people: July 2009 Archives

James Bomberger, left, and Norman Patterson of New Holland hook a catfish during their outing to the base of the Holtwood Dam on Monday. Bomberger and Patterson, along with Liana Whitcraft, fish the Susquehanna River, though not necessarily in the dam area.

Driving over the Norman Wood Bridge between Lancaster and York Counties, drivers don't truly get a sense of how big the Holtwood Dam is. On a quiet day, when the water is barely getting over the dam, fishermen hit the area below, looking for catfish.

Last summer, I drove past Jacob and Aaron Amspacher's home along Delta Road and stopped to photograph the twins jumping on, over, and off the trampoline/raft in their farm pond.

As I wandered down the road Monday, they were at it again. This time, they were throwing an old bike frame off the dock and then diving to the bottom after it. It's amazing what boys will find to entertain themselves.

The raft isn't out yet this summer, but they bounced off a tractor inner tube and into the drink. I can't imagine anyone driving past who didn't want to join the fun.

The boys played with remote controlled boats, lumbered across the pond in a paddle boat and then, with help from older sister Sarah, dropped from their new cable swing into the water.

I've gotta remember to put my bathing suit in the car.

They could charge admission to this place.

It's sunset at low tide. It's not a colorful sunset, since the sun set behind some distant clouds, but that's OK. The ocean smells fresh, a warm breeze floats past and the waves quietly try to regain the beach.

What a great day, eh?

Wednesday afternoon's huge multiple row-home fire in York no longer smolders. Some of the 53 residents who were displaced by the largest residential fire in the city's recent history -- 15 row homes-- are today combing through the wreckage.

As they rummaged through soggy drywall, carpet and lumber, it presented a surreal scene. From across the street, the back rooms, generally the kitchens, were untouched by the flames, smoke and water, while the families climb over the fallen homes.

On one kitchen table was a bag of Ruffles potato chips, a box of white rice and and a can of peaches. Below, a coffee maker and microwave oven made it through the fire without a scratch.

Some of the residents were cracking jokes -- "it's easier to laugh, and I can't cry anymore", says one-- while looking at old pictures, birthday cards and even bills.

A bag of ammunition was found Thursday afternoon, long after police took away dozens of guns that were held in a locker. Fighting a fire is one thing, but fighting a fire in which there are guns and live ammunition is an entirely different story. But a firefighter will be happy to remind you that no matter what the fire, there are always dangers.

This bag showed me a couple dozen reasons why I have nothing but praise for those folks.

When trying to capture an entire week in one picture -- it can be done-- you might want to stray from the obvious.

Duane is working on Prince Edward Island at a crab processing plant. His first impression upon visiting PEI was that of "a pasture in the middle of the ocean". Now, PEI isn't neccesarily known for its lavish beaches and constant fun in the sun like Florida's Key Largo or Fort Lauderdale. Vacationers land here and like PEI's relaxed atmosphere. And certainly, as is proved by this photo, crowds aren't a problem. And the beautiful reddish sand is fascinating.

Shelly and Frances Wright have collected hundreds of old farm vehicle wheels, and use them to decorate their beef farm. Together with the lupine, it makes for another tranquil scene that's typical of PEI-- but far from the more popular and touristy Anne of Green Gables house.

Someone once told me that when we drive off to vacation, our intention is to see things-- Bryce Canyon, New York City, Florida Keys or the Great Salt Lake-- but what we remember are the people we meet.

Well, maybe, sometimes. And maybe we remember the folks when what we left to see isn't as spectacular as we anticipated.

We just returned from another jaunt to Canada, this time visiting Prince Edward Island. The island is about the size of Delaware, but it has less than half the population of York County. While glad to have visited, I'd say the scenery is nice, but not extraordinary. But as usual, the kind and friendly Canadian people made it a trip to remember.

Darren works at a crab plant near Souris. A native Newfoundler, he says jobs are more plentiful here, and his parents helped him find work in the factory. It's tough work, he says, and truck driving school is in his future. Well-spoken and easy-going, Darren says when he first came to PEI, he thought it was a 'pasture in the middle of the ocean'.

Duane is a proud potato farmer, and climbed down from his big tractor to talk when he saw me taking pictures of the high furrows. Boasting about the PEI spuds, he said if we eat a potato in Canada, it probably came from a PEI field. Duane farms about 1,000 acres, about 310 in potatoes. No one in PEI is allowed to own more than 3,000 acres, he says, because a certain oil company came in and bought up most of New Brunswick, PEI's neighbor to the south. PEI folks took measures to keep that from happening.

Shelly had to quiet her three barking dachunds when I knocked on her door. I asked why all around her family's farm, antique wheels decorated-- or helped hold up-- a fence post. Her husband Francis collects them, she says. He's a carpenter by trade, but was off oyster fishing today. His goal is to collect 1,000 wheels, and display them all over the farm. When he's not fishing, he's tending to his beef cattle. Francis and Shelly are busy folks.

Ron McWilliams is president of the Dairy Farmers of Prince Edward Island, and he and his wife tend a farm that is just a wind gust away from the ocean on PEI's southwest shore. A bald eagle sits on a fence post, looking over the 90-foot cliff. Mosquitos and black flies try their best to carry me away.

On some of PEI's license plates, it calls itself the "Canada's Green Province". To the east of McWilliams' farm are huge windmills. While some people have complained it clutters up the landscape, McWilliams seems resigned to the fact that wind power might be the way to deal with the energy problem. More than 40 windmills are either in operation or planning stages.

David and Kodie are slouched at a diners' table, watching their Dad pound at the laptop. The teenagers from Dover, Ohio, are obviously not happy, being stuck here "in the middle of nowhere" with no TV, one computer, and little to do. But, they're smiling anyway. While their parents talks about the small burg's virtues, David and Kodie roll their eyes and snicker.

Alice and her husband raised seven grandchildren on their small farm. But he died recently, and Alice is trying her best to keep up the farm, the lawn, the house and the glorious garden. "I don't know if I can keep it," she says. "It's a lot of work." But my bet is that she will. Across the street, a couple was trying to rehab an old cottage. Before she left for an extended family visit, the woman left a 'handful' of money to him so a sewer and running water could be installed. When she returned, nothing was done, but the money was gone. She was soon gone, as well.

Arielle and Ty are returning from their long walk during low tide. The walk took them a half mile or more to where the waves finally meet the shore. They plan to be married in their home in Puerto Rico, despite both their parents' strenuous objections.

It was a good trip. I've never been to Canada when it wasn't.

For more travel tips and information, check Jen Vogelsong's blog at http://www.yorkblog.com/explorer/