The "History Is Fun, But Vacation Is Better! Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at my wife's Facebook page which features my photograph so that everyone thinks it is my page.  A Facebook friend, David Gelatt, posted a neat story a few weeks ago that was very interesting, especially if you are a history buff such as I am becoming in my twilight years.  

"Anne"

Story tells about his 10th Great Grandfather arriving on the pilgrim ship "Anne" at Plymouth, Massachusetts on July 10, 1623.  A few years ago I posted a story telling about my daughter-in-law Barbara's mother, Etta, who had relatives on the Mayflower and is now a member of the Mayflower Society.  I actually framed a story for her telling about her heritage.  Now, as far as David is concerned, his grandfather, 11 times removed, Captain Edward Bangs, was married to Rebecca Hobart in 1634 and ten years later gave birth to his 10 times removed Great Grandfather, Captain Jonathan Bangs who married Mary Mayo who settled with her husband in Brewster, Massachusetts.  Now if you don't understand all this 11X and 10X, etc. removed, it just shows you how many generations back these people were in your family tree.  David's story goes on to tell who married whom...who married whom, etc.  Eventually a young woman named Hannah met a "nice" (according to David) gentleman by the name of George Gelatt.  George's father John had recently immigrated from France.  George and Hannah moved to Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania where they had six children with three of the children starting the hamlet of Gelatt, PA.  One of the three brothers, George Jr. married and seven generations later Carl Emery Gelatt married Leanne Nowell who were David's parents.  Now, I might have missed a generation or three as I was sifting through all the names, but I think you can see why Edward Bangs, a shipwright by trade in the colonies, was David's Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather.  

Another depiction of "Anne"

Now, for the story how his 11X relative made it to Plymouth in the New World.  It was in the spring of 1623 that 90 passengers set sail on two small ships from London to provide support for those already in the New World.  One of those ships was the "Anne" which was a 140 ton supply ship while the other was the 44 ton pinnace "Little James" which was an escort military ship.  After a three-month voyage they arrived in Plymouth on July 10, 1623.  Of the 90 odd passengers, 60 were former English Separatists while the others were independents.  Eventually some were sent back since they couldn't handle living and working in the harsh colonial environment.  A list of all the passengers was part of the story I read about the arrivals that day in July.  Sure enough, there was Edward Bangs, shipwright by occupation.  He was given 4 shares of land under the name "Bangs".  What follows is the exact reading of passenger names, family and other important facts for the Bangs family:  

1. Edward Bangs – Born c.1591 - 86 in 1677. Per Banks he was of Panfield, Essex, son of John and Jane (Chavis) Bangs. Shipwright by occupaEtion. The 1623 land division lists 4 shares for him under “Bangs.” From that it is thought that he may have had a family of wife and two children with him on the Anne that are mysteriously missing in the 1627 'Division of Cattle'. In lot #12, he appears as single along with six members of the Hickes family, five members of the Jenes family, and with another single man, Stephen Deane. This lot shared "the great whyte backt cow which came over on the "Anne", to which cow, the keeping of the bull was joyned, and two shee goats". . It can only be surmised that something happened to them between 1623 and 1627 as he (re)married after 1627. Member of the 1626 Purchaser investment group as “Edward Banges.” He was with those chosen to lay out twenty-acre lots in the 1627 division. After 1627 married Lydia Hicks, daughter of Robert and Margaret Hicks, having been fellow passengers with him on the Anne in 1623. Died 1677. Three members of his family that may have been with him as counted in the 1623 land division:
2. (Mrs) ___ Bangs – possibly died before 1627.
3. (child) Bangs
4. (child) Bangs

I would have loved to have had something as interesting and factual as this when I sent my money to Ancestry.com last year, but that never happened.  I got very little from them except the suggestion that I could trace deeper if I gave more money to them.  Now, I was interested, but more interested in taking a vacation to the Caribbean for rest and relaxation than in finding out how many she-goats or cows my ancestors may have had.  Hey, I'm sitting by my villa's pool, on the island of St. Martin, typing this story.  Can't get any better that that!  And, thanks to Facebook friend David, who is the director of the Flash Mob I am a part of that sings the Hallelujah chorus at Christmas, you can see a bit more about the settlement of the United States of America.  Now, how good is that?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Rock Lititz Is Flying High" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in seat #20D on American Airlines flight #2219 looking at the airline's magazine "American Way".  

American Airlines magazine, "American Way"

Turned to page 16 and there on the bottom of the page was the headline, "Pennsylvania takes the stage" with a sub-head that read, "Hotel Rock Lititz offers concert-inspired accommodations for music fans."  Wow!!  The world is taking notice!  It was back in 1965 that I took a course at Millersville State Teacher's College titled Wood II.  It was a class in the woodshop with Mr. Paul Eshelman who at the time had to be as old as my grandfather.  It was a second level course in the Industrial Arts Department.  We had to design a piece of furniture that would illustrate a variety of different joints as well a place a finish on what we made.  I chose to make a stereo unit with speakers, turntable, amplifier and tuner.  

Rock Lititz campus can be seen in Lancaster's Amish country.

And...I wasn't the only one who chose to make a stereo unit.  Guy by the name of Roy Clair chose the same piece of furniture.  We worked together while making our units and when it became necessary to purchase the parts he asked where I was going to buy my parts.  Told me he and his brother Gene had a few people they bought electronics from him and he could get me whatever I needed.  We became good friends during that semester and it wasn't long before he and his brother formed Clair Brothers Audio that specialized in sound systems for rock bands.  

A street sign in the Rock Lititz complex

Gene was working as an electrician at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA when the Four Seasons came to the campus.  Gene and Roy did the sound for them and they were so impressed with them that they took them on tour with them.  They eventually worked for Elton John, The Moody Blues and Michael Jackson, to name a few.  They began their business in nearby Lititz, a town of 9,400 people in the middle of Amish country.  The same Lititz that was picked as "America's Coolest Small Town" in 2013.  

The Studio on the Rock Lititz campus

Today there are a few hundred more people that live in Lititz and Roy and Gene have developed Rock Lititz which is a 96 acre campus where companies design and build tour stage sets and sound systems for the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Lady Gaga, U2, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Usher and Mumford & Sons with Troy Clair, Roy's son, running the business of what is now known as Clair Global.  There are a variety of businesses now on the 96 acres such as Tait Towers, Pyrotek, CM-ET, Rock Medical, Tone Tailors, Upstage Video, Yamaha, Atomic, Control Freak, Mojo, and Stageco.  

Plans for the hotel at Rock Lititz

It features a studio that is the tallest, strongest production rehearsal facility in the world.  And, according to American Airlines "American Way", the company now is working on a 139-room hotel that will offer "a fun and comfortable home away from home" for both the music industry vets and visiting fans.  The rooms will feature touches such as sliding doors made from tour cases and wallpaper fashioned from 40 years of backstage passes.  What was at one time a young college student working on a stereo cabinet in wood shop class with his new friend has now turned into one of the largest and most successful entertainment businesses in the world.  And, its in little Lititz, Pennsylvania.  A couple of miles from my house.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Get Your Kicks On Route 66" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a post on the Facebook page “The Lancastrian” when I came across some facts about one of my dad’s friends. 

Bobby Troup

Guy by the name of Bobby Troup.  He was a few years older than my dad, but dad knew him from stopping in his family’s music store at 38 West King Street when he needed his trumpet repaired or needed sheet music.  Bobby was born 100 years ago this month in nearby Harrisburg.  As a young boy he moved with his family to 1140 Wheatland Avenue in Lancaster. He didn’t go to school with my dad in Lancaster, since his family enrolled him in a boarding school in Pottstown, PA by the name of The Hill School.  Bobby graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where he met his first wife, Cynthia Hare.  While at school he was a member of the Mask and Wig Club which is where he began his musical career. 

Sammy Kaye and Bobby Troup

A song written for a Mask and Wig production, “Daddy”, became a national hit when it was recorded by Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra.  It was #1 on the Billboard Best Seller chart for 8 weeks.  After college he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he eventually became one of two dozen white officers to direct recruit training at Montford Point for the first Black Marines.  When he was 28 years old, and still had connections to his family music store in downtown Lancaster, he traveled west with his wife, writing of their trip in the lyrics of the a song that would gain him universal fame, “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” when Nat King Cole recorded the song.  It was later recorded by Chuck Berry in 1961 and The Rolling Stones in 1964.  Bobby and his wife had two daughters, Cynnie and Ronne who both had careers in the entertainment industry.  That marriage ended in divorce in 1955. 

Bobby and his second wife, Julie London

Bobby met his second wife, singer and actress Julie London, at the Celebrity Room where he was singing.  Troup encouraged London to pursue her singing career and in 1955 produced her million selling hit “Cry Me a River”.  Julie had previously been married to actor Jack Webb of “Dragnet” fame.  Julie and Bobby had one daughter, Kelly and twin sons, Jody and Reese Troup. 

Bobby and Julie in Emergency

Bobby’s own recordings weren’t successful, but he did write the title song for the 1950s rock ‘n roll movie “The Girl Can’t Help It” which was sung by Little Richard.  Then in the mid-1950s Bobby was one of the regular panelists in the game show "Musical Chairs" which lasted on NBC for two years.  The Troup Group provided much of the music in the game show.  He was also host of ABC’s Stars of Jazz.  If you are old enough you may remember him as appearing in Bop Girl Goes Calypso, The High Cost of Loving, The Five Pennies and The Gene Krupa Story.  Bobby made three guest appearances on “Perry Mason” and two appearances on “Mannix”.  Then in 1967 Jack Webb, Bobby's wife’s former husband, had Troup appear in an episode of “Dragnet”.

The cast of Emergency, with Troup on the far left.

Then in 1972 Webb once again featured Bobby  in the TV series “Emer- gency” which was created by Webb.  On Emergency he played Dr. Joe Early while his wife Julie played nurse Dixie McCall.  Bobby Troup, Lancaster resident during his childhood, died in February 1999 while his wife Julie London died the following year on his birthday.  Many towns and cities in the world have residents who have gone on to stardom of one sort or another, and my hometown of Lancaster is no different.  One of our memorable citizens was born 100 years ago today.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "It's Apple Season!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just got finished with looking for a pumpkin and now it's time to pick some apples.  When the leaves begin to turn fall colors you know it is time to begin picking.  In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania there are quite a few orchards with pick-yourself options.  

Great time of year for picking apples.

Take the family along and see how much fun you may have spending the day picking apples. A few orchards that are in Lancaster have names such as Cherry Hill Orchards, Weaver's Orchard, Flinchbaugh's Orchard & Farm Market, Brecknock Orchard, Kauffman's Fruit Farm & Market and the Masonic Village Farm Market & Orchard.  This year's supply of apples seems to be exceptionally good this year, since there was plenty of moisture this summer in Lancaster County which helped the apples grow larger.  Most orchards allow picking Monday thru Saturdays and 9:00 am until late afternoon.  Some of the varieties available for picking this time of year are the Fuji, Cameo, Idared, Pink Lady, Stayman and Granny Smith.  Most all are great for snacking, baking and cooking.  The Fuji has a very sweet flavor and is juicy.  The Cameo has a sweet-tart flavor with hints of honey and citrus.  The Idared has a mild flavor with a hint of spice.  The Pink Lady is effervescent with a crunchy bite.  It tends to have a thicker skin than other apples.  The Granny Smith has a mouth-puckering tart flavor and was the choice of my mom and wife for use in making apple dumplings and applesauce.  In both my childhood household and my grown household apple dumplings constitute a meal in itself.  

Nice warm apple dumpling with milk...or ice cream is great.

Warm apple dumpling with cold milk and a spoonful of sugar is a great meal.  Usually can eat two or three apple dumplings depending on their size.  There are quite a few other varieties of apples, but the varieties I have mentioned are the apples that come into season during this month.  Maybe you can make a trip to pick a basket of apples as well as find your perfect pumpkin.  Enjoy both!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Hey, The Last King Is Getting A Raw Deal!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I are visiting our local pharmacy to get flu shots before we head on vacation.  Since we are both “Seniors”, we were given a “Senior” dose which is close to double the amount given to younger people.  While talking with the Nurse Practitioner, the subject of vaccinations for children who are entering school came up.  A recent story in the local newspaper told the tale of the percentage of children who were not allowed to attend public, non-public, private or parochial school in the state of Pennsylvania because they had not been vaccinated for mumps, measles, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis,and Hepatitis B. These diseases, which can cause devastating results for those who get them, and are very contagious, can be controlled if all students receive vaccinations before entering school.  They must also have the Monongahela conjugate vaccine before they enter 7th grade and updates on all, if needed, before entering their Senior year.  There are exemptions which are: a doctor must say it could be detrimental to the health of the child, it could be based on religious grounds or the parent may fear the child will be Autistic.  Well, I’m not sure where in the Bible it states that children shouldn’t get vaccinated, but the fear of getting Autism is totally false.  Over the years those that have been diagnosed as having Autism caused by being vaccinated is based on manipulated results and fraudulent research.  Now, if you are someone reading this that disagrees, I know I can never change your mind, but medical facts will back up the fact that Autism isn’t caused by having your child immunized against childhood diseases.  This is one of many myths that I have been reading about recently. 

A few other myths are: (1) When you flush a toilet in the Northern Hemi- sphere, it rotates differently than in the Southern Hemi- sphere.  Absolutely not true!  It is based on how the toilet is made as to which way the water goes around the toilet bowl.  (2) There are different parts of your tongue for each type of taste such as sweet, sour, salty, etc.  That also isn’t true according to several websites I visited. (3) You have to wait 24 hours before you can report a person missing.  Now who ever came up with that idea.  You can call the police as soon as you suspect that someone may be missing.  I’m sure they will question you about when and where it happened, but they will take the information and not tell you to call back in 24 hours.  (4)  Have you ever heard that only about 10% of your brain is active at any one time?  Again, not true since how much of your brain is active at any one time is based on the task you are performing.  On most days many parts of your brain may be active, but it might be at different times based on what you are doing.  (5) Have you ever heard the saying...blind as a bat?  Bats aren’t blind!  Not only are they not blind, but they use echolocation to guide them at times.  If they are anything, they are creepy!  (6)  Did you know that slaves were said to have built the pyramids.  Whoever started that rumor did so out of stupidity.  The job of building a pyramid was considered an honor granted only to the most respected laborers.  Their remains are entombed near the site of the pyramid that they may have built.  (7) Did you ever swallow a piece of chewing gum and your parents told you that it will take 7 years to digest?  Nah, my parent’s never did that either, but evidently some parents did.  The truth is the gum will pass straight through your digestive system.  (8) Did any of your math teachers tell you that Albert Einstein failed math?  Not true!  He did fail an entrance exam for a school at one time, but excelled in mathematics.  (9) And, how about the apple that Adam and Eve ate!  Wasn’t true!  What they did eat was the forbidden “fruit”, but no where in Genesis does it say that the forbidden fruit was an apple.  My guess is that it was a peach or strawberry, some of my favorites.  (10) And the final myth that I will destroy is about the Three Wise Men bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Hey, I was the final wise guy in the church pageant at St. James when I brought the myrrh to the manger. But, who says that there were three wise men?  Nowhere in the Bible does it specifically state that there were three.  Just because there were three gifts doesn’t mean that three men were needed to deliver them.  Might have been two...but then I wouldn’t have had the part in the pageant!  That's not fair!  I'm glad our church thought it was three!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "They're Growing Them Bigger All The Time!" Story

Caden pitching this past season.

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in front of my grandson, Caden, congratu- lating him for the triple he hit today with the bases loaded that helped win the ballgame.  Caden turned 13 this past April.  His family doctor recently told his parents that he will probably grow to be 6'6" and perhaps well over 200 pounds.  Well, let me tell you...as I stood in front of him he has to be close to 6 feet tall already.  I was looking him directly in the eye and I am slightly over 6 feet tall.  He also looks to be maybe 160 pounds with a big chest, shoulders and arms.  He attends conditioning workouts a few times a month and it shows.  Next Spring will be his second year in baseball in what is known as 14U, which is 14 years old and under.  On the baseball field the basepaths for  14U are 75 feet with the pitching mound near 50 feet.  What seemed like an average distance this past summer will seem like a much shorter distance next summer since he will have put on a few inches in height and perhaps 25 to 30 pounds in weight.  

Nolan Rucci, high school sophomore and 6'8", 266 lbs. in size

Caden seems to be growing at an astounding rate, but after reading a story in the sports section of the local newspaper, it seems like he is small in stature.  One young man,  high school sophomore Nolan Rucci, who plays football for a high school team in nearby Lititz, Pennsylvania, and is probably 15 years old, is 6 foot 8 inches and weighs 266 pounds.  

Hayden Rucci, high school senior and 6'5", 225 lbs. in size

Yes, you read that correctly.  His brother, Hayden, who is a senior, is 6 foot 5 inches and weighs 225 pounds.  What are these kids eating these days and what is in the water they're drinking?  How would you like to have two sons that size and have to feed them.  Now, I guess I should have expected boys this height and weight since their father, Todd Rucci, played for the New England Patriots and was 6 foot 5 inches and weighed 296 pounds when he played.  

Todd Rucci, 6'5" and 296 lbs. in size

He and his family were members at St. James Episcopal Church and I can remember sitting behind him in church and struggling to see past him when we stood.  Todd's wife, Stacy, was an All-American field hockey player at Penn State University while Todd played football for Penn State.  I had Stacy as a student at Manheim Township High School in Neffsville, PA.  I also was a friend of Stacy's dad Tom Gilburg who was also a big man.  Tom was 6 foot 5 inches and weighed 245 pounds.  He played college football for Syracuse University and offensive tackle as well as punter for the Baltimore Colts during the same era when Johnny Unitas played.  He then moved to Lancaster to coach the Franklin & Marshall college team to a record of 160-112-2.  Loved visiting him to see all the sports memorabilia he has accumulated.  

Tom Gilburg, 6'5" and 245 lbs. in size 

Well, with parents and grandparents who demand respect due to their size, its no wonder both boys have great size genes.  Senior Haden, who is a tight end, has already committed to Wisconsin University to play football and Nolan has now received full athletic scholarships to his parent's alma mater, Penn State, as well as Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Michigan State, West Virginia, Pitt and Virginia.  Not bad for a 15 year old kid that is an offensive lineman.  The future looks bright for them, but they must prove they can also be successful in the classroom.  The world is waiting...but can they make the grade...or should I say grades?  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

Tom preparing to punt the ball for the Baltimore Colts

  

The "Celebrating 100 Years Of John Deere" Story

One of the original John Deere logos.

It was an ordinary day.  Reading in my latest Reminisce magazine a story titled "Retro Replay - Blast From The Past".  Story tells about John Deere & Company entering the tractor business in 1918 and therefore celebrating 100 years in business.  Quite a milestone for any company.  By now, if you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you probably know I am from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, known as the "Garden Spot of America".  

The home of the New Holland Company.

We here in Lancaster County tell of having some of the most fertile farmland in the United States.  Our local newspaper used the slogan "The Leading Newspaper in the Garden Spot of America" as early as 1919.  Actually it was back in 1702, when a Lutheran pastor who had traveled here, published his observations about our fertile farmland in his book "Nachricht von Pennsylvania" (Accurate Tidings from Pennsylvania).  

The story of John Deere.  Click to enlarge.

So, as you can see, we here in Lancaster know quite a bit about farm land and farm equipment.  We even make one of the best tractors in the world a few miles to the east of Lancaster in the small town known as New Holland.  New Holland Company was producing agricultural products to help the farming community in 1895.  But, I'm sure there are plenty of John Deere tractors plowing the lush fields of Lancaster County.  John Deere Company is located in Waterloo, Iowa.  

Mr. John Deere

They recently sponsored a Gold Key event where customers could watch the final assembly or their newly purchased tractor.  John Deere entered the farm tractor business in March 1918 when they purchased Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company.  And now, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will make 2018 as the year of the tractor.  The museum's 1918 green, yellow and red Waterloo Boy tractor was installed at the entrance of the business history exhibition.  John Deere also placed iconic tractors on display at the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, the John Deere Paviion and John Deere World Headquarters in Moline, Illinois as well as the John Deere Forum in Mannheim, Germany.

John Deere plow that made him famous and wealthy.

 As far as the namesake of the tractor, John Deere was an American blacksmith and manufac- turer who was born in Rutland, Vermont and moved to Illinois where he invented the first commercially successful steel plow in 1837.  He later entered a business partnership with Leonard Andrus and purchased land for the construction of a new, two-story factory along the Rock River in Illinois.  

The more recognizable logo of the John Deere Company.

The factory was named the L. Andrus Plough Manufac- turer and produced about 100 plows in 1842 and around 400 the next year.  Many other partnerships followed until in 1918 he purchased the Waterloo Boy tractor facility and began selling the John Deere Model D tractor.   I remember watching an episode on Made In America, which was broadcast on the Travel Channel, and being told that the John Deere Company never repossessed any John Deere equipment during the Great Depression which was amazing!  

This photograph from the Reminisce Magazine shows the
John Deere Model GP which was manufactured from 1928
to 1935 and marketed as a general purpose machine.

Since its start in 1918 they have added an assortment of farm equipment to their inventory of products.  They now have factories throughout the world and employ 67,000 people worldwide, with about half of those employees in the United States and Canada.  The logo of the leaping deer has been used by this company for over 155 years, but with a few minor changes over the years.  

A more recognizable John Deere tractor.

And, the traditional logo color of green with the inside border being yellow makes the brand easily identifiable.  A year ago Deere & Company signed an agreement to acquire Blue River Technology which, through technology, will allow users of John Deere equipment to reduce the use of herbicides by spraying only where weeds are present.  My congratulations to the green and yellow company for their many years in the agricultural business.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

I just had to put in a photo of the tractor made in Lancaster County, the New Holland tractor.

The "A Gift Worth Giving" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking out the bottle of Muscle Rescue that my son bought me for my birthday.  He visits "Roots Country Market & Auction" every Tuesday and stocks up on food items for the week and during one of his visits saw the bottles of topical analgesic lotion and decided to get me a bottle to help all my aches and pains.  

Bottle of Muscle Rescue that my son
bought me for my birthday.

On the side of the bottle is what appears to be a marijuana leaf with the flag of the state of Maryland inside of it.  Upon further inspection I noticed the lotion was manufactured in Frederick, Maryland which is a 15 minute drive from my daughter's home in Urbana.  I gave the lotion a try and noticed a pleasant odor and less pain in my finger joints.  I noticed that one of the ingredients was hempseed oil which was just featured in an article in our local newspaper.  Raising industrial hemp was illegal until 2014.  It originally was banned in 1937 in the United States.  On the far west side of Lancaster County used to be fields and fields of industrial hemp.  So much that the area was called Hempfield Township which still describes the area.  It is now legal to set up research programs to study this ancient crop that's been out of production in America for years and years.  

Click on image to see what the Muscle Rescue
contains.  Hempseed Oil is one of them.

In Pennsylvania there are 35 permit holders who are allowed to grow hemp.  A handful are in Lancaster County.  One man, Lloyd Huyett, an entrepreneur in eastern Lancaster County is growing it in hopes of finding a medicinal cure for a variety of ailments.  He has a family friend whose son was suffering from epilepsy and was scheduled for brain surgery.  The family began to administer cannabidiol, or CBD, to their son and the epilepsy lessened so much that he was able to resume a normal life and go back to school.  His brain surgery was dropped.  That's when the farmer got a permit and began raising hemp since CBD oil is derived from hemp.  Other ailments and conditions that can be treated through CBD are chronic pain, inflammation, dementia, post-tramatic stress disorder and attention deficit hyper-activity disorder.  Some research suggests that CBD may be able to be used to fight cancer.  A local Amish farmer, Daniel Stoltzfus, is partnering with Lloyd by supplying the land to grow the hemp.  Daniel has a niece who has cancer and is being helped by the healing effects of CBD.  Huyett is handling the business and processing side of the partnership while Daniel handles the farming.  After the hemp is harvested it is pressed into oil.  By now you probably are thinking this all is part of raising the illegal marijuana that people smoke.  Not so!  You don't get high from CBD, or hempseed oil.  For years and years that is what people thought, thus the ban on raising hemp.  That has all changed now for the better.  As of now the United States imports close to a billion dollars' worth of hemp.  Hopefully that will all change in the future with more farmers and entrepreneurs farming hemp and using it to help the medical community.  

The hemp leaf and seed that is used to make the oil.

A few of the benefits of hempseed oil are that it is rich in omega-6 and omega-3 polyun- saturated fatty acids and very nutritious.  Hempseed oil is also high in vitamin E.  The cosmetic industry raves of the anti-aging properties of the oil.  What makes CBD so beneficial is that is doesn't contain the THC or any other psychoactive compound which the Cannabis bud does.  That is what is in marijuana.  Here's hoping the fields around western Lancaster County, precisely Hempfield Township, will be filled once again with hemp.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "How Big Is Your Pumpkin? Story

It was an ordinary day.  Getting set for the upcoming holiday known in the United States as Halloween.  Bought a really big bag of candy bars just in case we have a hundred trick or treaters.  Made sure I bought my favorite candy bars!  Hoping we have our usual dozen or so.  Now the candy is nice, but one of my favorite Halloween treats is my wife's pumpkin pie.  Halloween just wouldn't be the same without pumpkin pie.  As I was looking for some information on pumpkins, I came across some of the most unusual information about pumpkins.  Seems that in 1979, a Nova Scotia farmer had grown a particularly large pumpkin. He decided to bring it to a fair near Philadelphia, PA that was holding a contest for largest pumpkin.  Thing weighed 438.5 pounds.  Took first place.  And, his son recalled that his dad felt crazy to leave the farm just to show off a big pumpkin.  Then in 1980 his pumpkin was even bigger. Following year it was bigger yet!  Seems there was something special about the seeds which he called Dill's Atlantic Giant.  Did you know that pumpkins have either male or female reproductive organs.  The pumpkin seed bears flowers with the male flowers having a stamen with pollen on it and others have a small bulge which is the beginnings of a pumpkin, or an egg.  In order for the pumpkin to grow, the pollen from the male flower has to get into the female flower. Sounds kind of fishy to me, but that's what I read so it must be true!  Some farmers  rely on bees while other farmers pollinate by hand to get plants with proven genetic lines.  It's not unusual to get a pumpkin that weighs over 1000 pounds by doing it that way.  Also read that some farmers talk to their pumpkins while others water them with milk to give them extra calcium.  Some use an organic soil-enhancer.  There is actually a book called "How to grow World-Class Giant Pumpkins."  Then at the end of the year there is a yearly pumpkin convention.  So, why would anyone want to grow a 1,000 pound pumpkin?  I don't know!  I guess the bigger it is the more soup, desserts and even bread you can make.  And the real big ones make for great Jack-o'-lanterns.  Can you imagine a 1,000 pound Jack-o'-lantern?  Take an entire string of bulbs to light it up.  A few final facts about the pumpkin are: (1) they are low in calories, fat, and sodium and high in fiber.  

One of my favorites, pumpkin pie!

So, do you like pumpkin pie?  One of my favorites along with apple, cherry, peach, banana cream, coconut cream, lemon meringue, rhubarb, and shepherd's pie.  Yeah, I know shepherd's pie isn't made with fruit, but I still like it.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "I Live In The Best Place In America To Retire!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking over the magazine section at a local news stand close to my house for a magazine or two to take with me on an upcoming vacation.  I picked up a U.S. News & World Report and before long knew I had to buy this one since it told of Lancaster County being the best place in the nation in which to retire.  Now, those of us who live in Lancaster County have known that for years and years and now everyone else in the nation will know that also.  Not sure how I feel about letting the world know they should move to Lancaster after they retire.  Our town seems to be growing too fast for those of us who have lived here all our lives.  Well, the magazine released their annual rankings recently and listed Lancaster #1 after taking into account housing affordability and the happiness of its residents.  Also took into account the quality of health care, the job market for retirees, the tax burden on retirees and desirability.  The rest of the top five were: Fort Myers, Florida; Sarasota, Florida; Austin, Texas; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Funny that #2 thru #4 were in the sunny south were many retirees from Lancaster migrate to for the winter months.  So what exactly does Lancaster have to offer?  We have 16 retirement communities with about 13,000 residents.  Many of those communities have begun to enlarge their size to accommodate more residents who will soon be arriving here due to this story in the magazine.  Many already know that Lancaster offers a balance between natural and commercial spaces that residents appreciate.  As I have typed many, many times in the past, Lancaster is known as the "Garden Spot of America" which naturally will draw those who want to get away from the big cities in our country.  

Idyllic Lancaster County farmland.

In Lancaster most of those retirement homes border Lancaster County farmland.  Millersville University, Franklin & Marshall College, Elizabethtown College, Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and Lancaster Bible College are all inside the county limits with quite a few more directly outside Lancaster County's border.  I mention all these facts since they are some of the things that made Lancaster the Best place in our nation to retire.  20% of U.S. News & World Report evaluation of best places to retire was based on the Job Market Index and if there might be jobs for retirees if they so desired to work.  25% was based on the Value Index which tells if retirees could afford to retire to the area based on the cost of living in the area.  30% was based on Quality of Life Index which measured how satisfied residents are with their daily life who live in the area.  The crime rate, health care, quality of education, well-being and commuting time to services in the area also were part of the survey.  

One of Lancaster's many retirement communities.

Desirability Index was 15% of the evaluation which measured how people felt about living in the area and the final 10% was how often people who already lived in the area might want to move away from Lancaster.  I'm not sure how I feel about Lancaster being in the news like this.  Our County is growing at too fast a rate for me and a report such as this, thought it does show how good we have it here in Lancaster County, is only going to make it grow faster.  I have noticed that the half-dozen homes in my neighborhood that were placed "For Sale" recently all sold within a month.  Now I suspect I will begin to have people knocking on my door asking if I would like to sell my home.  Better get busy getting my name on the list of a few of those retirement homes.  Some take over a year to get into them.  Now that might change to a two year waiting list.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Mapping Out A Vacation" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking at one of the latest items that my son, Tad, had printed at LNP or what at one time was call Intelligencer Printing Company.  LNP prints maps for the National Park Service which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.  The map which Tad just dropped off for me today is for Olympic National Park in the state of Washington.  We talked about how he goes about keeping the colors in register, or lining up correctly, and how the map is trimmed and folded.  I taught printing and photography in high school for many years and had the honor of having both my sons, as well as my daughter, in my classes.  Both my sons work for printing companies with my oldest son being a pressman at Donnelly Printing Company while Tad does the same chore at LNP.  Maps today aren't as big an item as they were before the advent of cell phones which now do the same thing as the printed map.  

Full-color map with illustrations by John Dawson
Click on photos to enlarge.

But, the maps that Tad prints for the National Park Service are much more that a map.  On one side of the map is a pictorial titled "Explore Olympic" and shows and describes birds, fish, animals, insects, trees, plants, rocks, etc. that can be found on the "Coast", in the "Forests" and on the "Mountains".  A beautiful illustration by John Dawson covers the entire side of the map. The other side of the map is a more traditional map which shows locations of Ranger Stations, campgrounds, self-guided trails, boat launches, picnic areas, lodges, food services and locations which are wheelchair accessible.  

Opposite side of Olympic National Park map.

This side also has information on planning your visit to the park as well as getting around the park.  The map is in full color and comes folded.  All these procedures are accomplished on the offset press that prints it.  Tad told me that they print over 400,000 of this particular map and also print maps for the Glacial National Park, Grand Canyon which requires a printing of 1.5 million maps twice a year, Morey Piers and the "Dutch Country" for Lancaster, Pa. Visitor's Board.  More and more items are now found online, but there are certain items that still work best if they are printed and available for your usage.  The printing industry has been hurt by online places you can visit, but there are still certain things that are better if printed on a press.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "In Recognition Of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Part II" Story

It was an ordinary day.  The entire Sunday newspaper was in pink ink in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month which made the small photograph in the upper right-hand corner of the "Living" section standout.  That's also the way it was with the 6"X8" color photo on page B3 of the paper.  Photo of the same guy on both pages.  

Dave Holt

Then it struck me...I known that guy!  The wrinkles in his cheeks and lines on his forehead may be a bit deeper, but the slight smile gave him away.  When I finally read the name, I realized he was a student of mine when he was in high school.  Dave Holt will be 65 years old soon, but was in his mid-teens when I had him in my Graphic Arts/Photography classes.  And, the more I thought about it, I think he even might have been a photographer for the yearbook for which I was the adviser.  So what has he been up to and why is his photograph in the newspaper next to the big headline that reads: "DAVE HOLT RETURNS".  Newspaper story tells of his being born and raised in Neffsville, Pennsylvania which is a few miles from the center of Lancaster.  He got married about 30 years ago and he and his wife, Sarah, began their love affair with the city of New Orleans.  Visited the town yearly to take in Mardi Gras, the French Quarter and other musical venues.  In 1998 he fronted the popular Dave Holt Band and brought the sounds of New Orleans to Lancaster County.  But, evidently his heart was in New Orleans, since he and his wife up and moved to the city 12 years ago.  He still gets to see his old band members when they head to New Orleans each year to celebrate Dave's birthday with him.  Down in New Orleans he initially intended to lead a band as he had in Lancaster, but in a city rich in piano players he wondered if it would work as it did in Lancaster.  Then he met a gentleman by the name of Lawrence Cotton who is a 91-year-old piano-playing legend in New Orleans.  

New Orleans legend Lawrence Cotton

Dave began playing upright bass with Mr. Cotton and they now play at private parties and happy hours in New Orleans.  But, Dave has plans to return to Lancaster County for a perfor- mance at Millersville University's Ware Center in downtown Lancaster on October 21 when Dave will get together with his old bandmates for a performance to raise money for "Defeat Breast Cancer".  Seems that Dave was a friend of Diana Denenberg who died of breast cancer.  Diana's brother, Dennis Denenberg, a retired Millersville University professor as well as Asst. Superintendent at Manheim Towship School District where I taught and where Dave was a student, started an endowment at Millersville to honor his sister Diana.  Dennis got the idea to have Dave and his old bandmates play a concert to raise money for the endowment.  Up to $10,000 in ticket sales for the event will be matched by Dennis to honor his sister.  I'm sure the event will go well and Dave's Band will perform well.  It certainly can't be for a better cause!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "In Recognition Of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My wife had just finished reading her latest novel, closed the book, placed it on her snack tray and placed her pink reading glasses on it next to her recliner.  Wasn't more than ten seconds later that "The Gray Lady", one of our two adopted cats, jumped on the tray and grabbed the glasses with her teeth and knocked them to the floor.  

Not sure why she likes those pink glasses, but they always seem to attract her attention.  Maybe because she knows it means so much to her favorite person, my wife Carol.  If you are not aware, pink is the color associated with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and my wife is a  breast cancer survivor.  Stories have appeared in numerous magazines as well as newspapers telling about breast cancer and publishing the facts and tips that deal with the disease.  Some risk factors can't be changed such as having the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, but there are some things that can help lower your risk of breast cancer.  And, I should mention that breast cancer isn't just a female disease, since a male friend of mine had breast cancer when he was in his 40s.  A few tips that can change your risks are: (1) Keep and maintain a healthy weight, (2) If you have a family member who has had breast cancer or if you have inherited the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene (if you don't know if you have one of these two genes, ask your doctor about being tested for it), talk to your doctor as to how often you should be examined, (3) Try, if at all possible, to exercise regularly by using moderate to intense aerobic activity twice a week, (4) Find out about your risks of developing breast cancer if you take hormone-replacement therapy or birth control pills, (5) Limit your alcohol intake to no more than one drink a day, or (6) Breastfeed your children if possible.  A few facts you should know are, (1) The average age when women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States is 61 while the average age for men is between 60 and 79, (2) In the state of Pennsylvania, where my wife and I live, the average number of women who will be diagnosed EACH DAY is 32, (3) In 2018 a man's risk of getting breast cancer is about one in 1,000 as compared with one in 8 for women, (4) Fewer that 15% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a close family member who was diagnosed with breast cancer and for those who have no family connection, breast cancer may be due to genetic mutations, which happen because of age and life in general, (4) More than 3.1 million women in the United States are currently being treated or have recently finished treatment for breast cancer, (5) Over the last decade the risk of getting breast cancer has not changed for women overall, but the risk has increased for black, Asian and Pacific Islander women.  Did you also know that there are 10 stages of severity of breast cancer that have been published by the National Cancer Institute.  If you do have breast cancer, you may not know what stage you may have until after surgery to remove the cancer.  For me to try and list the 10 stages and how and what to expect in those stages would take a huge amount of space.  You can view these stages by looking at: PENNSYLVANIAHEALTHCARECOSTCONTAINMENTCOUNCILAND BREASTCANCER.ORG.   Please take care of yourself as no one will do it for you.  Both my wife and I have had cancer in the past five years.  Several types to be exact.  We do visit our family doctor as well as specialists when necessary.  I wish you the best and don't wait too long before your next doctor's visit.  Be pro-active with your health.  Your life depends upon it!  THINK PINK!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Journal: Part III - 'Buffalo Bill Cody'" Story

Buffalo Bill Cody

It was an ordinary day.  Reading another story in one of my Lancaster County Historical Society's "The Journal".  This story appeared in the Summer 1995 issue and tells the true story that was transcribed by an Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania neighbor of Mr. John Roath, after he had died.  John sat with his neighbor and told her the story of his meeting his childhood hero, Buffalo Bill Cody...not once, but twice, as a teenager.  A bit of background info about Cody follows: William Frederick ("Buffalo Bill") Cody was born on February 26, 1846.  He was an American scout, buffalo hunter and showman.  At the age of 14, soon after his father had died, he became a rider for the Pony Express.  During the Civil War he served in the Union Army.  

1865 at the age of 19.

As a civilian scout, he served the US Army during the Indian Wars and received the Medal of Honor in 1872.  He got the nickname "Buffalo Bill" after the Civil War when he had a contract to supply Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with buffalo (American bison) meat.  It is said he killed 4,282 buffalo in 18 months in 1867-68.  In 1869 he met writer Ned Buntline who wrote of Cody's adventures and a legend was born.  In 1883 he founded Buffalo Bill's Wild West, a circus-like attraction that toured annually.  His show visited Lancaster on a number of occasions with the last appearance on May 16, 1913.  John's account of his visits to see the show are both interesting and humorous.  His first trip to see his hero was when he was in his early teens.  

1913 poster from an Erie, PA printing company.

He and his father took the trolley to the circus grounds in Lancaster where the show started with a parade around the grounds led by Buffalo Bill.  "He wore his white buckskin trousers, a fancy jacket and matching ten gallon hat.  His long white hair, Vandyke beard and flowing moustache made him a very striking and handsome figure.  He rode a white horse.  The silver mountings on the bridle and saddle glistened brightly in the afternoon sun."  Several acts followed with a military act part of them.  A cannon mounted on a caisson was drawn by four horses.  "After making one complete circuit around the field, they came to an abrupt halt.  Men in soldiers' uniforms sprang from their seats on the powder box and pointed the muzzle of the cannon in our direction.  

This photo dates from his later years.

There was a blinding flash and a loud roar which caused many of the adults to scream.  It frightened the daylights out of me.  My father tried to reassure me.  The procedure was repeated.  I sent up a howl that I am sure could be heard for quite a distance."  A few other acts followed until it was time for the stellar attraction which featured Buffalo Bill.  "He rode up slightly behind and to the right of an Indian who was riding a pinto pony.  The Indian carried a basket filled with small glass balls.  At various intervals, he threw the balls high into the air.  Buffalo Bill shattered one.  I didn't see him miss one ball.  Some said he was using bullets.  Even if shot cartridges were being used, he was still doing some fancy shooting from the back of his cantering horse.  The grand finale showed the attack on the wagon train."  After that show he knew he just had to meet Buffalo Bill.  Happened a few years later in 1913 when he went with a friend to see the show once again.  

1913 publicity poster of Buffalo Bill

He tells this story: "Suddenly I spied both Pawnee Bill and my hero leaning over the corral fence looking at the horses.  They had their backs to us.  Immediately I began planning a course of action.  Both men seemed to be quite absorbed in their conversation.  Just as I extended my hand to touch that beautiful jacket, Buffalo Bill turned around and confronted us.  My hero smiled and, with a twinkle in his eye, asked if there was something that he could do for us.  I stammered that I only wanted to shake his hand which he graciously held out.  I felt awkward.  After a short conversation, we left him and went to get our seats for the show."  What a thrill it must have been.  Something he never forgot his entire life and was able to share the story with his neighbor before he died.  I too would have loved to have met some of my childhood cowboy heroes, but I was never quite as lucky as John.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.