Seth’s Sightings

On our way home as the sun began to set, we came round a corner and I saw what appeared to be a moving black plastic bag, until it picked up an edge, and we saw that this was the head of a young skunk. It wisely stopped at the road as we passed.

Also along our journeys this week, we sighted a great blue heron who was kneedeep in the pond by the gas company.

And then Ruth had a close encounter of the deer kind as the car she was inturned into the alley between the Union Cemetery and the Schwab School in Weatherly, and found two deer grazing.They moved, grudgingly.

On a late night return to our home this week, we encountered a very large black bear in a remote area. It had just come up to the road and saw our vehicle, then turned tail and headed back into the woods.

This weekend was dry and sunny, which meant it was going to be one for lawn moving. My old lawn mower has bitten the dust buy my electric weed whacker is still a trooper, and it handled most of the high grass around the dog yard. I’m working to preserve some of the wildflowers, and there’s a patch of little blue blossoms mixed with some violets and some of our mint that has flowered.

The dogs appreciated the change.

I’m beginning to shape

by Seth Isenberg

our forsythia now that the flowers are done. I like it to be partly a hedge, but as everyone who owns forsythia knows, the bush tends to throw branches in every direction. With the warm days, our purple lilac is putting on quite a show, a nice compliment to the cherry trees up front, but what’s really exciting is that the apple trees are blooming. While I’d prefer that they would bloom later, because there’s still a threat of frost, these trees have responded well to the pruning I’ve done, and I’m hopeful for some edibles later this summer. Our big event recently was attending the Wine On the River festival in Lehighton. This was the first time we visited this event, and we had a good time, finding it easily walkable.

I tuckered out and retreated to a tent to rest, but Ruth and our friends browsed, tasted and purchased from many of the dozen wineries represented.

See SIGHTINGS, page 5

Sightings

Continued from page 4

We very much look forward to next year’s event. We’re also looking forward to the big wine festival at Split Rock in June.

Happy Mothers’ Day to all who celebrate.

Ruth’s mobility improves by the week. She was strong enough that we were able to go to the Allentown Farmer’s Market, where we picked up Polish and Mediterranean foods.

We are mourning the passing of my 99-year-old Aunt Joan. Our Sunday plans were tossed and replaced by a trip to Princeton New Jersey to sit shiva with family.

That Sunday was a foul day weather-wise. I was up early to take photos of the start of the Jim Thorpe Running Festival’s marathon, which began just up from the Journal’s office in downtown White Haven. At the hour there was some light rain, and even hints of sunshine when the 8 a.m. starting groups left the starting line. Twenty-four miles to go… I learned that as the runners came back past where I had set up to take pictures, that they had completed their first couple of miles. I offered words of encouragement as runners passed.

I also joked about the tiny hill up to the White Haven Diner being the only hill on the course…downhill from there…

Race timing would mean that most of the runners were done before noon.

I returned home to pick up Ruth for our trip to New Jersey to sit with family. It was a rainy ride down the PA Turnpike, but not too bad to Princeton.

The ride home, however, was a totally different matter. Homebound we got off the highways and used state roads to angle north from Allentown to Weatherly. On Route 348 just east of Indian Trail Park, we encountered a tree down across the road. We had arrived before the fire department, but the locals had already sprung into action and were cutting branches off in the pouring rain. Once the fire company arrived, they added chainsaws and made very quick work of cutting the tree away from the road – free entertainment, then a short ride home.

On Monday as I drove the Turnpike back to White Haven after a doctors’ appointment, I encountered hail and sleet showers. Ahhh, early May weather…

In sports, having Aaron Rodgers at the NY Jets might be a revival for them … Joe Namath all over again. I’m excited as a Patriots fan for the matchups. I still see the Eagles as THE team this fall.

I enjoyed the hole-in-one at the Australian stop of the LIV Tour – excitement, cheers and beers…

We’re headed for a newspaper conference, so as I finish up this column we have passed from the green of early spring to the green that promises lush summer, as we drove south on Interstate 81. More about this trip next column.

May you continue in good health.