The "Will You Be The Solution Or The Problem?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in the waiting room at Dermatology Associates anticipating what Dr. Lucking may find during my six month visit.  I was one of only four patients waiting in the multi-doctor practice and had no idea how long it would take before I would be summoned to disrobe for my examination.  So...I grabbed the nearest magazine and began to leaf through it.  The August 5, 2019 edition of Time Magazine had a multitude of fairly short stories about just about anything and everything, but the one that caught my eye was a story titled "Is this summer's intense head caused by climate change?"  Now, if you have been following the national news you probably know that according to the President of the United States, global warning is just a hoax and has no scientific facts to back it up.  I'm sure that many feel the same way, but for me.....well, there just has to be some reason why climatologists describe what they call new norms in global temperatures.  When thinking about climate change you must broaden your thinking and don't think just about your local community or even state.  You have to see what is happening all over the globe.  As I looked at the story I read that one climatologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that "We now have a new normal, we are in a new warmer climate.  Just in the 21st century, we've set a new global world temperature record five times."  Pretty shocking to me!  We are only 1/5 of the way through the century and a new record for warmth has been broken five times.  

Can your children, grand-children and great grand-
children continue to survive in a world like this?

My grandkids may have to live in an environ- ment where most summer days may reach 100 degrees or even worse, more of the polar ice cap may melt which in turn will not be able to reflect the sun off the earth's surfaces and thus make our world's oceans warmer which will in turn kill more marine life and....well the chain goes on and on and on.  But yet, some people think this is all a hoax!  It is a fact that in Antarctica, sea-ice coverage in June of this year was 8.5% below the 1981-2010 average, and in the Artic it was 10.5% below.  Why would anyone make up this stuff?  But, our President keeps telling us all these studies and reports are fake.  A report in the Environmental Research Communications predicts that states along the Gulf Coast will see more than 120 days a year that feel like 100 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of this century.  That's almost a third of the year!  Can you imagine how many more dermatologists will be needed to handle all the cases of skin cancer caused by weather like this.  And, 2019's above average rainfall in parts of the United States has been attributed to human emissions of greenhouse gases and that will continue until we humans get our heads out of our butts and find a way to change our behavior and stop modifying the atmosphere.  

The ice caps are melting!!

You do realize we can do that, but only if our government takes the initiative and sets standards that can stop modifying the atmosphere.  The rest of the world is working on it, but not with enough urgency.  Right now there are more than 180 countries that have ratified the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.  The USA isn't one of those at present.  The USA is the second biggest emitter of greenhouse-gas - after China!  We were part of the agreement until 2017 when our President withdrew the USA from the agreement.  Many foreign scientists believe the world can meet the challenge, but our country must be part of the solution instead of the problem as we now are.  Ask yourself how you can be part of a solution to make the world a safer place for your future generations instead of a problem.  I know what I plan to do!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Unprecedented Category 5 Hurricane Set To Strike" Story

TV shot of hurricane Luis from 1995.

It was an ordinary day.  Staring at the TV screen in awe of the power of the tropical storm named Irma.  Weather Channel says: POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE IRMA HEADING TOWARD THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE NEARING COMPLETION IN THE EASTERNMOST LEEWARD ISLANDS.  Scary stuff!  Back on September 7, 2015 I wrote a story about Hurricane Luis that struck the island of Sint Maarten/St. Martin in early September of 1995 as well as the islands of  Antigua, Barbuda, St. Barts and Anguilla.  The 1995 Atlantic hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, classified as a category 4 storm, accounted for 19 deaths, left nearly 70,000 homeless and wrought roughly $3 billion in damages across the affected islands.  Hurricane Luis was the most devastating hurricane to strike the northern Leeward Islands in the 20th century.  When Carol and I began traveling to the Leeward islands in early 2000, we heard many stories about Luis and the havoc it caused.  Well, we may be in the 21st Century now, but having another KILLER storm arrive so soon after Luis is scary; REALLY SCARY.  Across the bottom of the TV screen a trailer tells the story ... LARGEST HURRICANE EVER RECORDED IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN ... UNPRECEDENTED CAT 5 HURRICANE.  

The storm Irma is immense when comparing it to the
size of the little dots on the left which are islands.

I checked my emails and just found one that read: As of now, it appears that we are in the direct path of Hurricane Irma, and our staff is busily battening down the hatches and preparing the resort to weather the storm. Due to its size, intensity and current trajectory, we expect to experience some level of impact, including potentially the loss of utilities, phones and Internet for anywhere between a few days to a few weeks. For that reason, we have set up a special U.S.-based email address, in case regular communications are temporarily interrupted.  We will keep you updated the best we can over the next several days, and greatly appreciate all your thoughts and prayers!  During the past fifteen years we have made friends on many of the islands in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.  On the island of Sint Maarten, Barbara and Deidrick Cannegieter have become good friends that we communicate with on an ongoing basis and visit every year when we head to Sint Maarten.  We hope that they will make it through this historic storm safely.  Irma's sustained winds have intensified over the last few hours to 185 mph.  Hopefully all island residents have had the chance to prepare for this storm.   As of Tuesday afternoon the Princess Juliana International Airport on Sint Maarten has closed until the storm passes.  So where will the storm head?  Too many different scenarios on different TV stations to predict.  Carol and I are scheduled to head to our local travel agency on Friday to pick up our information and paperwork for an upcoming trip to Nassau in the Bahamas.  I guess the best thing I can report about that trip is that we purchased travel insurance when we originally scheduled the trip a few months ago.  Possible that an airplane could get us to the island by October, but will the resort where we are scheduled to visit still be able to accommodate us.  Another UPDATE has flashed across the bottom of the TV screen.  STORM SURGE: The combination of a life-threatening storm surge and large breaking waves will raise water levels by as much as 7 to 11 feet above normal tide levels along the coasts of the extreme northern Leeward Islands within the hurricane warning area near and to the north of the center of Irma.  I'm sure I will be glued to the TV screen for the next day or two, checking on my friends on Facebook and praying for the best outcome for all concerned.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary day.

PS - As I finished this story I had a few posts added to my Facebook page from friends in Sint Maarten/St. Martin.  All were magically eerie!!  Purely, the calm before the storm.  

From Barbara

Taken from a camera in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

Another from Barbara and Dee's back yard.

Beach time before the storm.

The "Mother Nature In All Her Glory!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at a few breathtaking photographs that were forwarded to me by an old-time friend who lives on the other side of the U.S.  Bill and I grew up together until his mother moved his family to another town and I didn't get to see much of him until fate got us together as cashiers at a local grocery store when we were seniors in high school.  We stay in touch and he still makes visits to Lancaster, PA to see friends and always stops to see my wife and me during those visits.  He sends me emails quite frequently, but being he is a staunch Republican and I am not, very seldom do I look at them for any length of time.  Today was different. His email was titled "Stunning Storm Pictures - The Majesty of Mother Earth."  Wow, what photographs.  Wish I had taken them myself.  Very seldom to I just cut and paste anything in my posts, but I enjoyed these photos so much, I knew you would also.  So, here is Mother Nature in all her glory!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - remember to click on the photos to enlarge them.

The "You Gotta' Be Kiddin' Me!" Story

An annoyed member of the family checks
the March snowfall from yesterday.

It was an ordinary day. Then the snow began to drop from the sky.  It's March 14 for goodness sakes; it's not supposed to snow!  Baseball season is around the corner and my son and grandson are busy practicing for the start of their little league season which begins shortly.  Did I say it was snowing?  And, not just a little snow ... we have more than a foot of snow on the back deck.  The cat is rather annoyed also, not being able to check out the perimeter of the property for vagrant wanderers.  Enough of snow to shut down the U.S. Post Office and postal deliveries, all schools, most churches and just about every senior center in the county.  The local newspaper sent me an email telling me to click on their link to get the online edition since many drivers wouldn't be able to make their deliveries this morning.  Well, I clicked on the link and found a story telling about the five biggest, "humdinger" snowfalls in the month of March since 1926.  Biggest one was on March 13, 1993 when we had 18 inches and was described as one of the worst blizzards of the century with wind gusts up to 72 miles per hour and drifts up to fifteen feet high.  March 16, 1956 brought 14.5 inches, March 4, 1941 gave us 14 inches, March 3, 1960 yielded 12 inches, March 19, 1958 sent 13 inches and March 3, 1960 left 12 inches on the ground.  

Back deck of our "Beach House" shows the latest snow.

But this snow is different, since I can't help my dear wife clear the walks and driveway due to my recent prostate cancer surgery.  Put a call in to my next door neighbors, Keith and Patti, who were both students in my Graphic Arts class; actually met for the first time in my class and evidently enjoyed it when I paired them to print one of the school's publications.  Patti sent her daughters and the boyfriend of one of the daughters over to clear the walks as a favor which was greatly appreciated.  Another former student of mine, Rick, who does my lawn treatments, showed up late afternoon and plowed the driveway and we are finally able to function once again.  Haven't heard yet whether the snowfall will be in the top 5, but I'm glad its over.  Feel so helpless when events such as that happen and I'm physically unable to pull my share of the responsibilities in the family.  So glad to have others that don't mind chipping in to give me a hand.  It was much appreciated, to be sure!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Waiting for his feed.

The "Rooftop Forecasters" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Lancaster County is alive in history, both urban as well as suburban.  Today my story will deal with both varieties and the rooftop predicators of changing skies and wind currents.  

A Lancaster County weathervane.

When ever I travel along Lancaster County roadways, I always seem to see the traditional weathervane atop a barn roof or manor house.  The earliest weathervane known honored the Greek god Triton and was located atop the Tower of the Winds in Athens and was built in 48 B.C.  The figurine on the top had the head and torso of a man and the tail of a hush holding a wand which was to be used to command the winds to arise and abate.  The weathervanes that I have noticed in and around Lancaster County probably aren't as ornamented as the one in Athens.  The weathervane on the top of the administrative building at the Landis Valley Farm Museum in Lancaster appears to be an arrow while the one on another outbuilding at the museum features a rooster with an arrow under it.  

The parts of the traditional weathervane.

The arrow points in the direction that the wind is blowing.  I recently made a trip to the museum to see the collection that they now have on display from all over the United States.  Weather- vanes at first were to detail the weather as well as tell the history of the structure it sat upon.  Many others were primarily for decoration and perhaps didn't tell anything at all about the weather.  When designing a weathervane there are two rules you needed to follow. (1) the ornament must be unequal on opposite sides of the vertical rod and (2) the ornament must have equal mass or weight on each side of the vertical rod.  

The Administrative Building at Landis
Valley Farm Museum.  The weathervane
on the top sports an arrow I believe.

As the wind blows, the ornament rotates to indicate both the direction and the speed of the wind.  The lightest and smallest portion of the ornament should point into the wind and the wind always comes from the direction the weathervane is pointing.  If the weathervane has directional letters, such as "N", "S", "E" and "W", they should be fixed to the vertical rod so they do not move.  Many weathervanes had dates cut into the metal to show when the structure was first built.  When William Penn first opened his business in Philadelphia with two other partners, they commissioned a weathervane for the roof of their grist mill which told of the business and the year it opened.  It is the oldest weathervane in the country and is one of the weathervanes that is on display at Landis Valley.  

Another building sitting closeby has the arrow and rooster.

Back then the weather- vanes would be made by blacksmiths while today they may be stamped out of metal.  There are some items that are featured on weather- vanes that are a sure clue as to what sits underneath it.  Fish and roosters were usually placed on churches, quills were placed on schools, and the American Indian was a symbol of good luck.  

This weathervane, featured in the display
at the museum, has a "GDL" and "1867" on the
back of it.  One of the founders of the museum,
George Diller Landis, was born on Sept. 7, 1867.

My trip to the museum was to photograph the many weathervanes they have on display, but I soon saw a big sign that read "No Photos".  After asking, I was told the collection has many private weathervanes that the owners didn't want photographed.  Oh well!  The photos I have included were photos I took before I saw the sign and were part of the collection from the museum.  The art of the forecast has certainly changed over the years, but weathervanes still sit atop many buildings in Lancaster County to help with wind direction which ultimately may help with weather prediction by those who have a knowledge and feeling in their bones for a rainy day or a beautifully sunlit day.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This is the Star Barn that was in Dauphin County, PA and has been dismantled and moved to a site in Lancaster  County.  The barn's cupola had a weathervane inscribed with the name of the farmer who owned the barn and the date the building was built.  The smaller outbuildings also had weathervanes with a pig weathervane above the hog barn and a horse and wheeled wagon above the carriage house.  After it's reconstruction there will be a few new weathervanes which have been created and are shown in the photo below.

  

The "The Historic Storm!!" Story

LDub did have to clear the rear deck in case we need to exit the
house.  Snow there was close to two feet deep at the time.  I'm
moving slowly so as to avoid any movement of the kidney stones.

It was an ordinary day.  Saturday, and watching TV, since there is nothing else to do!  Joe Calhoun, the local weather- man on NBC Channel 8 out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania is starting to look rather haggard.  Perhaps it's because he has been on air since noon of Friday reporting on the storm that is traveling up the east coast of the U.S.  Started about dark last evening and Carol and I have been following it on Channel 8, The Weather Channel and out our back door.  This storm hit at a very inopportune time since I am harboring a couple of kidney stones which, with a bunch of movement, makes them move around and creates great pain.  So .... we're sitting in front of the TV watching all the stories from towns and cities on the east coast where the snow is falling.  

Captured on The Weather Channel.

One very interesting story came from Stone Harbor, New Jersey where the Weather Channel reported that the bay behind the island city was flooding the city.  For years Carol and I have visited Stone Harbor with my brother and sister-in-law for a week.  As we watched the TV today we saw coverage from the local Hotel, The Reeds at Shelter Haven, located at Third and 96th Streets.  We were shocked at the flooding in the streets and nearby stores.  Guy walking up the middle of the street had water halfway up his legs with ice blocks floating past him.  The flooding in the city is almost a foot higher than when Hurricane Sandy struck in October of 2012.  There on the screen was Uncle Bill's Pancake House with water a foot up the door.  Across Third Street our favorite gallery has water entering the store.  All along the same streets that suffered damage in 2012 there is water a foot high or more entering the stores.  And .... it's early afternoon and high tide isn't scheduled until later in the evening.  

Weatherman Joe Calhoun shows the Top 5 Snowstorms in the
city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The latest made it to the top
of the list by almost half a foot.  And, it's still snowing.

As far as Lancaster, on the TV is a chart showing that the storm is now #1 on the list of Top 5 snowstorms of all-time.  28.6" is the average amount of snow .... so far.  Topped the 1983 storm of 25.0" by over 3" and the snow still hasn't stopped.  Hopefully by midnight the snow will stop.  Tomorrow my snowplow driver will arrive and do my driveway.  Getting smarter as I age.  Let the tough stuff for the pros.  Can't say I'm anxious for anymore snow this winter.  I've had enough.  Oh, for the warm sun and white sandy beaches of St. Martin.  Won't be long!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Singing Bridge" Story

Looking south as the water begins to cover the "Singing Bridge."

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with Carol about the time we drove her dad's big Harley motorcycle with the saddlebags and wrap-around windshield across the "Singing Bridge" at Engleside.  I guess I need to give you the background as to how we came to have his motorcyle in the first place.  Carol's mom and my dad worked together and set up a blind date for Carol and me.  I made a call and told her I would stop and take her for a ride on my Honda motorcycle.  

This shows the bridge sitting next to the railroad bridge
after it has been knocked from its foundation.

Knocked on the door, not knowing what to expect, the door opened and there stood this beautiful young girl with long dark hair.  I introduced myself and before long we were riding on my cycle.  Ten minutes into the ride the rain came so we headed back to her house for the remainder of the date.  When her dad found out I rode a motorcycle, he offered his Harley to us from time to time.  Well, within a year we were husband and wife and riding her dad's Harley once again across the "Singing Bridge" heading down to southern Lancaster County for a visit with relatives.  

The newer northbound bridge can be seen on the top while
half of the "Singing Bridge" lays against the railroad bridge
at the bottom.  I found this photo on Pinterest and believe
it is from the Lancaster Newspapers.

Now, I should tell you about the "Singing Bridge" since it is the topic of my story today.  The base or bed of the bridge, which was an all metal bridge, has a woven metal bed where you can see the waters of the Conestoga River through it.  The openings are rather large and when you ride a motorcycle across it you must be careful so you don't lose control of the cycle.  The sound created by traffic crossing the bridge reminds one of someone singing, thus the name given to the bridge.  That was back in 1967 and since that time the "Singing Bridge" has been destroyed.  Happened in June of 1972 when Hurricane Agnes blew up the coast into Lancaster County, PA, causing rivers to swell, knocking trees down and wreaking havoc.  Pennsylvania's governor named the storm "Hurricane Agony."  

Photo as the bridge looks today heading southbound.

He had to flee his governor's mansion in nearby Harrisburg when the mighty Susque- hanna River flooded the town.  The storm caused the loss of 68,000 homes and 3,000 businesses as well as displacing 220,000 residents.  The damage in PA was $2.1 billion with 48 deaths.  My Aunt Lillian's home, which was located along the Conestoga River in an area known as Bridgeport, went underwater shortly after we were able to salvage some of her furnishing and keepsakes.  

I took this photo from the east side of both bridges.  The
northbound bridge is in the foreground while the newer
southbound bridge is slightly hidden in the background.
Click on photos to enlarge them.

Downriver in Engleside, the Conestoga River knocked the "Singing Bridge" partially off it's concrete foundation, pushing it into the neighboring railroad bridge that was perhaps 30 feet away.  The amount of damage done to the railroad along the Conestoga caused them to shut down the line permanently.  The railroad bridge still remains today, but the "Singing Bridge" was replaced with a cement bridge.  Luckily the "Singing Bridge" was southbound only, since in 1970 another cement northbound bridge had been built which had to become two-way while another bridge was constructed.  A Bailey bridge was eventually erected next to the destroyed "Singing Bridge" to aid in the construction of the new cement southbound bridge which was finished in 1975.  I miss that old "Singing Bridge" and all the memories Carol and I have of making our crossings on her dad's Harley while watching the Conestoga rush under it.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Breakfast In The Rain" Story

Central Market in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

It was an ordinary day.  Market day and today historic Central Market in Lancaster, PA is serving breakfast.  Lancaster's Central Market at Penn Square in downtown Lancaster is America's oldest public market and since the early 1700s farmers have been bringing their meats and vegetables to the market for sale to residents of the county as visitors alike.  

Market vendors have stands available for breakfast.

Every year on the first Saturday in October for more than a quarter-century, rain or shine, stand holders take their baked goods, cooked items and drinks outside along Market Alley for what is called "Harvest Breakfast."  Event runs from 8:00 am until noon and the place usually gets packed.  

People line up to buy their favorites.

Hard to find a parking place in any of the nearby lots unless you arrive early as I did this morning.  Today will be one of the biggest selling days for the vendors in the market being they are holding breakfast as well as Lancaster County harvest season being in full swing this time of year.  Only bad part this year is that it's raining.  

These three college students are enjoying french toast
made with cinnamon bread and sausages.

Not a downpour, but the drizzle keeps the market from placing tables on Market Alley for the patrons to use for seating.  Many are standing under umbrellas attempting to eat their purchases or walk into the market proper where tables line the south wall of the market and a second floor balcony has a few stand-up tables.  

Sign in one stand inside the market telling of breakfast.

I snapped a few outdoor photos and headed inside to my favorite stand, Shady Maple Bakery where they have "made from scratch baking."  My favorite treat is the cream-filled "Long Johns" which are something like cream-filled donuts except stretched out straight instead of in a circle.  When baked fresh they are fantastic.  

High above the market stands are two guitarists
known as "Second Hand Suits" playing for the crowds.

Stopped last week and purchased a dozen to share with my wife, kids and grandson and ate the rest.  This week I only bought three to share with my wife.  Carol likes the chocolate covered while I like the peanut butter, vanilla, powdered and the chocolate.  They feel as if they weigh about a half-pound each and cost $1 each.  I hurried home to cut my peanut butter one and take a photo so I could eat it.  Boy was I disappointed when I cut it open.  No Filling!  Then I examined it more and realized they stuff the filling in from both sides and I happened to cut it where the filling stopped from each end.  Dunked it in a big cup of milk!!  Well, my day was a success and I got to see everyone enjoying breakfast even in the rain.  Waiting for my next trip to Central Market and another stop at Shady Maple Bakery.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This young girl is preparing pumpkins for sale outside the market house.

Inside the maker a line has formed to get coffee.

Patrons line the aisles at the market house.

There is more than food for sale at Central Market.  Here is a stand selling Amish goods.

Another stand has T-shirts for sale.

This young Amish girl is eating her breakfast indoors.

This is my favorite stand in Central Market.  Some trips, such as today, it is my only stop.  Stand is called Shady Maple Bakery and sells plenty of stuff that certainly can't be good for you, including the cream-filled "Long Johns".

Once at home I prepare for my breakfast of dunking.