The "Lancaster's Art Scene: Part II - Public Art Stations" Story

This home on North Mary Street is the scene
of a public art station in Lancaster, PA.

It was an ordinary day.  Driving through the city of Lancaster on my way home when I made a turn onto North Mary Street in the west end of the city.  Carol used to work in the area when I first met her so I know the area quite well. Seems that every other street for about eight blocks runs one way, east or west.  I happened to be traveling north on Mary when I saw several people gathered in front of a home on the right side of the street.  Slowed down and then I realized they were painting with watercolor brushes.  Had to pull over and take a look.  The home evidently belongs to someone who appreciates the arts and has created what is known as a public art station in front of his house.  Two bamboo posts are staked in his garden with twine running parallel with the ground between them.  Spring loaded clothes pins are used to hold pieces of medium weight white paper to the twine.  At the bottom right of the unique gallery were a few trays of watercolors, a container of water and a few brushes.  I watched as a few people completed a small watercolor, hung them on the line and departed.  Got out of the car and took a few photos of the house and gallery and put my camera on the ground next to me as I took a piece of paper from the line and made my own painting to share with those who will travel past this spot.  I hung it back on the line, snapped a photo of my artwork and walked back to the car.  This one of a kind art show is amazing and here's hoping it will catch on and spread to other parts of the city that is rich in its visual, auditory and performing arts.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Also in front of the home is this book exchange.  Inside the box were several books to exchange.

A variety of trinkets fill the top of the gallery.

My artwork, titled "The River Runs Through", hangs above the trays of paint, water and brushes.

The "Lancaster's Art Scene: Part I - Street Art Galore" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Driving the city streets of Lancaster searching for some of the alleged 37 murals that adorn the buildings, fences, roofs, ceilings and garages in this city of visual, auditory and performing arts.  Lancaster has it all ... and it gets better all the time.  I wrote a story a few years ago about a few murals that I had viewed in the city and at the beginning of this summer I wrote a story telling of the many decorated pianos that could be found throughout the city that allowed anyone who might be tempted to sit and tickle the keys a bit to do so.  

Gretna Bike Shop sports this neat mural on the side of it's shop.
Click on any of the photographs to enlarge them.

Well, recently there was an article in the local newspaper telling of the vast amount of street artwork that has recently been added to the art scene in the city. So, I just had to see for myself.  Began by examining the map of the city that was presented in the paper that showed the location of the 37 spots where there was artwork.  I picked a variety of locations and began my journey with my camera near my childhood home near the north end of the city.  First stop was on Jackson Street where I found a bicycle shop that had an exterior wall covered with a fantastic mural which featured the drive mechanism of a bike.  

Mural featuring former Mayor Richard Scott.

Then it was south on Prince Street to Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the Lancaster Barnstor- mers inde- pendent league baseball team, where a $30,000 mural was made to honor the former war hero and mayor of Lancaster, whose passion for baseball was responsible for bringing back professional ball to Lancaster.  Now, rather than tell you about the murals I visited, I'll take you on a visual tour of some of the artwork that makes Lancaster such a fantastic city in which to live.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Across the street from the baseball stadium is this mural which is painted on the of the local YMCA.

Enlarge this mural so you can read it.  It is on the ceiling at the entrance to the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in the center of Lancaster City.

This beautiful mural, titled Lancaster City, is painted on a fence along Grant Street in the city. 

Located in the southeast end of the city is this mural depicting a painter at work.  It is across the street from the Two Dudes Painting Company on Poplar Street.

I traveled a few blocks from the above location to the Lafayette Elementary School where a retaining wall was covered with a series of paintings, all fantastic as individual paintings.  The school's parent's group helped raise funds to have the paintings done.  The following three photographs are parts of this mural.

 

This mural is just past the Eastern Market Building on East King Street.  It illustrates the different cultures that live in the city of Lancaster.

This is on a wall above a parking garage and is off of Grant Street.  To me it resembles the alleyway that I had to drive through to get to the mural.

As you can see by the vehicles, this mural is painted on the wall of a building that has parking next to it.  It is titled "Welcome to the West End" and is found at the corner of West Walnut and North Mulberry Streets.

The "Don't You Just Love 'Em?" Story

Larry's new family.

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting on the floor with my camera taking photographs of Larry's new kittens.  Story began a few years ago when this adorable little stray cat appeared on our back deck looking for something to eat.  

Larry

This was soon after Carol and I had watched an episode of "Modern Family" on television where the youngster Lily sees a cat she wants and has plans to call it Larry.  Cat looked almost like the cat that appeared on our back deck so we decided to call it Larry.  Wasn't until a year later that we realized the cat was a female.  Eventually she had a kitten which she reluctantly brought to our back door with her to feed.  Carol sat on the deck and played with the kitten while Larry sat closeby with a watchful eye on Carol.  We managed to catch the kitten and take it to the local shelter.  Before long we also caught Larry who was visibly pregnant once again.  

Larry's first kitten

Carol called a good friend who had said she would take Larry until the kittens were born so she could try to find a home for Larry and the kittens.  Four days after we dropped Larry at Debbie's house she had four kittens.  It's been four weeks now and we finally made a trip to visit with Debbie, her daughter Katie and Larry's new family.  

The new kittens love to be held on their backs.

They are adorable, just as Larry was when we first saw her.  Three look just like her first kitten while the other one looks much like her.  One of the kittens has already been claimed and there are others who plan to visit to see if they too may have one.  If it was only that easy at the Humane League in Lancaster.  

One of the kittens was interested in my camera.

Too many of the cats and kittens end up being euthanized after being brought to the center since there are not enough of people willing to adopt a stray. Carol and I can't bear to see the strays in the neighborhood starve so we feed them and then try to catch them with hopes they may be adopted.  

Cute!

We realize that doesn't happen with all that we have caught and that is the reason we gladly gave Larry to Debbie, since she has many friends who are willing to adopt the strays and their offspring.  We would love to keep one or two ourselves, but we already have a cat that was a stray at one time and he wouldn't appreciate a roommate.  Here's hoping all the kittens, as well as Larry, may be adopted in the near future.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

PS - An update!  Held this post in queue a few extra days and now can report that all the kittens have been adopted.  They are all litter trained and are eating on their own, but one seems to be a momma's baby and wants to still nurse from time to time.  So glad all will be welcomed into new homes and now hope Larry will find a home as well.

The "It Tastes Like ..... Well ..... Ewww! Story

The size of a pawpaw can be seen in this photo.
I placed it next to a large green apple for comparison.

It was an ordinary day.  Just cut the pawpaw in half to taste it.  I held it to my nose and couldn't really determine what it smelled like.  Carol tasted a small piece of it and said, "Ewww!"  "Just glad I didn't have to pay for it," I told her.  Ever hear of a pawpaw?  I had heard of one before, but had no idea what they looked like, smelled like, how big they were or what they tasted like.  Finally got the chance today when I cut the pawpaw in half and tasted the fruit for the first time.  I heard about them recently and told my wife that I bet I could find some on market since fall is the time of year when they mature and ripen.  

Pawpaws for sale on market for $3.00 a box.

Went to my favorite market stand and sure enough, there were a couple of boxes of the fruit at Meck's Produce stand at Central Market in downtown Lancaster, PA.  The fruit grows on small trees that have a thin trunk with big tropical leaves.  Wouldn't have known what they were if it wasn't for the sign next to them. I asked Bob, who came to help me, about them and he did his best to try and explain the flavor and odor they yield.  Told me he has a few pawpaw trees at the edge of his orchard that produce the pawpaw fruit every year.  There are customers who enjoy the flavor and aroma of the fruit and that's why he still raises them every year.  Tough to raise and ship to other markets since they bruise so easily.  Probably the reason that they are slowly becoming extinct.  He told me that some people say they taste like a combination of banana, mango, strawberry and pineapple all rolled into one.

A look at the inside of the fruit.  You are supposed to peal
the fruit like a peach.  You can see one of the many seeds
I found when I cut the fruit open.

Also told me he has a customer that says they have a custard taste to them.  Sounds like something I would enjoy.  Asked him if I could buy just one so I can give it a try before I buy an entire box of them.  Picked out one of the best looking pawpaws and handed it to me.  Told me to take it home, let it ripen a couple more days and give it a try.  Well, today was that day and I must tell you, the aroma was disgusting as was the flavor.  I'm not sure I can even describe the smell or taste.  After cutting it I found a large seed in the fruit.  I pulled out the seed and came upon another large seed.  After cutting some more, I found about a half dozen of the smooth seeds.  I have read that the pawpaw is high in vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and iron, but I'm afraid the "Ewww!" in the fruit is going to have me searching for these vitamins somewhere else.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.          

The "Gonna Miss The Close-Talker" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting on the doctor's chair while he finishes putting a bandage on the two locations he cut from my forehead which he feared were skin cancer.  Dr. Brod has been my dermatologist for years and years.  I began going to him when my family doctor found something on my forehead during a routine yearly physical.  Must have been close to twenty-five years ago when that took place.  He suggested I see a dermatologist and gave me Dr. Brod's phone number to make an appointment.  As soon as I went to see him I knew I was going to like the guy.  Very personable and extremely efficient.  Over the years he must have taken close to a pound of flesh from me for biopsies.  I have had three MOHS surgeries that removed cancers from my head since my first trip to visit with him.  In my opinion, the guy has been a life-saver.  Then one year my daughter needed to see a dermatologist and my wife took her see Dr. Brod.  

Dr. Bruce Brod ... "The Close-Talker"

When Carol and Brynn got home after her initial visit I  asked what her initial thought of her visit with him was ... "He's a close-talker!"  Now, if you have ever watched the TV show, Seinfeld, you may remember the fellow who would get right in your face when he talked to you.  They called him the close-talker.  I must admit it fits Dr. Brod to a "T".  He loves to talk to you and when he greets you he gets extremely close to your face as he talks.  My guess is he is beginning his examination as soon as he sets eyes upon you and he needs to get close to do that examination.  On my last, and final visit with Dr. Brod a few weeks ago, he entered the exam room and introduced me to a young girl who was going to watch him examine me so she could see what he looks for on someone who has had close to 100 items either frozen or cut from his body in the past.  "And ... as you can see, Mr. Woods has been out in the sun quite a bit," he told the intern.  We have gotten to know each other quite well in the past with me taking photo of his kids when they were in Middle School and I handled the yearbook for the school.  Also got to know him since he is the Dermatologist for the Baltimore Orioles as well as the local Lancaster Barnstormers.  We always seem to talk baseball between the ... "Do you care if I take this off," or "I'm going to have to freeze this one," or "Tell me how you get all these things when you tell me you wear a hat."  Well, today he tells me he will no longer be my dermatologist.  "Not that I don't enjoy your visit. Heavens, you have kept be in business all these years!"  He went on, "I've decided it's time to teach the next generation of doctors how to become dermatologists.  I'm going to teach at the University of Pennsylvania as well as make visits to the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia to see how I can help them with skin problems they may have."  "Wow, you know I'm going to miss you," I told him.  "You have kept me alive all these years. Who's going to continue to do that?"  He told me he was going to trust me to one of the many females who are still in the practice at Dermatology Associates.  He made a recommendation to me and after talking about baseball once again, departed with a warm handshake.  I'm going to miss the guy my family has grown to know as the close-talker.  I knew went I went to visit him every so many months that I was in the hands of perhaps the best dermatologists in the country.  I'm sure he will enjoy his next endeavor and wish him the best, but will find it hard to visit the office from now on and not get to see his face about six inches from mine.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Garden Spot Of America: The Historic Kreider Farm" Story

The new 100 foot high obseration tower at Kreider Family Farms.

It was an ordinary day.  Standing on the top tier of the Kreider Farms 100-foot observation tower in Manheim, Pennsyl- vania.  There is Lancaster County farmland 360 degrees around me.  Being in the "Garden Spot of America" and viewing truly magnificent agricultural scenery is fantastic!  Lancaster County has some of the most productive non-irrigated farm land in the United States.

View of the chicken houses in the distance.

This tower was recently completed on what was once a concrete silo that stored silage or food for the farm animals that inhabit the Kreider Farm.  It features a spiraling steel staircase winding around the outside of the former silo which has 172 steps; and I experienced every one of them.  On one side of the road, directly in front of me and directly in front of the tower lies the Kreider Family Homestead and the family cemetery plot.

Off in the distance is the farm's water pumping station
which they have erected to supply water for their agricultural
business.  Sitting behind the pumping station are rows of
solar panels that supply the power to run the pumping station.

To my right are the many chicken houses that holds 6 million egg-laying chickens while directly behind me are the barns that hold more than 2,000 cows, a milk-bottling and ice cream plant.  To operate this massive farm takes about 200 employees.  The tour I am taking today of one of Lancaster County's leading farms draws about 10,000 visitors a year.  The farm and company president, Ron Kreider, got the idea for the observation tower after visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  

A panoramic view of the dairy buildings.

He thought it would give visitors to his farm a chance to see the immense size of the farm from a different perspective.  Since agriculture and tourism are two of Pennsylvania's, particularly Lancaster County's, largest economic sectors, combining the two was a great idea.  

This photo comes from Kreider's website and
shows a tour bus going through one of the
dairy barns while the cows eat.

The tour I am on today, during Agriculture Week in Lancaster County, met at the Kreider Farms Visitor's Center on PA Rt. 72 and boarded a tour bus that has taken us from the center to the many areas of the farm.  The buildings housing the millions of egg-laying chickens has been closed to visits for some time due to the Avian flu which struck this area hard not long ago.  

On our way to the farm, we saw a farm along the
road that had this image painted on the barn.

We did get to see the entire dairy process from the maternity barn where the calves are born to the milking barn where an automated circular milking carousel rotates as cows enter the unit, are sprayed with a disinfectant, wiped dry, milking hoses hooked to them and slowly released from the unit after having their milk removed from their utters.  Much of the trip is accomplished while sitting in the tour bus that drives through the different barns while the actual milking machine is viewed from indoor windows as well as exterior viewing.  Follow along with my photos as I give you a sampling as to how the milk that you drink is probably processed in your country.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - Click on photos to enlarge them.

An overview of the unit that can hold 64 cows for milking.  The carousel revolves at a slow speed as the cows enter the unit, have their udder sprayed with a disinfectant, a worker wipes the disinfectant off, a worker attaches the automatic milking machine, and the cows exit the unit.  This photo was taken from above the unit as it revolved.

Each cow has an ear tag as well as an implanted computer chip on it.  The implanted chip will signal the number of the cow as it enters the milking machine.

This photo shows the cows in the foreground making their way onto the milking machine while in the rear they have been released and are heading back to the barn to feed once more.  Each cow is milked three times a day.  Just about all the cows are Holstein cows and will give, on average, 93 pounds of milk a day.   When the cows are on the milking carousel, the unit plus the cows weighs about 54 tons.

This readout is next to the cow as she enters the milking machine.  A computer reads the chip embedded in the cow to get this number.  This is cow #810.

The udder is then sprayed.  The unit that sprays can be seen in the bottom mid-right.

This worker is wiping the spray from the udder of the cow.

The next worker attaches the milking unit to the cow.

As soon as the milking machine is attached, the computer readout begins to measure the pounds of milk that the cow yields.

The many products that the Kreider Family Farm produces.  If you live in the north-east of the United States, you may find these in your grocery store.

  

The "Garden Spot Of America: Celebrating Agricultural Week" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Celebrating Lancaster County's Agricultural Week with a visit to one of Lancaster's leading farms in the county.  Tomorrow I will tell you about the tour I took to Kreider farm in the town of Manheim, Pennsylvania, but today I will give you some background into what Lancaster County has meant to me throughout my lifetime.  I am not a farmer, but I did get a taste of farming through my uncle Bob, who would invite me to visit his family's homestead from time to time.  Went hunting with uncle Bob on his family farm, visited a few times when the butcher would arrive to butcher the pigs that were raised on the farm and had quite a few chances to visit for family picnics in the meadow by the stream that ran through the farm he called home for many years as a youth.  Didn't really enjoy the first two topics I just listed, but had the best time "creek stomping" for salamanders and crayfish when my mom and dad took my brother and I to the farm each summer for the family picnic.  

Sign telling you that this is the Kreider Family Farm.

Lancaster County is known as an agricultural community since it is almost 72% farmland with 439,481 acres of farmland of which 106,417 acres (24%) are preserved from development.  Those 106,417 acres are contained to 1,362 farms that are themselves protected from development.  The crops which fill the majority of those acres are corn (101,005 acres), forage-land for hay and grass silage, and greenchop (81,560 acres), corn for silage (72-539), soybeans (34,657 acres) and wheat (12,466 acres).  For those readers who don't know what I mean by silage, it is grass or other green fodder that is stored in airtight conditions such as in a silo and is used as animal feed in the winter.  The top livestock (animals used for food) raised in Lancaster County are: (1-3) Chickens, which make up the top three with 11 million egg-producing chickens; 10 million broilers and other chickens raised for meat; and 3 million pullet hens (15-22 weeks old) used for flock replacement; (4) Hogs and pigs which number 360,000; and (5) cattle and calves which number 277,000.  Lancaster County has approximately 23,800 agriculture jobs which is about 8% of the workforce in Lancaster County, $1,088,057,016 in earnings or 8% of all regional earnings and $6,699,582,779 in sales.  Starting to understand the importance of agriculture in Lancaster County?  Money wise, the current annual value of the top three crops produced is: $469 million in poultry and eggs, $425 million in milk from cows and $159 million from cattle and calves.  

Sign in front of the Kreider Homestead.

The farm I visited today, Kreider Family Farm, began in 1717 when Christian Hershey came to Lancaster County with a group of German-Swiss Mennonites and had land deeded to him by William Penn.  His payment for the land was to be one red rose given annually.  Today's logo for the farm features a cow with a red rose in it's mouth.  Then in 1736 Christian's grandson, also Christian, purchased 400 acres of land including the farm I am visiting, and built a small house on the land.  In 1770, the last two Conestoga Indians in Lancaster County, after living under the protection of the Hersheys, died and were buried on the property thus the name of road that passes close by the farm of Indian Village Road.  In 1792 another generation of Christian Hersheys, and his wife Elizabeth, built the existing limestone farmhouse and barn.  

Logo used to show the payment of the Red Rose.

Christian's brother Isaac moved from the farm to what is now the town of Hershey, PA.  In 1826 Isaac built a stone farmhouse in Hershey for his son Jacob whose son Milton eventually founded Hershey Chocolate Company in Lancaster and later moved it to Hershey, PA. The farmhouse where Milton was born is located on the campus of the Milton Hershey School where my one-time baseball coach and Godfather to my daughter, Bob Beitzel, went to school.  Another Hershey, John, in 1875, and his wife Adeline took up residence in the farmhouse on the property where I now stand and were parents to Mary who ended up marrying Noah Kreider who grew up in Paradise, PA.  In 1934 the couple purchased the farm at public auction from John Hershey and now call it the Kreider Homestead. Seems John didn't want to play favors within his own family so put the farm up for auction hoping, and probably knowing, that a family member would buy it. 

The Original Hershey/Kreider farm with the family
graveyard in the green area in the bottom-right.

This year they celebrated 81 years of business. The farm has grown in 1934 from 103 acres, 200 chickens, a dozen cows and assorted crops to over 2,500 acres, 6 million egg-laying chickens and 2,000 cows. This is one farm in a county of over 1,000 farms.  The history of Lancaster County farms and the agriculture business is being celebrated this week.  What a grand place to live and raise a family.  I have never regretted my choice to stay and raise my family in Lancaster County where i was born and where hard work and core values are part of the fabric of "The Garden Spot of America."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy   

The "These Are A Few Of My Favorite World Series Memories" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Getting ready for the upcoming World Series.  For those who don't follow sports or are from a country where baseball isn't played, the World Series pits the two best teams in baseball against each other at the end of the baseball season.  I have loved the sport of baseball all my life and have participated in it as a player, coach and fan.  Over those years I have watched the World Series every year except when my family didn't have television, and then I can remember listening to the World Series on radio.  So, today I will share with you my four most memorable moments from the World Series as I remember them.  PS - click on photo to enlarge.

1. 1954 and I was in elementary school. I had been following the Cleveland Indians the entire year since a few of my classmates were Indians fans. That, plus one of my best friends, Bill, loved the New York Yankees and I couldn't stand any team associated with New York.  Just loved to kid him about how bad teams from New York really were. Pitchers Early Wynn and Bob Lemon were the top pitchers for the Indians in '54.  They were playing the New York Giants who had this young center fielder named Willie Mays on their team.  Game one of the series was at the Polo Grounds in NY.  It was the top of the 8th inning and the score was tied 2-2 when Indians batter Vic Wertz hit a drive deep to center field. In most stadiums it would have been a home run, but the Polo Grounds had a huge outfield.  Willie Mays ran toward the fence with his back toward the batter and made what is now known as "The Catch" when he caught the ball with his back to home plate.  He spun around and kept both of the runners, who were already on base, from scoring.  The Giants won the World Series four games to none.  I must admit Willie Mays became my all-time favorite player after that catch. 
2. 1975 and the Cincinnati Reds were playing the Boston Red Sox.  
   
   The Reds won the World Series four games to three, but one of my favorite plays happened with the Red Sox at bat in the sixth game of the series.  Carlton Fisk was at bat for the Red Sox in a 6-6 tie game in the bottom of the 12th inning. Fisk hit a shot down the left field line that looked as if it may go out of play.  Fisk slowly started toward first base, urging the ball to stay fair with his body motions.  It fell just inside the foul pole for a home run and the win.  The following game was won by the Reds to win the series.
3.  1986 with the New York Mets playing the Boston Red Sox and once again it is the sixth game of the series that I remember the most.  
   
   Game was tied in the bottom of the tenth inning when what appeared to be an easy ground ball was hit toward Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner.  For some reason he missed the ball and the winning run crossed the plate for the Mets.  The Mets won the final game to win the World Series while Buckner will be remembered for the ball that got through him that cost his team the series.  It did make him a pretty big star on The Seinfeld Show when he was featured in a few episodes.
4. My final favorite memory of the World Series didn't happen while watching the game but flying a few thousand feet above the United States in 2008, listening to the pilot of our 747 give the play-by-play over the plane's audio system.  

   

   Just getting back from Barbados and
   walking past a Phils sign in the airport.

   Carol and I, along with traveling mates Jerry and Just Sue, were returning to the Philadelphia airport from a two week vacation to Barbados.  My beloved Philadelphia Phillies had a three game to one lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.  The game was being played in Philadelphia and I was half-hoping that the Phils would lose so I could watch them on television win the following day.  We were about half-way home when the pilot came on the speaker and said that since most of the plane was probably Phillies fans, he would give a play-by-play of the final inning.  The Rays were batting in the top of the 9th inning and if the Phillies got them out, the Phils would win their first World Series Championship in 25 years and their second one in their 126-year history.  The excitement grew with each out, but then Phils pitcher Brad Lidge gave up a single and stolen base.  The pilot added suspense as he gave a pitch-by-pitch accounting of Ray's Eric Hinske at bat until Brad Lidge struck him out with his patented slider.  The plane went berserk! I swear it must have dipped a few hundred feet due to the feeling in my stomach, but leveled off and got us back to the airport.  On our ride home we met with many cars beeping their horns and naturally I had to join in.  I did get to see the final strike-out on TV after getting home, but it wasn't half as much fun as a plane full of fans going nuts. Certainly wasn't as exciting as being in Barbados for two weeks, but sure was a close second. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.