tall.  It was part of the property when we bought the house.  It got knocked over by a friend a week or so after we moved into the house, but we were able to fix it without too much trouble.  The second time it was struck it knocked the entire thing into the street and broke most of the boards in the mailbox.  The third time someone struck my plastic mailbox that was the replacement for my wooden mailbox.  I had dug a deep hole and placed a 4"X4"X5 feet deep wooden pole in the ground and attached the new mailbox to the pole.  How anyone can dive past my house and not see the mailbox is  hard to believe.  But, people seem to have more on their mind when driving besides DRIVING!  Well, I managed to fix it without too much damage showing.  This is the second house that Carol and I have owned during our 50 plus years of marriage.  Our first house had a garage at the rear of the house with access to the garage via an alleyway.  But, that still didn't save our parking problems.  Seems someone always found a way to park directly in front of our house and take up the space we needed for our second car which didn't fit in the one-car garage at the rear of the house.  It was a busy neighborhood and we all tried to park in the space directly in front of our house, allowing neighbors to park directly in front of their homes.  But, if you had a second car you would have to park it in your garage or close to the end of the block where there was always plenty of space.  Now...I give you all this information since I just read a story about people who either park taking up two parking spaces or in front of a home other than their own home.  You know anyone like this?  Well. I no longer have to worry since I have a 2 car garage with a driveway that can hold another 2 or 3 cars.  I no longer need to write a catchy note and put it on a car that is taking more parking space than needed in front of my house.  So, wouldn't you know it...I found an online site that had a few dozen signs that others had written to place on cars that were parked in front of their house, taking up a few spaces instead just one space and allowing space for the homeowner.  Check out the following and maybe you can find one you like that you could use if someone takes up all the parking spaces in front of your home.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

 

The "All Work And No Play Make....." Story

It was an ordinary day.  Doing some more cleaning around the house, trying to find items that we no longer need or use that we can sell or give away so when we make a move into a retirement community we have less to take with us.  In our third bedroom we have both a rather large closet filled with old toys as well as a few chests also filled with toys from the past.  The other day I had the best time looking at all the building blocks that our family had accumulated since my childhood.  Boxes of Lincoln Logs, Tinkertoys and small American red plastic bricks that were the predecessor of today' Lego sets.  My parents bought me a large set of Lincoln Logs when I was a young child.

They consisted of square-notched miniature wooden logs that I used to build small forts and buildings.  They were invented in 1916 by John Lloyd Wright who was the second son of the well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright.  The corners interlocked and when used provided a rather sturdy platform for building.  They were named for the eponymous sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln who happened to live at one time in a log cabin.  They were made with real wood and each set had over 150 pieces to it which included maple-stained round logs that you could interlock in the corners as well as green wooden slats that were used for roofing material.  Lincoln Logs were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999.  My Tinkertoy set was designed in 1914 by Charles H. Pajeau, who formed the Tinker Toy Company in Evanston, Illinois.  Mr. Pajeau was a stonemason who designed the toy sets after seeing children play with sticks and empty spools of thread.

The set was meant to inspire children to use their imagination while building.  Over a million sets were initially sold.  Then in the 1950s I began playing with American Plastic Bricks which were naturally red in color.  

They were made of plastic and were interlocking.  I can remember having more than one set since they did break from time to time and you couldn't build entire village of houses with just one set.  I do remember building small houses to display on my Lionel Train layout my dad set up for me in the basement at 929 North Queen Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I no longer have any of the plastic bricks that I remember from the past, but still have a few Lincoln Logs as well as Tinkertoys.  Then along came a Danish genius named Ole Kirk Christiansen who invented the interlocking plastic pieces that we know today as LEGO bricks.  

The early LEGO blocks

He was a master joiner and carpenter who opened a small woodworking shop with is son Godtfred who was just 12 years old at the time.  They manufactured stepladders, ironing boards and eventually wooden toys.  In 1934 they dubbed their business LEGO, a contraction of the Danish "leg got" ("play well").  The company expanded from 6 employees in 1934 to 40 in 1942.  The company was the first Danish company to own a plastic injection-molding machine.  They saw a British toy that was based on plastic blocks in 1947 and with a few changes came up with a toy two years later that were blocks with pegs on top and hollow bottoms which allowed children to lock the bricks together and create elaborate structures.  They called their blocks "Automatic Binding Bricks" that were the forerunner of today's LEGO bricks.  The one thing they didn't have was the small tubes that are found in today's LEGO blocks.  In 1958 the LEGO brick finally came into its own.  It was Godtfred Christiansen who pioneered and patented the now-standard LEGO stud-and-tube configuration, and introduced roof bricks to the "LEGO System of Play."  LEGO hasn't changed their design since when they began making them in 1958.  Then in 1961 the LEGO wheel was invented and today makes about 300 million wheels per year.  They now package about 37,000 LEGO sets per hour.   Their standards are so precise that they only find about 18 defective bricks out of every million bricks they make every day.  In 2009 a British TV presenter by the name of James May built a life size house out of LEGO.  

James May's house made of LEGO.

He used 3.3 million bricks and it included a working toilet, shower and a bed which is said to be very comfortable.  And if you're wondering...the plural of LEGO is LEGO.  The building blocks of today are so much different than they were when I was a child playing with my Lincoln Logs.  But isn't everything today so much different than they were 70 plus years ago?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy,

The "Vacation Musings: St Martin!" Story

PS - I wrote this story almost four years ago, but due to COVID19, and not being able to safely travel, never posted it.  My wife and I still have no plans for travel, but I thought you might enjoy reading about something pleasant with a bit of a twist to it.  Orient beach on the island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten is one of my and my wife's favorite beaches in the Caribbean, if not the world.  We discovered the beach over 10 years ago and made it our go-to beach every time we travel to the island.  The South end of the beach has the most gorgeous fine, pure white sand and wave-free water that is so clear that you can see your feet while standing in neck-deep water.  The only thing that is different about the south end of the beach is that it is clothing-optional and for many, that makes it off limits.  You must approach the beach with a different attitude or you might miss the chance of not visiting one of the most gorgeous beaches in the world.  We are still waiting for a chance to visit the island once again so we can visit Orient beach, but just aren't ready quite yet.  Hopefully by the end of the summer we might be ready for another trip.  So, with this information in mind.....read on... 

It was an ordinary day.  Visiting world-famous Orient Beach on the island of St. Martin in the French West Indies.  The beach is perhaps one of the most beautiful beaches in the world on an island that sports a total of 37 beautiful beaches.  The south end of Orient Beach happens to be a clothing optional beach...which to those that may not know what that means...it means you don't have to wear a bathing suit if you don't want to. You see...the bathing suit..it's optional!

Sign telling visitors to this end of the beach that it is an
Au Natural or Nude beach.  Also says no photographs!  The
buildings behind the sign are shells of homes that at one time
was known as Club Orient.  So sad to see that it has taken so
long to restore the place to it's grandeur that it once held before
Hurricane Irma made a visit in 2017.

 The water at the south end of Orient Beach is calm with several shades of gor- geous blues and aquas that allow you to view your feet even thought the water might be chest deep.  My wife and I have met some of the most interesting people from all over the world as we lounge on our noodles in the pristine water on the south end of Orient Beach.  And, we have found that most visitors tend to be...well, let's call them "old-timers" or those who have gained more wisdom than those who haven't lived as long as we have.  Anyway, the young'ins have to have the latest in swimsuit fashion and most don't like to sit on the south end of the beach because they can't show off their skimpy bathing suits without feeling overdressed.  We have met people from all over the world whose tastes on vacations fit in the same category as ours.  Today we met Beth and Ed who happened to call home...Tallahassee, Florida.  Seems they had to take a flight from Tallahassee to Charlotte, North Carolina so they could hop on a connecting flight to St. Martin which is in the Caribbean Sea or way south of Florida.  

Made no sense to them either.  Well, we spent about an hour talking about life and reminiscing about what the south end of Orient Beach looked like before Hurricane Irma totally wiped out all the homes a few years ago.  As we stood in chest-deep water looking back at land, we all found it incredible that a place that was destroyed a few years ago has not made an effort to re-establish itself.  But, there is more to that story than meets the eye...and we don't have the time to discuss it, for our bodies have started to shrivel up from being in the water too long and that's not the best look for all of us without bathing suits on Orient Beach!  Our next visit into the beautiful waters in front of us, in another hour or so, will give us a chance to meet yet another couple and talk about life's problems once again.  Vacations are so much fun and being able to spend them in paradise is unbelievable.  We have missed it for too many years now and that's going to have to change soon, if at all possible.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.