October 2009 Archives

Remember how I was trying to get all of York County - and beyond - involved in neighborhood booings?

Well, that blog post ran in this week's Living section, and once it did, I got a letter from Julie Brown of Spring Garden Township. She wrote:

"Our neighborhood in Spring Garden Twp. has a booing going on every year. The kids love it! They can't wait to go out after dark, knock on the neighbor's door and run as fast as they can so as not to get caught. And even more than that they anxiously await a knock on our door and go running to see if we've been booed and what goodies there are. This year, as my kids were putting on their shoes the other night to go get
the booing started, there was a knock at our door and we were booed first. It
was pretty funny!"

The picture with this post is Julie's; she says it shows what her family put into the "boos" for their friends this year. The funny thing is, in the boo we received, we got one of those cups! :-)

If you're celebrating, have a safe and happy Halloween!

I'm still celebrating the Game 1 Phillies victory in the World Series. I hope that, by the time you're reading this on Friday morning, I'll be celebrating another!

So, while I'm off partying and cheering, here's a look at some interesting sites featuring Yorkers:

· Chris on the AT is Chris Sheaffer's log of his hike southward on the Appalachian Trail - all 2,167 miles. Chris is a 2002 Central York High School grad. Read more about his undertaking here.

· A magazine for professional truckers honored a Windsor man, Jim Waltemyer, for 37 years of safe, accident-free driving. He hauls Federal Express freight.

· Speaking of vehicles, if you haven't seen the work of Prueitt and Sons auto restoration of Glen Rock, you're missing out. They do amazing things. Check out their "In Progress" photo gallery.

· Here are the memories of many Yorkers about S&H Green Stamps. Expect more from me on that subject in a future post, but in the meantime, if you remember those, leave me a comment!

Have you spotted news about Yorkers elsewhere? Let me know, because I'd love to feature it on the blog. And, it bears repeating - Go Phillies!

Check out this awesome Wall Street Journal article about composting - including worm composting, with worms provided by a Spring Grove business!

Here's video of the composting process, including the worms at work:

What do you think? Are you into composting at all? (Hubby is!) But what about the worm aspect? I kind of draw the line there...

Remember our mystery pet, Ray?

Well, for those of you who guessed - Tracey was right - he was a crayfish! (She said crawdad, but hey, same difference!)

Notice I said "was."

Yeah, Ray is no more. He's a late crayfish. He's pushin' up the daisies. He's an ex-crayfish. You get my drift.

Now, since we spent a decent chunk of change on the nice habitat for him, we're left with a dilemma: What can we get instead? We'd like another aquatic or semi-aquatic pet that requires not too much care but that has a little bit of personality.

We're thinking about a turtle. Any thoughts on that, or other suggestions? Leave me a comment!

Now, see, nice people of West Manchester Township? This is why you should let Joan get a goat! It would have to look better than our lawn looks now!

My friend and coworker Sean Adkins is from Long Island. At least that's his excuse.

He didn't know what dippy eggs were. And it took him some time to understand getting his drink served "awhile."

Clearly, all of my faithful readers need to go leave Sean some York County comment-love. (I saw that Jo already did!)

And in case you, too, are clueless... read more about dippy eggs here and read more about "awhile" here.

I was out sick the last couple of days and am coming in late to the Snyder's/Utz deal hoopla.

But of course I can't let a snack food story go unnoticed on the blog! What do you guys think? Is the whole Snyder's-buys-Utz thing going to be good for York County snackers?

And, of course, what should the new company be called? Snutz? Mike Argento says Synutz. I was trying to come up with something that plays on "schnitz," which is, of course, an original York snack!

C'mon. Weigh in!

This one came up at a friendly gathering I was at last week. My best friend and his wonderful new bride have found a Yorkism that separates them, and I thought I'd help settle their disagreement with a lovely poll.

My answer to come in a future post!

Wow, so many things going on in the coming days! Got a news release that the Bob Hoffman YMCA on Palomino Road in Dover Township is having a free Fall Fitness Festival from Monday to Oct. 30.

Among the activities:

· Anyone 14 and older can participate in fitness classes and use the fitness center.
· A free seminar, "What You Can Do About Your Cancer Risk," will be offered by Wellspan from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday.
· Free blood-pressure checks will be offered by Dover Ambulance from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday
· Free chair massages will be offered by Touch Of Life on Wednesday morning and evening.

There will also be refreshments and daily prize drawings. Want to know more? Call the Y at 292-5622.

Not doing anything this Saturday evening? Brave the weather and head out to my alma mater, Dover Area High School, for the fifth annual Dover Band Show.

According to their news release, this marching band showcase features many of York County's non-competitive bands and was created five years ago as a way to give the students a late-season performance opportunity. (And I give the band folks huge props for performing this late in the season; it is COLD out on that field!)

Gates open at 5 p.m., and the show begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $2 for students and senior citizens, and can be purchased at the stadium gates. If it rains (not that THAT has happened lately, ha!) the show will be held in the high school gymnasium.

The schedule includes:
· National Anthem performed by Dover High School's select choral ensemble, "Renaissance"
· Hanover "Nighthawk" Pep/Marching Band
· Northeastern "Bobcat" Marching Band
· Steelton-Highspire "Roller-Pride" Marching Band
· West York "Bulldog" Marching Band (my daughter's school, so YAY for them too!)
· Central York "Panther" Marching Band
· Dallastown "Wildcat" Marching Band
· Dover "Eagle" Marching Band
· Full Band Retreat performing "America the Beautiful"

The release also pointed out something I'd missed - that the Dover district was recently named one of the top 100 communities for music education in the United States by the National Association of Music Merchandisers. Central York was also selected for the honor.

If you want to know more about the show, call band director George Bradshaw at 292-3671, ext. 10304. (And tell him Joan Concilio sent you!)

So head out if you're free! I'll be here at work, but if you go, let me know - I'd love to hear all about it!

So, while eating lunch the other day with Hubby at the Lyndon Diner, I was reading their placemat full of advertising.

And I came upon an event that sounds kind of fun: A "Pennsylvania Game Dinner."

It's 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, and it says it is "a dinner of pheasant, trout, venison, and other indigenous treats" served at 6330 South River Drive in Hellam Township, on the banks of the Susquehanna.

It says to call 252-1521 for reservations, but the placemat didn't list the venue itself. Of course, since I live online, I just had to look it up. It's at the Accomac Inn - so you know it'll be nice. This Web site has more details.

As I was on the Accomac's Web site, I found out that they're having a Ghost Dinner tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday. Not sure if you can still get in on that or not, but it definitely sounds fun!

What do you think? Yay or nay on eating "indigenous treats" like venison and pheasant?

Many of you know that our daughter, Sarah, is in fourth grade. Well, one of the big "things" in fourth grade is the study of science. Lots of science. (In fact, this year's PSSA tests for Sarah will be all science-related.)

And guess what science means? Classroom animals!

And guess what classroom animals mean after the unit is finished? Parents who are suckers.

Our new pet, Ray, lives in here:

Today's "Are You Smarter Than Joan's Fourth-Grader" pop quiz: What kind of pet is Ray? Hint: He eats cat food and he's about the size of my pinky finger.

Leave your guess in the comments!

Maybe you're familiar with the idea of the Halloween "boo" - leaving an anonymous gift of goodies for two people who are each supposed to pass a gift on to two more people. It's like a chain letter for gifting, and you usually need to hang up a sign once you've been "booed" so that no one else gifts you.

Well, imagine our surprise the other night to find a "boo" hanging from our front lamppost! I had done this a couple of years ago at work, but never in a neighborhood sense. So of course we were all excited to pass on our own boos to some friends and neighbors.

The photo here is the boo we made to give, not the one we received. If you'd like to start your own booing with two friends or neighbors, here are my suggestions:

1. Get something sturdy to put your goodies in. Even if it's not pouring out - like it was this weekend - you probably will have your boo sitting on the ground overnight on someone's porch. Hence our plastic pumpkin.

2. Include a "ghostie" for the booed family to hang on their door. (You can see ours in the photo; here's a printable version, though you can certainly draw him - it's not hard!) Here's an extra tip - given our bad weather, dig up a sheet protector, tape your boo on a piece of black construction paper and slide it inside. That's what we did, and it's not only keeping him dry, it also makes him stand out on our white front door. Don't forget to "boo" yourself if you're starting the booing!

3. Choose a bunch of small goodies, mixing candy-type stuff and other items. We gave some candy, but also some "rubber eyeballs," a little orange decorative pot, a small fall cookbook and a notepad. (Target's dollar bin was a source of most of our items; any dollar store is also a good start.)

4. Include the directions! If you've gotten booed already, you can copy or rewrite them, but if you're starting the chain in your own neighborhood, feel free to print copies of my direction sheet. Ours came handwritten, but the copy editor in me had to jazz it up a little.

If you give this a try, or if you see any neighborhoods around town that have had a booing going on, leave me a comment! Bonus points if you e-mail photos of your booing to me at jconcilio@ydr.com.

One of my friends and coworkers, Kara, recently gave me a copy of Pennsylvania Magazine, whose publisher, Al Holliday, has a regular column called "Did 'ja know?"

In the issue she gave me (May/June of this year), Holliday's column explores some of the ways we "tawk" funny across Pennsylvania.

Tawk - talk - is one of them. Some - like "Youze and yizz" - are more common in other areas of the state than in this area.

But here are some of the ones that I've heard around York. As a return of my popular "pop quizzes," can you decipher the "real words" behind these?

1. Farce far
2. Lie berry
3. Shar (and par)

Leave me comments with your guesses!

Weekly Record reader Carol Lichtenwalner of New Freedom sent me this recipe for shoo-fly pie. She writes: "It was given to me by my mother many many years ago. I have been baking since I was 18 years old and I'm now 71 and love shoo-fly pie. I'm sure you will love it. It's gooey on the bottom."

Mix together:
·1 cup flour
·1 Tbsp. Crisco
·3/4 cup dark brown sugar
Save out 1/2 cup of mixture for top of pie.
Add:
·1 cup King Syrup
·1 beaten egg to above dry mixture
Dissolve 1 tsp. baking soda in 3/4 cup boiling water and add to mixture.
Lastly, add 1/4 cup hot water and mix well. Sprinkle the half cup crumbs on top.
Use 9-inch unbaked pie crust. Pour mixture into it and top with the 1/2 cup of crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and at 375 for 10 minutes until firm.

I'm hoping to make a shoo-fly pie using Carol's recipe this holiday season. I'm a bit afraid to make it before then; if I end up really liking it, I'm afraid I'll eat it all, and I'm trying to watch my weight again!

Of course, if any of my faithful blog readers want to have a "taste-test party..."

The Pennsylvania Dutch Heritage Group locally is very active and has a great newsletter. One of their issues earlier this year included several sites related to the Pennsylvania Dutch language and culture.

- The Pennsylvania German Society
- The Kutztown Folk Festival, which is held each year to celebrate "Pennsylvania Dutch Folklife and Fun."
- Kutztown University's Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center
- Hiwwe-Wie-Driwwe, written 99 percent in Pennsylvania Dutch, offers audio lessons in the language. (Check them out on the right under "Webclass.")
- German-Pennsylvanian Association
- Pioneers and Patriarchs focuses on Pennsylvania Dutch History, Genealogy and Culture.
- Pennsylvania German Board, a message board in and about "Dutch"

And I would be very remiss if I didn't mention, again, the amazing "Nau loss mich yuscht eppes saage! En Blog uff Deitsch" by "Der Douglas." You might remember it from my post earlier this year.

Check them out, and let me know what you think, or if you know of any other sites like this. I'm in the process of adding these to our list of history and tradition resources online, so if you have more, I'd love to hear about them.

Teresa Strickler of Dover Township snapped this photo of a hummingbird with its tongue out.

Way back in early August, I wrote about a reader, Teresa Strickler of Dover Township, who'd submitted some wonderful hummingbird photos.

We published them in September in the Weekly Record, and when we went to post it online, well, Teresa had so many photos that we couldn't originally include them all.

But my friend and fellow online staffer Rose came to the rescue recently and made a slideshow of all Teresa's wonderful photos.

It's getting colder out now, but if you check out the story and photo gallery, it'll give you a bit of summer all over again. Enjoy!

Hope you didn't change your plans for the Utz program at Guthrie Library - it's been postponed.

From their release:

The program on Utz Quality Foods to be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Guthrie Memorial Library - Hanover's Public Library has been postponed. Further information will be provided once a new date is scheduled and will be forwarded via press release.

I'll keep you posted once I hear more!

Betty, a 6-week-old buffalo, took a few minutes recently before deciding the winner in the buffalo patty drop. (Daily Record/Sunday News photo by Kate Penn)

Read the story from Oct. 5 here, complete with a look at Betty the Buffalo declaring a winner.

Really. Only in York County!

Katie Portner, 8, of Dover gets ready to chomp a piece of broccoli. The samples were offered during the Broccoli Bash at the farmers market on Saturday. (Daily Record/Sunday News photo by Jason Plotkin)

Everyone had a great time, and the market was packed, reports Linda Birmingham, marketing committee chairwoman for the York Historic Farmers' Market Association.

If you want to help Linda and her group promote the market, the York Historic Farmers' Market Association holds regular meetings that you're welcome to attend! The next one is 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Union Lutheran Church, 408 W. Market St. - right across from the market. (Use the Penn Street door to enter.)

If you're lucky, you might find me there. My mom and I attend occasionally, when schedules permit, and we're very supportive of the group's efforts because we love the market so much!

A couple of quick good reads about Yorkers elsewhere - yes, we occasionally leave the comforts of home!

From "The Scribbler" column by Jack Brubaker of Lancaster Newspapers, Ann Pettigrew, a York woman taking the train out of Lancaster, heard an unusual "bird" - or rather, a recording of one being played from a nearby billboard.

From the University of Delaware's UDaily, Fran and Ralph Bowers of Felton headed to the university's annual Coast Day on Oct. 4. The event is designed to teach visitors about Delaware's coastal resources and the work of the college's environmental department. "We're big beachcombers and we still learned a lot," Ralph Bowers said.

Have you spotted news about Yorkers elsewhere? Let me know, because I'd love to feature it on the blog.

Remember my favorite local snack?

Well, if your favorites are like mine - salty and of the Utz variety - make sure you head down to a special presentation at the Hanover library in a couple of week.

From our sister paper, the Evening Sun of Hanover:

Learn more about Utz products at a program on Utz Quality Foods to be held 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, in the John D. Bare Center at the Guthrie Memorial Library -- Hanover's Public Library.

The program will include information on the company history, its growth over the years, the snack food industry and making a quality potato chip from "farm to your pantry." Tom Scholles, director of human resources at Utz Quality Foods, will be the presenter.

The program is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit guthrielibrary.org or call 632-5183.

And if you're down that-a-way anyway, why not check out the Utz outlet and the factory tour? The tours are free and self-guided, and can be done 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays at the factory on High Street. The outlet is a few streets over on Carlisle Street and is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

We took Sarah on the tour a few years ago and she really liked it. I'm hoping to do it again soon!

Just a quick post today to call your attention to some other local blogs I'm reading:

Food Fight, in which assistant sports editor Lyzz Jones talks about life in a family with food allergies - something I know A LOT about. I've got several, and my best friend's son, who lived with me for some time, has pretty much the opposite allergies. A house full of food marked "NO JOAN" and "NO BRAYDEN" was really something, I can tell you!

Anyway, Lyzz is just getting started with the blog, but she's doing a great job. If you or someone you know does have food allergies or sensitivities, please check it out. It's really a great help.

And York At Heart, by regular York Sunday News columnist Gordon Freireich, talks about something I'm obviously passionate about - life in York County, from a different perspective than mine! :)

Check them out. I really hope you'll like them.